A construction company in Seberang Perai Utara has been fined RM50,000 by the Sessions Court for failing to implement adequate safety controls to reduce risks associated with working at height.
In a statement, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) said the penalty was handed down by Judge Roslan Hamid after the company pleaded guilty to the charge.
The offence was framed under Section 18B(2) and punishable under Section 19 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514), which provides for a fine of up to RM500,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both upon conviction.
DOSH said the company’s primary failure was not installing protective barriers at exposed edges, thereby exposing workers to the risk of falling from height.
In a separate case, a manufacturing company was also fined RM20,000 for installing an overhead travelling crane with a safe working load of 5,000kg without obtaining written approval from the Director-General.
The department stressed that installing hazardous machinery such as cranes without proper authorisation constitutes a serious breach of safety regulations and poses a high risk of workplace accidents, including serious injuries and fatalities.
Both cases were prosecuted by DOSH Penang prosecuting officers Mohd Muzakkir Harun and Mudzaffar Anwar Hussin.
