CONTRACTORS are responsible for ensuring that workers’ accommodation adheres to procedures, to curb the spread of Covid-19, Works Minister Fadillah Yusof said.

Anyone who fails to follow standard operating procedures under the conditional movement control order (CMCO) at construction sites or in accommodation will not be allowed to start their operations, he said.

“This is a stern reminder to all contractors that they have a responsibility to ensure that their construction sites and also their workers’ accommodation adheres strictly to CMCO SOPs, in order to stem the spread of Covid-19.

“If any contractor fails to abide by any written law, the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) can take disciplinary action against them, which includes the suspension or cancellation of their contractor’s registration,” Fadillah said in a statement tonight.

Laws under the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act (Act 466) and other regulations for the construction industry require workers’ accommodation at construction sites to adhere to the minimum standards, he said.

“The law makes it the responsibility of employers to ensure that workers stay at proper accommodations with adequate amenities as provided by the law.

“With the CMCO in place, this requirement is further strengthened with other SOPs to ensure that accommodation is safe from becoming a place where Covid-19 can spread.”

To date, three clusters of infection with a total of 88 positive cases have been detected at construction sites, two in Kuala Lumpur and a third in Setia Alam, Selangor.

Of the 88 positive cases, 77 were Bangladeshis, 11 Indonesians and one Malaysian, director-general of health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said earlier today.

Fadillah said 44 Covid-19 cases at a construction site in Kuala Lumpur had been detected through testing before the site was allowed to resume work, as required under CMCO rules.

“These latest cases, as with the earlier incident involving construction workers, have shown that the infections took place at the workers’ cramped accommodation, which make it impossible to practise any form of social distancing,” he said.

He added that the construction industry should plan on moving forward after the Covid-19 pandemic by reducing dependence on foreign labour.

“Instead, they must invest in hiring skilled local workers and use technology – the industrialised building system, mechanisation and automation to enhance the quality, safety, sustainability and productivity of their construction projects.” – May 26, 2020.