With too many accidents and deaths at construction sites, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) launched an occupational health and safety guidelines to better protect workers from such accidents, making it the first local council to do so in Selangor, reported The Star.
“In the past year itself, we have seen too many accidents and even deaths at construction sites around the city. This has to stop,” said Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain at the launch.
To be implemented immediately, the new guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOP) – which was drafted based on the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) – will apply to all future construction applications, whether it be from third-party or in-house developers.
With this, MBPJ published three guideline books, namely a SOP, safety manual and procedures.
Mohd Azizi noted that officers from four departments – engineering, town planning, building control and landscape – drafted the books.
Under the new safety standards, contractors will be required, among others, to put on a safety harness whenever they are working at height. On site workers should also be thoroughly briefed on the safety measures before the start of work.
“With the proper guidelines in place, I hope all those involved will adhere to them and maintain the safety standards set,” said Mohd Azizi.
He also revealed that a new committee, named the Safety Audit Unit, will be formed. Comprising 36 officers, the team will oversee the safety aspects of all Petaling Jaya worksites. Notably, they will oversee the safety in four fields – infrastructure, digital, environment as well as management and enforcement.
Safety, health and environment consultant Khairuddin Hairan said with the new guidelines, property developers and contractors in Petaling Jaya are expected to implement higher worksite safety standards or risk being suspended or terminated.
“Usually when a construction project is approved by the local government, they will only look at the traffic and social impact on an area, and not other aspects such as how the work will affect the health and safety of contractors and the public,” said Khairuddin, who helped train the Safety Audit Unit personnel and draw the safety guidelines.
Radin Ghazali, Content Writer at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email radin@propertyguru.com.my
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