BY ROYCE TAN
PETALING JAYA: The construction industry is short of tower crane operators and there are not enough locals to fill that gap, says the Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM).
Its president Foo Chek Lee said the shortage could be attributed to the ruling that only Malaysians can obtain the certificate of competency from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) to be a tower crane driver.
“We don’t have enough certified operators and there are not enough locals on the job,” Foo said yesterday.
“Projects need to be completed on time and this is why some contractors resort to engaging unlicensed tower crane operators or foreigners.
“On one hand, the Government and CIDB (Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia) should look into these issues and on the other, we encourage all our members to send their workers for training to get the certificate.
“We will arrange an appointment with them (Government and CIDB) to discuss overcoming these issues,” he added.
Foo noted that it was wrong and dangerous to engage an illegal tower crane operator.
“While some foreign workers might be certified in their home country, no one can determine how well they were trained and how familiar they are with our tower cranes or system.”
On maintenance, Foo said it was a requirement for it to be conducted monthly by DOSH-approved companies, usually before any operation.
“The operator himself or the site safety officer has to check on the crane during the daily walkabout.
“There is usually a checklist for this. MBAM has a guidebook on this. Interested parties can get it from us,” he said.
The Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (Rehda) former president Datuk Ng Seing Liong, however, said there was no shortage of licensed tower crane operators.
“CIDB has been training a lot of people throughout the country,” he said.
Ng also welcomed the crackdown by DOSH.
“We cannot afford to have another accident and safety in any construction site should be the top priority,” he said.
A DOSH crackdown on illegal tower crane operators in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor began on Monday following a tragedy in Bukit Bintang on Aug 25, in which a falling crane hook killed a 24-year-old woman.
Tower crane operator Mohd Almahdi Ashaari Ali, 27, said months of training were required before one could register for an operator’s licence.
He attended a short course for a week and three months of training before he was allowed to register for a licence, which is renewable every two years and subject to a medical check-up.
“We usually work eight hours a day, starting at 8am. There will be short intervals almost every two hours,” said Mohd Almahdi, who is currently working on a condominium project in Ampang.
The operators, he added, earned between RM4,000 and RM7,000 monthly for basic pay, not including overtime.
When asked about illegal tower crane operators, he said some companies would resort to using foreigners, usually Indonesians, as they are paid around half the rate of licensed operators.
