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THE Government has taken swift action to halt accidents involving tower cranes. Employers can also contribute their effort, by not only playing a larger part in the strict enforcement of safety rules but also taking punitive action against those who do not practise safety. It can do this by making regular unannounced inspection visits to worksites.
Imagine the boost to the morale of the workers to see the top brass, in a demonstration of its care and concern for employees, riding up in the cage lift.
Or checking the security of scaffolding or stepping on an overhanging platform to chat with them.
Similarly, shipyard bosses who visit their men working below tanker decks will not easily forget the dangers present in such a stifling environment.
The bosses will also see, at close quarters, the working conditions of their employees and experience their fears.
The realisation that these men risk their lives to ensure the success of their projects will certainly encourage employers to protect their workers. The bosses could also grant their safety managers direct access to them so complaints, especially of near-misses, are heard and not covered up.
The company should also hold annual safety dinners where awards are presented.
In its effort to eliminate fatal worksite accidents, the Ministry of Manpower may wish to consider seconding some of its officers to oil companies to discover how, in the volatile environment of oil refineries, they manage to achieve millions of man hours without lost time injury.
Lee Kip Lee
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