KUALA LUMPUR，Feb 15: The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has ordered 15 construction sites to close as of yesterday after they failed to comply with the standard operating procedures under the second movement control order (MCO 2.0).
Senior minister for infrastructure Fadillah Yusof, in a statement today, said since the MCO was implemented on Jan 13, CIDB has inspected 1,022 construction sites, of which 1,007 were found to adhere to SOPs.
All 15 construction sites have been issued with notices for non-compliance in terms of workers’ accommodation, physical distancing, and the wearing of face mask.
“Majority of Covid-19 positive cases at construction sites were caused by failure to observe the stipulated SOP and guidelines.
“Among the causes identified were the workers’ accommodation being overcrowded, dirty and not in compliance with the Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446), as well as the workers’ movement from one project site to another possibly having created the construction cluster,” he said.
Therefore, Fadillah urged contractors which have been permitted to operate during the MCO to comply with the SOP at construction sites and workers’ accommodation to prevent Covid-19 transmission.
“Stern action will be taken against any contractors who fail to comply with the directives aside from disciplinary action that could cause their registration to be revoked or suspended,” he said.
For the record, from Sept 20, 2020, until Feb 12 this year, 527 workplace-related clusters have been identified out of 852 clusters reported in the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia.
