A small majority of construction companies that have resumed operations under the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) are failing to comply with Covid-19 guidelines.
Senior Minister (Infrastructure) Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof revealed that only 9% of the over 200 construction sites that began working after lockdown restrictions were lifted are implementing hygiene and social distancing standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Inspections conducted by officials across the country found around 70 different sites in violation of SOPs, 2 of which were ordered to shut down while the rest were given warnings to improve.
These sites represent nearly 20% of the total number of construction operations currently in the country, while the rest are yet to open.
Under the purview of the National Security Council (NSC), the construction sector is given full liberty to resume business at 100% working capacity during the CMCO.
According to Fadillah Yusof guidelines issued to the industry involved 3 main areas; the construction site, staff quarters and accommodation, and labor transportation to and from work.
SOPs issued by the NSC included such orders as for companies to adopt strict cleanliness and social distancing within the working environment, among which includes tracking employee movement and health.
The government had also required companies to have foreign employees undergo mandatory Covid-19 screenings before they are allowed to return to work.
According to Fadillah Yusof the government will be taking strict action against companies that failed to comply with guidelines including shutting the company down and retracting their permits.
Recently the Health Ministry detected the emergence of a new Covid-19 cluster forming at construction sites in the Klang Valley.
The “construction cluster” notably involved positive cases among foreign and migrant workers living in the country.
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