Eight crane-related injuries in two years raise safety concerns at high-rise sites

THE Department of Occupational Safety and Health (JKKP) has recorded eight workplace injuries involving tower cranes over the past two years—four in 2024 and another four up to June this year—raising concerns over safety compliance on high-rise construction projects, Chief Director Ir Mohd Hatta Zakaria revealed.

Although the absolute number may appear low, Ir Mohd Hatta warned that such incidents point to deeper issues in adherence to safety standards, particularly in mega-projects where tower cranes are commonly deployed.

Sinar Harian cited him identifying inadequate safety training, poor communication of instructions, improper maintenance, and flawed risk assessments as among key contributing factors.

More alarmingly, from 2021 to June 2025, JKKP has uncovered repeated safety violations by tower crane operators and contractors, including the failure to prepare formal Safe Work Procedures—mandatory under Section 15 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, which requires employers to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of workers.

Prompted by these findings, Ir Mohd Hatta recently carried out an unannounced inspection at a Kuala Lumpur construction site to reinforce enforcement.

Looking ahead, the demand for skilled crane operators is expected to rise in line with growing high-value construction projects nationwide. Mohd Azhari Abdul Rashid, Head of Heavy Machinery Trade at the Malaysian Building Academy (ABM), urged the introduction of Continuing Education Programmes as a requirement for licence renewal to keep operators' skills up to date.

He also highlighted the vital role of TVET institutions in offering internationally standard training—such as crane simulator sessions—to bolster trainee proficiency before actual crane operation. ABM, under the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), already incorporates such simulator-based training in its early learning stages.

Mohd Azhari further noted that a career as a tower crane operator offers competitive pay, clear advancement paths to supervisory or instructor roles, and even prospects in the higher-paying offshore oil and gas sector for qualified individuals.

As Bangladesh’s construction industry expands, strengthening training and safety enforcement remains essential to protect operator lives and safeguard project integrity. - August 28, 2025