KUALA LUMPUR: A Chinese construction company involved in the Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) project was fined RM45,000 for negligence in the accidental death of three of its employees eight months ago.
Zhongshi International Sdn Bhd, which was represented by its human resource manager Sim Li En, pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him before Sessions Court judge Emilia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid today.
According to the charge sheet, the company was accused of failing to ensure safe workplace conditions on its launching gantry machine.
This had resulted in the death of three Chinese-national employees Wu Tongzheng, Ding Kunfu, and Jiang Jinbao.
The offence was committed at Package CA3 of SUKE project near Jalan Alam Damai, at 8.45am on March 22 this year.
The company was charged under Section 15(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 punishable under Section 19 of the same Act.
The offence is punishable by a fine of not more than RM50,000, a prison sentence of up to two years, or both upon conviction.
The company paid the fine.
The case facts stated that the trio fell from a 35 metre height after a launching gantry's components fell to Persiaran Alam Damai during its maintenance work.
A motorist was also injured in the incident.
According to the post-morterm report, the cause of death for all the three were due to the multiple injuries consistent with fall from height and bilateral lower limb crushed injury.
Earlier, the company pleaded for a lenient sentence.
"We will ensure such incidents will not happen again," said Li En.
Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) prosecuting officer Abdul Rahim Sabri, however, pressed for a deterrent sentence.
"The employer holds full control of any activities at the workplace, conducts risk analysis and effective risk controls before employees start work.
"This case involves public interest and the incident should serve as a lesson," he said.
In November last year, the main contractor and subcontractor of package CA2 of the SUKE project were fined RM80,000 and RM100,000 respectively, following an incident in which a concrete slab fell from the elevated highway and crushed a passing vehicle on Sept 19, 2020.