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.