Figure 3: Causal factors in
construction accidents 10
The current business models, which rely
heavily on foreign workers, who are cheap, low-
skilled and have a low level of education, may not
only contribute to a higher number of accidents,
but will stifle our effort to be a high-income and
developed nation. The issue with the level of
skills, knowledge and experience of construction
workers may not go away in the near future, as the
Bank Negara Malaysia Annual Report estimated
that 75% of jobs created between 2015 and 2016
were filled by foreign workers, many of whom had
only secondary school education.
A good practice when appointing and employing
workers is to ensure that the individual has the skill,
knowledge, training and experience to carry out the
task he will be instructed to do or in the process of
obtaining them. Contractors should recognise that
10
training on its own may not be sufficient. Newly
trained workers need to be supervised and given
the opportunity to gain experience of working in a
range of conditions. Sometimes, the employer may
need to assess workers, who may be skilled but
do not have any formal qualifications, in the actual
working environment.
Occupational Safety & Health in
Construction Industry Management
(OSHCIM) Guidelines
The OSHCIM Guidelines ensure safety and health
are regarded as an important integral part of a
project from the pre-construction phase through
to the post-construction phase. It recommends
Health and Safety Executive (HSE). 2003. Causal Factors in Construction Accidents. Research Report 156.
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