KUALA LUMPUR – Roads or lanes must be closed to all traffic if a heavy structure needs to be moved at road or highway construction sites, said Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
He said the matter was among the strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) that contractors must abide by to ensure the safety of workers and the public.
“In the implementation such a project, if for example, you want to move the gantry launcher, the road needs to be closed, once the structure is safely (moved), only then reopen the route,” he said at a press conference after handing over the letter of acceptance of projects under the purview of Works Ministry and the Public Works Department here today.
He was commenting on the accident that occurred at a construction site on the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) in Alam Damai this morning which killed at least two workers and injured two others – the second fatal incident on the highway in under a month.
Based on the initial investigation, the accident occurred when one of the gantry crane components fell and hit a moving vehicle.
Expressing his disappointment, Fadillah said the project contractor had been repeatedly warned to comply with SOPs, and yet similar incidents still reoccur. He urged the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) to investigate and if the contractor was found in breach of SOPs, strict action should be taken.
“These contractors can be blacklisted, not given any project for two years,” he said.
He said the Construction Industry Development Board as the monitoring body and related agency was also urged to investigate the incident in detail.
Meanwhile, during the event, Fadillah handed over SST of seven projects, worth RM500 million, to representatives of ministries involved. – Bernama, March 22, 2021
