Labor Affairs suspends work at 20 construction sites
As of last Saturday, the Labor Affairs Bureau (DSAL) has inspected a total of 74 construction sites. As a result of these inspections, DSAL has ordered 20 of them to suspend their works, totally or partially, due to failures in the fulfillment of security rules and standards, as mentioned in a statement from DSAL.
According to the statement, a total of 66 official advice notices were issued to contractors suggesting improvements. Additionally, a total of 57 sanctions were issued due to unsafe working conditions, mainly involving heights, electrical risks and lack of collective protection measures, among other issues.
The DSAL also informed that it would continue to inspect all construction sites in Macau (DSAL’s figures estimate that there are approximately 557 construction sites in Macau) and urged all contractors to supervise the safety of the sites to ensure workers’ security during the execution of the construction work.
Such inspections will be conducted by around 40 people from DSAL separated into small teams, each comprising of three to four members.
According to the bureau, the inspection teams have orders to tackle any hazardous situations encountered by immediately issuing orders to stop the works and solve the problems that are endangering workers. They have been instructed to impose sanctions on the contractors immediately.
The inspection operation comes after recent cases detected flaws in the security on constructions sites that led to several cases of serious injuries and death. DSAL pledged to continue to intensify its efforts to promote occupational health and safety and strengthen dialogue and cooperation between workers’ associations, organizations and contractors. DSAL emphasized that a cooperation is necessary for a comprehensive overhaul of security and occupational health in the construction sector.
The bureau has also called on all parties who are involved to be fully aware of the changes and to strictly fulfill their duties in this field to create a safe working environment for workers. RM
three lives lost in three accidents
THREE DEATHS have been caused recently by industrial accidents, with all the victims being non-local workers. On Friday, at a Taipa construction site, a machine and some construction materials fell from a height of 10 meters, hitting three mainland workers. One of the workers died after being sent to the hospital, while the other two sustained serious injuries. Prior to this accident, another mainland worker was hit by a falling elevator while he was servicing the elevator. The maintenance worker did not survive. In the same week, a 32-year-old mainland worker died from an accident which took place while he was on-duty.
