IPOH, Sept 2 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Society for Occupational Safety and Health (MSOSH) has called for a comprehensive technical investigation and safety audit by the relevant authorities following the death of a three-year-old boy who was believed to have fallen from the Victoria Bridge in Enggor, Kuala Kangsar, on Monday.
MSOSH president Datuk Ahmad Fakhrul Anuar Ismail said the audit should cover the entire visitor route, openings in the structure, the height and design of barriers, the condition of floors and walkways, lighting, warning signs, access controls and the suitability of the site for children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
He said risk assessment records, engineering inspection reports, maintenance schedules, damage reports, previous complaints and the approval status for public access should also be examined.
“The question that must be answered is not merely how the victim was able to fall, but whether the hazard had been identified earlier, who was responsible for controlling it and whether reasonable preventive measures had been taken,” he said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Fakhrul Anuar said the temporary closure of the site and the installation of barrier tape were appropriate immediate measures, but should not be regarded as a solution in themselves.
He said the site should only be reopened after an inspection by engineers or other competent parties had confirmed that all hazards had been addressed, including through the installation of child-friendly barriers, the sealing of all openings, improvements to walkways and the implementation of a regular inspection and maintenance system.
He said the tourism industry must also draw lessons from the incident, adding that the development of tourist destinations should not focus solely on historical value, visual appeal, promotion and visitor numbers.
“Local authorities, destination managers, tourism agencies, tour operators, event organisers and those promoting a location must exercise due diligence to ensure that the site is genuinely safe before inviting members of the public to visit,” he said.
He added that MSOSH had also proposed that safety audits be conducted at heritage sites and ageing structures nationwide that had been repurposed or opened as tourist attractions.
Priority, he said, should be given to locations involving risks of falls from height, ageing structures, narrow walkways, areas near water and sites that were not originally designed to accommodate large numbers of visitors.
Ahmad Fakhrul Anuar also urged the victim's family to seek legal advice and consider appropriate legal action to obtain explanations, accountability and justice for the deceased.
He said such a move was not intended to pre-empt the outcome of investigations or draw conclusions against any party, but to ensure that the family's rights were protected and that the responsibilities of all relevant parties could be assessed through a fair and transparent legal process.
“Heritage must not only be preserved for its form and history, but must also be made safe for visitors. The tourism value of a location can never outweigh the value of a life. When members of the public are invited in, the responsibility for their safety begins before they set foot inside,” he said.
He said MSOSH hoped the investigation would be carried out transparently and that its findings would translate into concrete corrective action.
“The goal is not merely to determine who was responsible after a tragedy has occurred, but to ensure that a similar incident does not happen again at any tourist destination in the country,” he added.
On Monday, three-year-old Abdul Rafee Abdul Halim was reported to have died after he was believed to have fallen about five metres from the more than 125-year-old bridge at around 6.30 pm while visiting the site with his father.
The boy was believed to have been walking while holding his father's hand before falling through an opening in the bridge. Following the incident, the Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council (MPKK) immediately closed public access to the iron structure of the Victoria Bridge as a safety measure.
-- BERNAMA