February 21, 2020 4:26 PM
PAM president Lillian Tay said the ministry should have engaged professionals and stakeholders in the industry before submitting the proposed new regulations to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, as they are more familiar with the usual causes of construction mishaps. Tay said architects oversee the general design and delivery of building works, highlighting that they are primarily responsible for the architectural design whereas engineers supervise the structural design.
Human Resources Minister M Kula Segaran said on Feb 17 that his ministry was working out specific legislation to extend the responsibility for workers’ safety to include developers and designers. A set of guidelines or regulations, from tender to the award of a project, is key to ensuring the provision of good safety practices throughout the period of construction, she said.
Tay said the working and housing conditions of workers should also be improved to boost morale. The insurance compensation for the death of a worker should also be increased from the RM18,500 currently.