Three laborers died of falling from tower crane

Three laborers died of falling from tower crane

Evi Mariani, Jakarta

Three construction workers died instantly and three others were
injured after a tower crane, where they were working on,
collapsed on Monday at around 10:30 a.m.

The six workers did not wear proper safety equipment when they
were working on an ongoing construction of a 12th level of
Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) Suites apartment tower
in Senayan, South Jakarta.

According to Law No. 13/2003 on manpower, all companies must
apply a health and work safety system that is integrated into the
companies' management system.

PT Jamsostek insurance company reported 103,804 work-related
accidents took place in 2002 and 104,774 in 2001 nationwide.

Meanwhile, the International Labor Organization (ILO) recently
reported that around 2.2 million people die annually due to their
job. From the figure, 350,000 people were killed due to accidents
at their workplace.

The workers worked on a daily basis with Rp 25,000 (US$2.89)
stipend for each day. The contractor of the construction is PT
Perusahaan Pembangunan (PP), which headquarters is located on Jl.
TB Simatupang No. 57, South Jakarta.

Only two of the three fatalities could be identified as Daniel
and Bahok. Another worker has yet to be identified.

When reporters visited the three injured workers -- Wagimin,
47; Sugiyanto, 42; and Rebo, 21 -- at the Pertamina Hospital in
Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, they were seen wearing casual
clothes.

Wagimin, who only suffered minor injuries, was wearing a batik
shirt and short pants. He was barefoot and no sturdy working
shoes were in sight around his bed at the hospital Emergency
Room.

"The incident happened so fast... I couldn't remember the
details. All I knew was we were falling so fast. I could only
think how to safe my life, so I gripped tightly on something like
a rope that was within my reach," he told reporters.

In the afternoon, Wagimin and Sugiyanto, who also suffered
minor injuries, were discharged from the hospital. But Rebo, who
suffered severe wounds on his left temple, had to stay overnight
at the hospital.

Witnesses at the site said the three fatalities died instantly
because they jumped from the falling crane from around 60 meters
high before it touched the ground.

No official statement either from the construction supervisor
nor the police was available to explain the cause of the
accident.

Kebayoran Baru Police detectives chief First Insp. Robert De
Deo said the police would investigate into the case to identify
whether the incident was caused by human error or the negligence
of the company.

"We have yet to question any officials of the contractor
company because they are on holiday. We will summon them
tomorrow," he said.

Many accidents at workplace end up with companies cover all
medical expenses or giving families of the victims some grief
money. The families usually take the compensation and do not
report to the police, thinking that their relatives die because
of their pure fate.