At least six construction workers killed in crane collapse

[george]

 

Rayong: -- At least six construction workers were killed and several others injured after a crane collapsed at a construction site on Friday afternoon.

 

The incident occurred at a Chinese-run steel factory in Rayong, Thailand.

 

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation. Migrant workers employed at the site staged a protest demanding compensation from the owner, temporarily delaying rescue efforts.

 

This tragedy highlights the dangers faced by construction workers and the need for stricter safety regulations on worksites. It also underscores the often-precarious situation of migrant workers, who may lack adequate protection and support systems.

 

Authorities are working to determine the cause of the crane, according to Bangkok Post

 

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[webfact]

Workers Protest As Crane Collapses Killing 7, Injuring Many Others
by TNR staff

 

The factory construction site where workers are protesting after a tower crane collapsed killing seven of their colleagues. Photo: Matichon 

 

HUNDREDS of Myanmar workers refused to let rescuers enter a factory construction site in Rayong after a tower crane collapsed killing seven workers and injured many others as they demanded 5 million baht compensation for each of their colleagues killed, Matichon newspaper said this evening (Mar. 29).

 

This factory is being built by Sin Ker Yuan Co. Ltd in Ta Sit subdistrict, Pluak Daeng district, with entry blocked after the accident.

 

After some rescuers managed to drive in to help the injured, the hundreds of workers surrounded the vehicle and smashed parts of it as they did not want any of the bodies removed from the compound, fearing this would affect their compensation demand.

 

The rescuers managed to take one seriously injured worker to the hospital but none of the others injured nor the dead bodies.

 

Zoom Rayong’s Facebook page said Pluak Daeng police station superintendent is negotiating with the workers through an interpreter.

 

Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-03-30

 

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[Colabamumbai]

Cranes are a danger, living here I will warn you, stay away from cranes. Weekly occurance here. 

[harleyclarkey]

These workers are not doing themselves any favours by stopping rescue/recovery from Thai rescue teams. Beating up a rescue vehicle? 

Not the cleverest move but possibly understandable.

[DjSilver]

And, as I am, I'm not surprised. Since there is no work place safety regulations in Thailand. If you die, you die. And Thai people can't think in advance. "If it hasn't happened yet, it won't happen". Until it happens, and than it's to late.

 

Welcome to Thailand

[kwaussie]

Appalling behaviour from the workers not helping there colleagues get medical help, but Thai authorities cant keep using cheap labour as cannon fodder.

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, george said:

This tragedy highlights the dangers faced by construction workers and the need for stricter safety regulations on worksites. It also underscores the often-precarious situation of migrant workers, who may lack adequate protection and support systems.

Safety regulations don't save lives, that's just words on paper.

Training to operate any type of machinery and strict adherence safety protocols does.

 

[AhFarangJa]

Chinese company, using cheap migrant labour, probably lots of those brown envelopes flying around. These people, and the unfortunate deceased, do not stand a snowballs chance in Hell of getting anything. Troublemakers, or ringleaders, will be rounded up, and sent packing, there are plenty more where they came from. So sad, R.I.P. to the victims.

[RichardColeman]

I would imagine that ALL the families of the deceased will all be adequate be compensated.

 

Of course I am also going on an easter egg hunt today that the real easter bunny has laid out for me

[worgeordie]

10 hours ago, george said:

 

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation.

The usual cause is trying to lift more tonnes than the crane is rated for. 

 

regards worgeordie

[Peterphuket]

1 hour ago, DjSilver said:

And, as I am, I'm not surprised. Since there is no work place safety regulations in Thailand. If you die, you die. And Thai people can't think in advance. "If it hasn't happened yet, it won't happen". Until it happens, and than it's to late.

 

Welcome to Thailand

Only the sign 'Safety first' but I think the workers don't speak and read english, so it is only intended for the outside world, sad but true.

[Peterphuket]

22 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

The usual cause is trying to lift more tonnes than the crane is rated for. 

 

regards worgeordie

And what about the balance weights, here too indifference "mai pen rai" plays a big role.

[VBF]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Safety regulations don't save lives, that's just words on paper.

Training to operate any type of machinery and strict adherence safety protocols does.

 

Agree. As with driving in Thailand, the missing ingredient is enforcement 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

29 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

Only the sign 'Safety first' but I think the workers don't speak and read english, so it is only intended for the outside world, sad but true.

 

Are you sure that Chinese-run companies are required to have Safety First signs? They might be exempt from that vital feature that saves so many lives.

[Cabradelmar]

Chinese businesses hiring migrate workers in a Iand with no regulations... and not a single farang involved.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and the replies contravening our Community Standards have been removed.

[twizzian]

11 hours ago, george said:

It also underscores the often-precarious situation of migrant workers, who may lack adequate protection and support systems.

Most of all ‘lack of training’.

Once again the mindset is never on safety, after one day already seeking compensation 

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, kwaussie said:

Appalling behaviour from the workers not helping there colleagues get medical help, but Thai authorities cant keep using cheap labour as cannon fodder.

