PETALING JAYA: The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) has called for stricter safety requirements for LRT and MRT works following two separate accidents at two related sites that left two persons injured.

“In view of these incidents, IEM considers it important to highlight the need to observe strict safety procedures in construction work, especially in ongoing projects located adjacent to public access areas,” said IEM honorary secretary K. Guna­sagaran in a statement.

Gunasagaran said this in relation to two separate incidents – one at the MRT site at Pusat Bandar Daman­sara on June 24 and another at the LRT site along Jalan Lapangan Ter­bang Subang on June 26.

In the latter, a metal beam fell on a car at Jalan Lapangan Terbang Su­­bang while being hoisted, while in the former last Tuesday, a piece of sheet pile fell on a car that was tra­velling on Sprint Highway, injuring the driver.

Gunasagaran said all relevant parties should shoulder the need to have precautionary measures in place, even at the planning and development stage of any project.

“Besides the contractor and the client, the consultants and the Govern­ment authorities that gave approval for the project must share this responsibility,” he said.

Gunasagaran added that IEM could provide technical expertise and advice to the authorities to conduct investigations and implement follow-up measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.

He said IEM was also revising its Position Paper on Prevention of Col­lapse of Scaffoldings and Falseworks which was released in July 2005.