INGENIEUR
c) Temporary works overseen by an incompetent
contractor/supervisor or without an engineer’s
input for works involving structural inputs
Temporary works failures such as temporary
retaining structures for a deep trench or basement
excavation, struts, formworks, scaffolding,
catch platforms, cranes, etc., are common on
construction sites. Contractors tend to take
the easy way out since it is not part of the final
product. Many of these are performed without an
engineer’s input and are based on the contractor’s
experience on a trial and error basis. A few cases of
trench cave-ins claiming the lives of construction
workers prompted DOSH to produce guidelines on
work safety for trenching works.
d) Removal of consultants’ scope of service in the
construction stage
By-law 5 of UBBL stipulates that no erection
of building can proceed unless the Submitting
Person (the PE who submitted the structure plan)
undertakes the supervision of that building.
However, some Government agencies and
developers remove the scope of services in the
construction stage from the consultants and take
over the role of site supervision or involve only
the minimum services of the consultants.
e) Contractor’s fraudulent acts resulting in inferior
products/unsafe construction
g) Incompetent or inexperienced tradesmen
engaged on site
Incompetent tradesmen are also contributors
to minor failures in buildings such as piping,
wiring, sanitary plumbing, waterproofing. The
current system of registration of tradesmen
by CIDB is good but more often than not, many
construction works are being sub-contracted to
other unregistered tradesmen who may not have
the basic knowledge of the trade and are also not
directly responsible to the main client. In the case
of a housing project in Kuala Lumpur, excessive
leakage occurred in the plumbing system in
about 30 houses in various areas of the houses
as the plumbers did not consider the fact that a
booster pump was installed at every house by the
developer. The same problem happened in a newly
completed building in Kuala Lumpur where a non-
compatible end-piece was connected to a piping
system.
h) Lack of safety measures on site
The standard of safety measures on site including
that of the employment of a competent safety
officer is often not on the priority list of the
contractor. It is also an area where cost cutting
tends to be exploited. Some site accidents can
be traced to the lack of basic safety provisions for
necessary safety equipment.
Recommendation
There are many cases of contractors who cheat
on materials and compromise on workmanship.
This can result in weaker concrete strength
and durability, less stable structures, regular
breakdown of building services, water seepage on
walls and floors, etc.
f) Inferior quality of building materials used
A few cases have been highlighted in the media
that relate to inferior building materials being
used. For example, incidents of pipe bursts at
newly completed Government buildings. One of
the buildings had an incompatible end piece of
PVC pipes that gave way when the main pipes
were under pressure, thus flooding the floor and
damaging the ceiling.
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VOL 78
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JUNE 2013
a) Set a minimum ratio (e.g. number of personnel)
of SS against the size and complexity of the
projects and define the category of the SS
required.
b) Review existing guidelines on temporary works
in respect to structural stability and hazards to
the public. Identify any gaps in the guidelines
and enhance enforcement.
c) Make key personnel of all contractors (e.g.
directors, key important posts) personally
responsible and punishable through
amendments to the CIDB Act or other
regulations on negligence and fraudulent acts
resulting in inferior products (e.g. cheating,