Firm slapped with NT$840,000 fine after deadly scaffolding collapse

The construction company responsible for the collapse of scaffolding at a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) construction site in New Taipei that led to three deaths on Saturday will be issued with a NT$840,000 (US$30,216) fine, New Taipei’s Department of Rapid Transit Systems announced on Sunday.

The penalty is being issued for workplace safety violation by the construction company, RSEA Engineering Corp., the department said.

The department added that further disciplinary action could be taken towards the company or its contractors depending on subsequent investigations.

Furthermore, construction along the entire Sanyi Line, which the site is part of, has been suspended for safety inspections, with plans to reinforce hazardous areas before reopening the site to workers.

On Saturday, three people died at the site, located in New Taipei City’s Sanxia District. Two workers were also injured along with the deceased, after the three-story high scaffolding they were all working on collapsed, causing them to fall to the ground.

According to New Taipei’s Fire Department, one of the deceased was a Thai national named Phuangket Chakkarin, while the other two were Taiwanese, Cheng Sung-nan (???) and Lin Chin-hsing (???).

The two injured workers were Wu Ming-yi (???) from Taiwan, and Nachmtien Nopphon from Thailand.

Later on Saturday, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) determined that the cause of the scaffolding collapse was due to the breaking of the formwork used as part of the construction because it had not been properly secured before concrete was poured into it.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel