SHAH ALAM: The Sessions Court here meted out the maximum fine of RM50,000 to a construction company for failing to ensure the safety and welfare of its workers, which resulted in the death of an Indonesian employee.

       Judge Rofiyah Mohammad ordered HAB Construction Sdn Bhd, represented by its director Haw Wei Sheng, 32, to pay the fine yesterday after finding the company guilty.

       HAB Construction Sdn Bhd was charged with failing to ensure as far as is practicable, the safety, health and welfare, while at work, of all its employees which resulted in a fatal accident involving an Indonesian employee, Matrais, 38, during the operation of a tower crane.

       Matrais was killed when the tower crane fell on him. The incident also left three other workers injured – Indonesian Sudami, 50, and Bangladeshi nationals Toffazal Hossain, 41, and Raja Miah, 33.

       The incident occurred at a proposed mixed development site at Persiaran Multimedia, Section 7 here, at 10.30am on Jan 2, 2018.

       The charge was framed under Section 15 (1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 and punished under Section 19 of the same Act, which provides for a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment up to 20 years or both, upon conviction.

       In mitigation, the company, represented by lawyer Arif Asyraf Mohd Khairi, said his client had paid compensation of RM10,000 to the family of the deceased, as well as borne the expenses in sending the remains to Indonesia, and covered the medical treatment of the three injured workers while they were in hospital. — Bernama