29.01.2014

Tighter controls demanded in Penang

The Consumers Association of Penang has called on the government to review and tighten safety procedures on crane and lift operations following two incidents in Georgetown last week, one of which was fatal.

It also urged the authorities to ensure that crane operators were properly trained and certified for the job along with regular inspections to be carried out on the equipment.

Both incidents last week involved truck mounted lifts that had not been set up properly, although there have also been at least three crane accidents in the town over the past two years or so.
See Truck mount overturn in Penang
See Another overturn in Georgetown

The statement went on to say: "It appears as though there wasn't sufficient planning before the job was carried out. Such difficult and dangerous jobs should not be left to just the crane operator and a few workers only".

In the fatal incident on Saturday the contractor had failed to put warnings out for motorists that the road was blocked by the fallen boom and motorcyclist Che Fatimah Ishak, 50, crashed in to it and died, a substantial time after the machine had overturned.
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The scene in Georgetown