Work Safety: More than 50 Construction Companies Pinned

10 years, 5 months ago - October 31, 2013

The Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations decided to use strong-arm tactics to enforce safety standards on construction sites. The goal is to eliminate the risk of accidents on construction sites. Surprise visits currently multiply the field by inspectors from the Ministry of Labour.

Only this month, inspectors pinned a dozen construction companies for non-compliance with safety standards on work sites. Apartments and commercial buildings are being built on these sites.

Owners of construction sites have been known to close construction sites Quatre-Bornes, The Rattle, Riche-Terre, Phoenix, Tamarin Flic-en-Flac, Ebony and Beau Bassin so they can take action which are needed to improve safety on their sites.

No later than Tuesday, October 29, at the behest of the Ministry of Labour inspectors, a site was closed in Roches-Noires. It is the construction of the apartments.

Improperly installed on building sites scaffolding

Inspectors of the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations are currently hard at work to write reports on the construction sites. These reports are then submitted to a senior official of the ministry to take necessary measures. Under section 27 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of Labour inspectors can force contractors to implement safety standards on construction sites. If these are not met, then the officers reserve the right to close the offending constructions sites. A survey conducted by the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations indicates that only for this year, fifty construction companies were singled out for non-compliance with safety standards on construction sites.

Following the various exits made by the inspectors of the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations on construction sites, they found that the scaffolding was improperly installed on construction sites, which could contribute to causing accidents on work sites. Also, they also found that workers on scaffolding to do some work at risk of falling. The risks are real because of a lack of security in some cases. About scaffolding, they write that in some cases "Were No guardrails provided". Or "High risk of fall at height."

Fine of Rs 75,000 to provide

The Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations warns. The maximum fine for non-compliance with safety standards can go up to Rs 75,000 if the case is brought before a court. According to the inspectors of the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations, contractors generally show cooperative when they intervene on construction sites to ensure compliance with safety. The reason: the ministry will not give the green light to restart construction on the sites as long as is not guaranteed the safety of workers. This situation can cause a delay in the delivery of a project by the contractor. Hence the need to meet the standards of safety.

According to the latest statistics, the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations recorded this year ten accidents at work. Eight of them were listed in the construction sector.

Text by Le Matinal

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