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  • 1 year ago


New safety measures were implemented at the Water and Sewerage Authority following an investigation into the death of one of its employees in 2023.

Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzales elaborated on the new policies and their implementation during a sitting of the Senate on Friday.

Alicia Boucher has more in this report.
Transcript
00:00In October 2023, 39-year-old WASA employee Kun Etienne died on the job after a mound
00:06of dirt collapsed on him while he was standing in a trench.
00:09An investigation into the incident identified six breaches of the Occupational Safety and
00:14Health Act.
00:15Opposition Senator Wade Marks sought answers from Minister of Public Utilities Marvin Gonzalez
00:21in the Senate on what OSH procedures were implemented since then.
00:25Gonzalez said a review of WASA's excavation practices was done in collaboration with the
00:30National Gas Company, identifying a need for several changes, including having competent
00:35people for inspection in keeping with policy and law.
00:39Ensuring that all excavations for plant jobs are properly designed and a competent person
00:44designated.
00:46This will ensure that once works are being performed, the crew is fully aware of the
00:52required techniques to be employed for safeguarding the trench wall and who is the assigned person
00:59designated as a competent person.
01:02Ensuring that all crews involved in excavation works undergo basic safety awareness training
01:07on excavation safety, trenching SOPs and SGA for pipeline work.
01:14Other recommendations include the use of lightweight aluminum sheets in place of steel boxes for
01:19shoring during excavation, as this is easily assembled and workable in most trenches.
01:25Finally, having a rescue team readily available during excavation works, the Authority has
01:31started sourcing spinal boards for safe extraction of injured persons, as well as identify local
01:38trainers who can provide the necessary specialist training for selected employees that can perform
01:45rescue operations and compulsory training and certification for all persons in charge
01:50of work requiring excavation and pipeline repair installation.
01:54It was also recommended that excavation safety be part of the job assessment.
01:59Gonzalez was questioned by Senator Mark on whether the measures have been implemented.
02:03Or are they still being implemented as we proceed?
02:08Can you clarify?
02:09Thank you very much Mr. President, I'll pass to the Senator for that question.
02:13I want to assure the Senator that this has been a work in progress because it entails
02:21reconfiguring internal safety procedures, engaging in the necessary training, etc.
02:28But insofar as it relates to all of the items that I've just mentioned, I can give you the
02:33assurance that with respect to employees as well as contractors of the Authority, those
02:38procedures are being implemented as we speak.
02:42The Minister indicated that contractors of WASA have also been engaged to ensure that
02:46they comply with the new safety requirements.
02:49And if those contractors do not comply with these safety procedures, the Authority will
02:55take the appropriate action to shut down the worksite until these procedures are fully
03:00adhered to.
03:01Gonzalez said he has witnessed compliance on job sites by both employees and the contractors.
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