On Wednesday last week, the jib of a tower crane operating on a nearby construction project fell onto the Taichung MRT’s Green Line, smashing through the noise barrier and landing on the tracks. An MRT train then collided with the crane jib, resulting in one death and 10 injuries.
This accident has caused great public concern. While a preliminary investigation is under way, the Taichung City Government has ordered that work be suspended on nine construction projects, including the one on which the crane was working, run by Highwealth Construction Corp. The city is also investigating the construction companies involved.
The domino theory of accident causation proposed by US industrial safety pioneer Herbert Heinrich says that accidents are often the result of a domino-like series of faults, in which one act of negligence causes more dominoes to fall, eventually causing an accident to occur.
Three such dominos can be seen in last week’s accident, namely failures in the construction company’s outsourcing management, human operations and the Taichung MRT’s emergency response system.
First, the construction firm failed to provide adequate safety measures to ensure the safety of its workers and nearby pedestrians. Second, there was carelessness on the part of the workers. Third, Taichung Mass Rapid Transit Corp’s emergency response system failed to promptly detect and respond to the danger, thus acting as the final domino.
To prevent similar accidents from happening again, the government should implement the following suggestions.
First, bolster its supervision of the construction industry to ensure that construction firms abide by safety regulations and provide adequate safety measures.
Second, enhance workers’ awareness of industrial safety and strictly supervise their operation of machinery.
Third, increase supervision of rapid transit companies to ensure that they effectively inspect, maintain and repair their emergency response systems to ensure passenger safety.
With regard to preventing accidents in the construction industry, the government should respond with measures that go to the source of the problem. The government and relevant departments should bolster their supervision of the construction industry and enforcement of related laws, requiring construction companies and their contractors to strictly abide by regulations to ensure the safety of workers and the surrounding environment.
The government must also increase its supervision of rapid transport companies, requiring them to ensure passenger safety by properly inspecting and maintaining their emergency response systems.
In addition to government supervision, all parties involved in the construction industry must conscientiously perform their duties with regard to safety management by giving their workers a safe working environment and equipment, and ensuring that their employees are properly trained and aware of safety rules.
As for the workers themselves, they must also consciously abide by safety regulations and operating procedures, thus ensuring their own safety and the safety of others.
Accidents in the construction industry have an immeasurable effect on society. The government must protect the health and safety of workers and the public by uncovering the root causes of accidents.
Only in this way can the construction industry continue to develop and make greater social and economic contributions.
Jean Liu is a podcast executive producer.
Translated by Julian Clegg
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