Works Ministry to get tough on safety aspects at construction work sites

KUALA LUMPUR: Starting next week, the Works Ministry will actively check on construction sites to see whether health and safety rules for workers are strictly followed, while stern action will be taken against the errant ones.

“This is a warning to all the construction contractors to ensure occupational safety and health at the work sites,” he said when officiating at the graduation ceremony for 306 trainees of the Malaysia Construction Academy, here, yesterday.

Fadillah said the Malaysia Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) through the International Human Resource Development Centre (IHRDC), would be introducing the module on safety at the workplace.

“This module will be used in the teaching approach at the academy to increase trainees’ understanding on the importance of ensuring safety at the workplace.

“When this is achieved, they will also be able to create a more conducive work environment.”

On the construction industry scenario, Fadillah said the country needed to increase skilled workers to 60 per cent towards achieving developed-nation status.

He said according to statistics from Bank Negara Malaysia, there were 1.38 million skilled workers in the country’s construction sector, with 425,000 of them being foreigners.

Meanwhile, CIDB chief executive Datuk Seri Ir Dr Judin Abdul Karim said it was training 28,000 workers in the construction sector for this year to meet the high demand for such workers.  — Bernama