Commission IX of the DPR asks for the investigation of the violation of K3 of the death of 3 workers in the Gorong-Gorong Cipayung.
Member of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Neng Eem Marhamah Zulfa, asked for a thorough investigation to uncover the alleged fatal negligence related to the implementation of Occupational Safety and Health (K3) in the incident in which three workers died in a seven-meter-deep sewer (gorong-gorong) in the Bamboo Apus area, Cipayung, East Jakarta.
The fatal incident that occurred on Thursday, July 9, began when a worker fell into the manhole and suddenly fainted. Intending to save, two other colleagues also entered but suffered the same fate due to suspected inhalation of toxic gas and asphyxia (lack of oxygen). The three were evacuated in a lifeless state.
"This heartbreaking tragedy in Cipayung is a loud alarm for our labor world. The aspect of occupational safety (K3) must not be considered only a formality on paper or merely an administrative fulfillment. Every worker has the right to return home safely. The lives of illegal workers are at stake in pursuit of project targets!" said Neng Eem in Jakarta, Saturday, July 11.
The PKB legislator from West Java revealed that work in confined spaces such as manholes, tanks, or bunkers has a very high risk classification of death. Therefore, according to him, the labor law requires companies to implement very strict operational procedures (SOP) before deploying personnel.
Neng Eem urged labor and police supervisors to check whether the employment provider company had tested the air quality inside the seven-meter-deep hole.
"Work in a limited space must be preceded by oxygen level measurement and toxic gas detection using special tools. There must be an adequate blower air ventilation system, a formal work permit (permit to work), and a supervisor who is on full alert outside the work area for emergency evacuation. The investigation must uncover whether these SOPs are passed or not," he explained.
Neng Eem reminded industry players that preventing accidents is much cheaper than compensation after the loss of human life. He emphasized that compliance with K3 is a humanitarian investment as well as an instrument to maintain the productivity of the company which is protected by the state.
"Don't let this fatal accident, which always has the same pattern, continue to happen in Indonesia due to weak field supervision. This tragedy must be a momentum for strict enforcement of the law. There is no one type of work in this world that is worth the same or more valuable than a human life," he concluded.