The Department of Labour Protection and Welfare is threatening to bring legal action against the Expressway Authority of Thailand and CBT Consortium, the contractor responsible for the Rama II elevated expressway project.
A worker was killed and another injured when a concrete slab fell from the under-construction elevated expressway on Sunday. Four passing cars were also damaged, with drivers having to swerve to avoid being hit by the huge chunk of concrete as it fell down onto Rama II Road in Bangkok.
Work has been suspended at the site for 7 days, with an investigation launched into the cause of the tragedy, which happened in front of the Index Living Mall in the district of Bang Khun Thian.
According to a Nation Thailand report, eye-witnesses describe seeing the slings that were holding the concrete slab snap, causing it to collapse onto the road below. The right-hand lane of the expressway ring road was blocked with debris as a result of the accident, causing major congestion into Sunday evening.
Somchai Uejaruporn, inspector-general with the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, says the worker who died was an electrician, while a builder who was injured is recovering at home.
According to Somchai, the department is launching an investigation into both EXAT and CBT, to determine if proper health and safety measures were in place and if the accident was down to defective equipment or worker negligence.
Under the Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment Act, companies found guilty of health and safety failures can face a one-year jail sentence and/or a fine of up to 400,000 baht.
Nation Thailand reports that the dead man’s family will receive 1.21 million baht in compensation, according to the Bangkok Area Social Security Office 7. Director Ratchanee Phupromphan says the family has not yet filed a police report as they have been busy organising the funeral.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
