SAFETY AT CONSTRUCTION SITES
KUCHING: Road construction sites from Mile 4 to Mile 10 are taking extra measures to improve safety after a vehicle crashed into a construction site at Mile 6 on Monday.
According to Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Lo Khere Chiang, the contractors are currently working on putting up protection barriers and more speed limit signs at the construction sites.
“I have instructed project managers and contractors to be more vigilant and careful when working to ensure there will be no recurrences of such accidents again and as of today, they have already taken immediate measures yesterday.
“The absence of safety cones when the accident occurred was due to the fact that the contractors were digging the earth in the centre of the road to construct a 1.5 metre deep stone base.
“If the safety cones were there, they would have hampered the work progress. But without the safety cones, it is very dangerous,” he explained.
Lo, who is also Batu Kitang assemblyman, gave his statement during a press conference at Serapi Corner Restaurant after visiting the roadwork construction sites at Mile 7 here yesterday.
Explaining the accident, Lo said a car had plunged into a construction site where the excavation project for the road base was being done.
He said the accident was “very unfortunate”.
He advised road users to be extra careful when driving along the construction sites and encouraged them to be patient in bearing the discomfort and inconveniences for the time being.
He added that the road below the flyover could be used very soon.
“Once the road below the flyover opens, these inconveniences will be reduced. For now, it is quite dangerous and we do not want more accidents to happen, endangering the lives and properties of the people here,” he added.
It is learnt that the road, which is scheduled to be ready by August next year, is 43 percent completed.
Present during the site visit were MPP deputy chairman Datuk Ahmad Ibrahim, MPP councillors and contractors.
