Managing Safety at Work Issues in Construction Works in Malaysia: A Proposal for Legislative Reform

Abstract

Construction sector, being an important economic driver of the country, has always been regarded as hazardous industry compared to other industries due to the nature of activities involve at the worksites. From excavation works to structural and exterior works, workers are exposed to high risks of accidents mostly involving fall from height, hit by falling objects, lifting operations, and electrocution. Statistics from various agencies have shown considerable increase in the number of industrial accidents reported for the construction industry, including death and permanent disablement cases. This paper proposed to address issues on safety and health at work in construction activities throughout the construction stages, by deliberating how those issues being managed through the use of standard forms of contract for construction projects and adequacy of the legislations pertaining to construction.