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BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: With four tragic deaths already recorded in 2024 alone, the Safety, Health and Environment National Authority (SHENA) is urging employers and workers to prioritise safety measures to prevent fall-related fatalities in the workplace.
According to SHENA, falls from height have claimed the lives of nearly half of all workplace fatalities since 2013, with a total of 79 workers losing their lives during this period.
This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for stricter safety protocols, particularly in high-risk industries like construction.
SHENA emphasises that all employers, occupiers and principals must take immediate action to implement comprehensive safe work practices to protect their workers from fall-related fatalities.
This includes ensuring that all workers receive adequate training in safe working practices at height, using appropriate equipment such as ladders and scaffolds, and employing proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Additionally, workplaces should conduct thorough risk assessments before commencing any work at height and implement effective fall protection systems, such as guardrails and safety nets.
SHENA reminds all workplaces to comply with the Workplace Safety Health Act, Chapter 277, and its regulations.
Fostering a strong safety culture is also crucial, it added, where workers feel empowered to report unsafe conditions and practices without fear.
Earlier in 2024, SHENA released a helpful resource, the “Self-Assessment Checklist: Work at Height,” for workplaces across Brunei Darussalam. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