Sadly they prevented their colleagues from getting medical care and possibly true the migrant workers (MW) didn't understand what medical care was needed.

 

Ultimately, given the very poor way MW are treated, and perhaps because of some previous experiences I don't blame them from trying to get some benefits for the injured. 

[new2here]

2 hours ago, kwaussie said:

Appalling behaviour from the workers not helping there colleagues get medical help, but Thai authorities cant keep using cheap labour as cannon fodder.

Yes. they can.. I don’t say this to be callous but the reality is — that both the economic and social reality - so long as the “numbers” work out to be cheaper for migrant labour to be use versus domestic labour AND there is no material social price to be paid for this kind of tragedy - you bet it will continue 

 

If you start by holding on-site construction management *criminally liable*, and levying sizable fines - THEN you’ll see change  take place.. 

[new2here]

The part about 5MM compensation… Truth be told, that number looks to be a bit rich… 

 

5MM works out to be about USD142,000 .. if we assume a MW has a working lifespan of say 20 years.. simple straight* math says that’s 7,100 pa or about 591 monthly .. translated into baht (at 1USD=36THB) 21,700 and assuming a straight 20 work days per moth. that’s around 1,063 daily .. Given the current minimum daily wage right now sits a touch over 350 per day, 5MM (again, on a fixed or constant dollar value and using basic math) seems to be rather inflated as far as compensation for >lost economic value< only of the deceased.

 

but again this is speaking ONLY to the value of the deceased future earned income loss and not emotional value to the survivors nor claims of a punitive nature.

 

(not taking into account time value of money not assumed rates of inflation)

[brianthainess]

12 hours ago, george said:

The incident occurred at a Chinese-run steel factory in Rayong,

And no doubt using a Chinese made crane.

[ThaiFelix]

3 hours ago, Colabamumbai said:

Cranes are a danger, living here I will warn you, stay away from cranes. Weekly occurance here. 

Just like the giant display signs made illegal years ago but still standing and falling down.

 

The reason for the disaster will never be truly known coz this is Thailand and money is involved.

[cardinalblue]

3 hours ago, kwaussie said:

Appalling behaviour from the workers not helping there colleagues get medical help, but Thai authorities cant keep using cheap labour as cannon fodder.

Why not? That’s how third world living works…and some extent first world 

[Frankie baby]

Two people are responsible for tower-cranes erected on a construction site, the project manager & the man in charge of the crane erection. The crane cannot lift more than its rated load. built in safety cut-outs stop any overloading. Every crane is inspected & load tested before a certificate can be issued to work. I'd just love to see that certificate BEFORE IT WENT MISSING.?

[Digitalbanana]

4 hours ago, harleyclarkey said:

These workers are not doing themselves any favours by stopping rescue/recovery from Thai rescue teams. Beating up a rescue vehicle? 

There must obviously be more to the story that the workers are concerned about that is of such unimaginable consequences to behave like this.

[Ralf001]

4 hours ago, DjSilver said:

 Since there is no work place safety regulations in Thailand.

 

100% BS.

[webfact]

Rescue teams finally allowed to recover bodies of crane collapse victims in Rayong

 

 

After hours of negotiation, workers at a construction site in Rayong’s Pluak Daeng district, where a crane collapsed and killed seven people yesterday, have allowed the police and rescue teams to retrieve the bodies of their dead colleagues.

 

The workers, mostly from Myanmar, opened the site this morning after the firm in charge of the construction agreed to pay compensation of Bt1.6 million to the family of each fatality.

 

Immediately following the crane’s collapse, at around 5pm, 600 surviving workers blocked the gate of the site and surrounded the vehicles of the police and rescue crews who wanted to enter the site to provide emergency care.

 

The pickets were demanding a meeting with the firm’s owners about compensation before allowing the authorities in.

 

Source: Thai PBS 2024-03-30

 

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[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, DjSilver said:

Since there is no work place safety regulations in Thailand.

 

Yes and no.

 

The Occupational Safety, Health, and Environmental Act of 2011 (OSH) is the overarching law for occupational safety and health regulations in Thailand.

 

Arguably; implementation, management, and enforcement of this Act are the main problems here.

 

Thailand could do with stricter regulations that focus on specific activities, such as lifting. In the UK, lifting comes under LOLER, and it is strictly enforced. 

 

But without enforcement, any new regulations are ultimately pointless.

Edited March 30 by Mr Meeseeks

[PJ71]

How did they arrive at the number of 1.6m?

 

 

[Digitalbanana]

1 hour ago, Digitalbanana said:

There must obviously be more to the story

KhaoSod reported:

"One of the Myanmar workers disclosed that the employer had previously refused to pay compensation when one of his employees died from electrocution. Even if they said to pay this time, they no longer trust the employer’s words.

He indicated that they would direct authorities to check the hillside behind the building site where workers who had died were buried."