Tractor driver killed, crushed by container

BUTTER VALUE: A prime mover driver was killed after being crushed by a container here at the container terminal yesterday.

Penang Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) director Hairozie Asri said the incident happened at 10:13 a.m. when the 41-year-old local man was working.

“A team of investigators from Penang DOSH were dispatched to the scene and immediately conducted an investigation after receiving notification of the incident.

“Based on our initial investigations, we determined that the victim was an engine operator from one of the companies supplying engine engines at the container terminal. He is said to have made a U-turn on his way to sending a container to a ship,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said the accident resulted in the victim’s head being crushed in the prime mover’s cab. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a medical officer.

After the incident, Hairozie said Penang DOSH issued a work stoppage affecting the operation of prime movers, adding that further investigations would be conducted by the agency’s investigating officer.

He also said legal action will be taken if there is a breach of the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994.

“We take any accident involving workers or the public seriously, the employer has full control over all activities in the workplace and has a responsibility to identify workplace hazards, conduct a risk assessment and then implement effective risk control before the employees carry out work activities,” he said.

In his opinion, such accidents could be avoided if employers carry out comprehensive risk assessment and control according to the steps set out in the Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC). – Bernama