Government lifts suspension on China Henan International Corporation

GOVERNMENT has lifted the suspended on China Henan International Corporation to resume carrying out civil works for Southern Water and Sewerage Company (SWASCO) in Livingstone following the recent accident in the tourist capital in which two of its workers died while one survived.

On May 30, 2014, Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda announced the suspension of China Henan International Corporation from carrying out civil works for the Livingstone water project.

Mr Shamenda said the Government had suspended civil works until when safety measures were fully adhered to by the contractor.

But in an interview in Livingstone yesterday, Munsanje said China Henan International Corporation had implemented most of the health and safety requirements and hence Government had dsecided to lift the suspension.

Mr Munsanje said it was felt that the company should resume its works immediately after it met most of the safety conditions stipulated in the Factories Act.

“I wish to announce that China Henan International Corporation will resume its operations with immediate effect from today (Thursday) because the company has met most of the required conditions stipulated in the Factories Acts,” he said.

Mr Munsanje assured residents that the company had put measures in place to avoid the recurrence of similar accidents.

The accident happened on May 14, 2014 when the soil buried them as they were digging trenches in readiness for the laying of new water pipes for SWASCO.

Prior to the accident, two workers were digging a trench at a depth of four meters while another was working at the two metres level but within the same trench, the walls of the trench collapsed caving in the loose soil around the trench and burying the three workers alive.

The workers on site attempted to rescue their colleagues and only managed to dig out one worker after 15 minutes who was rushed to the Livingstone General hospital, while the bodies of the other two workers were taken out 1 hour 30 minutes later.

This part of the trench had earlier collapsed several times the previous day, and workers reported the matter to their supervisors, but no action was taken by the supervisors.

The findings from this investigation reveal that the soil at the site was too sandy to hold the walls of a four meter trench.

There was need to support the trench walls with timbering and shutter structures and prevent the caving in.

In addition, the company did not issue any notice of commencement of works of engineering construction to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security as required by Regulation 3 of the Construction (Safety and Health) Regulations of the Factories Act, Cap 441 of the Laws of Zambia;

Contrary to Section 37 paragraph (1) of the Factories Act, China Henan International Corporation, did not take any measures to ensure safety at the site for the workers.

China Henan International Corporation did not even have a copy of the Construction (Safety and Health) Regulations at the site contrary to Regulation 101 of the same Statutory Instrument.

The construction site had no trained First Aiders and First Aid boxes contrary to section 67 of the Act; and some workers were not registered with the Workers Compensation Fund Control Board.