KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has observed that a protocol on security and safety measures at work sites to avert accidents must be formulated and implemented. The formulation of protocols on security and safety measures at work sites must engage the attention of government and PWD specifically because, it is common knowledge that every ongoing work attracts several accidents because of lack of proper warning signs, and lights.
Most of the roads are not well-lit and it is difficult to discern a work, especially when one travels at speeds over 40km or so. This is the bane of our system. Justice Devan Ramachandran said: “We often talk about countries other than ours when speaking about progress, but when it comes to our neighbourhood, we are oblivious to various requirements that are mandatory.
We could not make any further delay and specific protocols would have to be thought of and implemented without reservation. These protocols certainly must cover all works in the state and not merely those which were undertaken by the PWD.” The court held that engineers and officers in charge of the work will have to be made primarily accountable and unless penalties which operate as deterrents are imposed, accidents at these sites would remain a continuing saga.
The court made these observations when it was brought to its notice about the death of a bike rider after he fell into a ditch at a bridge construction site in Tripunithura. The court made it clear that if any such incident is brought to the notice of the court in future, the engineers and supervisory officers concerned would be held primarily responsible.