Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) would like to express the Association’s utmost concern over the recent spate of accidents at construction sites which has been receiving attention from the media.

The basic thrusts of the Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA) 1994, requires that the Government Agencies, Owner and Industry Players to work closely together for the improvement of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) performance in the construction industry.  MBAM has always been supportive and appreciative of any initiative to promote knowledge and awareness of OSH for the construction industry.  In fact, MBAM has organized many safety and health talks and conferences such as MBAM Annual Health & Safety Conference 2007 which was held on 10^th September 2007.

Construction will continue to play a vital role in the economic growth of the country, especially in the implementation of projects to be rolled out under the 9MP and also the launching of Economic Corridors. With the pressure of time constraint and the number of projects to be completed in the 9MP, the industry players especially the contractors must ensure that their responsibility and commitment to the health and safety must not be compromised.  MBAM has through numerous memorandums and press statements highlighted the shortage of safety and health officers dedicated to construction in the country.  Though the Association is organizing safety and health related courses for experience site supervisors and project engineers and preparing them for Department of Occupational Safety & Health (DOSH) professional accreditation, much more has to be done to fulfill the vacuum for much needed safety officers for the construction industry in this country.

 “We all know how important it is to provide adequate training to enhance health and safety management and upgrading OSH practices in the industry.  It is my sincere hope that contractors can further improve their safety and health practices at the worksite, so as to further reduce the number of accidents.  In this light, MBAM being a key player in the construction industry can be represented in National Occupational Safety and Health Council (NCOSH) and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) so that a concerted effort to improve safety and health by construction industry players can be coordinated for the overall benefit of the construction industry,” said Mr Patrick Wong, MBAM President.

MBAM would also like to highlight that there is an urgent need to allocate a sum for the Safety and Health Cost in the Contract for both the public and private projects.  Currently most of the Safety and Health Cost in Bill of Quantity (BQ) which has been made mandatory for public projects are general in nature and not clearly specified or itemized. It is also sad to note that it is not a mandatory practice for private projects.  MBAM views that, safety and health of all construction workers and its stakeholders should not be compromised by the delay of policy makers, in which workers are facing the harsh reality of daily ‘life threat’ for the sake of earning a living.

MBAM has strong opinion that in order to ensure safety and health budget is sufficiently provided for in the project and to  remove it from the current strong pressure of competitive bidding, it is important to ensure that bill of quantities for safety and health related items are fixed as provisional sum in the contract. These safety and health items are then expensed based on the agreed schedule of rate upon supply or proper implementation by the contractor. MBAM also strongly feels that public and private projects should not be differentiated in provision of Safety and Health Cost into the Contract as the risks and hazards in private projects will not be lesser than public projects.

MBAM hopes that spate of accidents due to poor safety management of construction sites can  be addressed urgently and prevention procedures at construction sites can be improved to prevent further accidents and fatalities at worksites.

Mr. Patrick Wong

President