JOHOR DOSH ORDERS INVESTIGATION INTO DEATH OF TOWER CRANE OPERATOR

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 25 (Bernama) -- The Johor Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has ordered an internal investigation into the death of a tower crane operator at an apartment construction project at Jalan Seri Austin 4, here on Friday.

In a statement, the Johor DOSH said it had also ordered the company involved to submit an internal investigation report to the department and further investigations would be conducted to identify the cause of the incident.

According to the statement, based on initial investigations, a tower crane operator was found unconscious in the tower crane cabin.

“The incident was discovered when the signalman tried to contact the victim who was on top of the tower crane to start work, but no response was received.

“The victim was then brought down by firefighters before being examined by Sultan Ismail Hospital medical personnel and confirmed dead at about 1.15 pm,” said a statement uploaded on Johor DOSH Facebook page today.

According to the statement, the tower crane was found to be in a free-standing condition at an estimated height of 20 metres.

The same statement informed that the exact cause of death is not confirmed, as the autopsy results have not yet been obtained.

“Legal action will be taken against the responsible party if there is a violation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and the regulations thereunder.

“Under this act, the maximum punishment for employers is a fine of up to RM500,000 or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both if convicted,” according to the statement.

Earlier, the media reported that a tower crane operator died while working on a crane at Residensi Puncak Austin, Jalan Seri Austin 4, here, on Friday morning.

The victim, identified as Muhamad Aliff Ishak, 33, was reported to have fallen unconscious on top of the crane tower which was about 45 metres high.

-- BERNAMA