The Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) is conducting a preliminary investigation regarding the collapse of a concrete structure of a warehouse under construction in Bayan Lepas, Penang. The investigation was made regarding construction safety aspects by Section 34B of the Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board Act 1994 (Act 520), which, among other things, emphasises the contractor’s duty to ensure the safety of buildings and construction work either during or after the construction work is carried out.
According to Act 520, any contractor who violates the obligation to ensure the safety of buildings and construction work, and the violation of that obligation causes death, is considered to have committed an offence and may, upon conviction, be fined not more than five RM500,000 or imprisoned for a term not exceeding more than two years or both.
In investigating the incident, CIDB will cooperate with other related agencies, such as the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (JKKP) and local authorities, to consider any non-compliance involving acts, laws and regulations under their control.
In the incident of the collapse of a logistics warehouse that was still under construction in Batu Maung last night, three Bangladeshi construction workers died. At the same time, two were seriously injured and are receiving treatment at a Penang hospital.
Preliminary information from Penang CIDB enforcement officers who were at the site of the incident found that 14 beams had collapsed, causing the concrete floor to fall and hit the workers on the ground floor.
For more information, please visit www.cidb.gov.my or contact CIDB Careline at 03-5567 3300.
