KUCHING: Engineers must always maintain the highest ethical standard during project implementation, especially when it involves public safety.
Due to a number of engineering failures in the past, engineers are urged to stand up and be accountable for their works.
“An expert panel was formed by the Ministry of Works to mitigate these incidences which resulted in the introduction of Construction Design Management (CDM) in the construction industry.
“Hence, clients and consultants can no longer leave it to the contractor to be the only one responsible for safety at the site and the project itself,” said Chairman of the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) Sarawak Branch, Ir. William Tan Khoon Lee during the association’s biennial dinner at the Waterfront Hotel here, last Saturday.
He added that the Department of Safety and Health (DOSH) has taken note of CDM and has introduced the ‘Guidelines of Occupational Safety and Health in the Construction Industry this year.
“It is developed based on the United Kingdom’s (UK) Construction (Design and Management) Regulations and clearly places the responsibility on those who create the risk to manage it,” he said.
In 2015, the construction industry fatality rate was 10.94 per 100,000 workers.
“Consultants need to take note that they now need to identify, eliminate or control foreseeable risks during construction and also during operation and maintenance of a facility,” William said.
Present to grace the dinner was Assistant Minister of Coastal Road, Datuk Julaihi Narawi who represented Deputy Chief Minister, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing.
In his text of speech which was read by Julaihi, Dr Masing said that engineers these days undergo strict assessment known as the Professional Competency Examination (PCE) to adhere to the demand of higher level of skills and competencies.
“I understand that it is posing some concerns for Sarawakian engineers and I hope that members of ACEM will be willing to guide and assist to take up the younger engineers to the authorities concerned.
“Sarawak will need a lot of professionally competent engineers for our industries, especially in the oil and gas industry, infrastructure development, manufacturing and planning of future transportation,” said Dr Masing.
