Developer blames deaths on contractors
JAKARTA (JP): The developer of a construction project in West Jakarta blamed the project's frequent on-site accidents on its contractors.
The contractors had failed to instruct their workers to wear safety gears, Tasril Jamal, a representative of the developer, PT Mulia Inti Pelangi, said yesterday.
Three workers were killed over the weekend at the Taman Anggrek Mall and condominium project on Jl. S. Parman, Slipi.
Police said there have been 19 accidents at the project since it began last year. But Tasril said three of the workers were not employed at the project, but outsiders who entered the project site.
On Saturday, Wastri plunged to his death from the 21st floor. Another worker, Sutrisno, was electrocuted and died later during medical treatment. The next day, another worker, Amin died after falling from the 31st floor.
The developer said it had repeatedly told project contractors to enforce the use of safety gears for the workers, said Tasril.
He said overseers who failed to enforce the use of safety gears for their workers would be dismissed, adding most of the workers did not like wearing safety gears because they said it hampered their movement.
A recent police report stated on-site accidents have claimed the lives of 19 people since the project started in 1995, the latest taking place over the weekend which causing the death of three workers.
Two people died after falling from the high rise construction in 1996 while trying to steal construction materials. They were Sudito and Lusiana.
He said another worker died on-site due to untreated tetanus in the same year.
Tasril said the estimated number of 11,000 construction workers had posed quite a problem to supervisors to closely check on the workers' safety.
However, one of the contractors' representative said PT Mulia must take part in guaranteeing workers safety too, because the involvement of many contractors makes it hard to coordinate the workers.
"Relying solely on the contractors will not help reduce the number of accidents unless the enforcement comes from PT Mulia as well," Supriyono of PT Bumindo Ganesha Lalolo said yesterday.
Supriyono cited the Danamon project done by another developer which has made an effective solution to stop accidents on building construction by dismissing workers who do not wear safety gears while at work.
He added the City Manpower Office should conduct an on-site check periodically to prevent more accidents.
City Police spokesman Major Nyoman Suriasta said he had not received reports on the accidents.
Meanwhile, the latest data of the City Manpower Office showed that 40 cases out of the 134 work-related accidents occurred at construction sites. (02/jun)