Construction workers to be issued "safety passports"

In a bid to increase safety, construction workers in Malaysia will have to undergo briefings and tests before receiving a "safety passport" which grants them access to the construction site.

Malaysia's Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana) or the National Infrastructure Company Limited signed an memorandum of understanding with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and hopes the move will increases workers' understanding of safety practices.

Prasarana's infrastructure development group director Amiruddin Ma'aris said the MOU shows the organisation's commitment to improve workers' safety at construction sites, adding they will continue to collaborate with NIOSH to implement and meet all the requirements listed within the safety passport, as well as other programmes related to occupational health and safety.

Over the past year, there have been two severe accidents at LRT-contruction sites, all of which fell under Prasarana's jurisdiction.

The latest happened on June 26, when construction debris landed on a civilian car, injuring the driver and passenger.

In March last year, equipment hoisted on a crane at a LRT construction site fell on two cars, killing one of the drivers and seriously wounding the other.

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