GEORGE TOWN: The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) is conducting a preliminary investigation regarding the collapse of a concrete structure of a warehouse under construction in Batu Maung here last night.
CIDB said the investigation was on the construction safety aspects in accordance with Section 34B of the CIDB Act 1994 (Act 520).
The Act, among other things, emphasises the contractor's duty to ensure the safety of buildings and construction work either during or after the construction work is carried out.
According to Act 520, any contractor who violates his obligation to ensure the safety of buildings and construction work, and the violation of that obligation causes death, is considered to have committed an offence and may, upon conviction, be fined not more than five RM500,000 or imprisoned for a term not exceeding more than two years or both.
"In the investigation of the incident, CIDB will cooperate with other related agencies such as the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) and local authorities in taking into account any non-compliance that also involves acts, laws and regulations that are under their control.
"In the incident of the collapse of a logistics warehouse that is still under construction in Batu Maung near here last night, three Bangladeshi construction workers died while two were seriously injured and are receiving treatment at a Penang Hospital," it said.
It said a preliminary report from Penang CIDB enforcement officers, who were at the site of the incident, found that 14 beams had collapsed, causing the concrete floor to fall and hit the workers on the ground floor.
