Hairozie Asri, the Penang director of the occupational safety and health department, said the department received information about the fatal accident at 10.30am and immediately dispatched a team of investigation officers to the site.

“The victim, a 41-year-old local man working as a verticality surveyor with a subcontractor at the site, was confirmed dead after falling from the eighth floor through an opening in the pressurisation shaft.

“Preliminary investigations found that the opening was fenced off and covered only with plywood. It is believed that the measures provided insufficient protection for workers,” Bernama quoted him as saying.

Hairozie said the department had issued three prohibition notices to the main contractor to halt all related works until safety measures have been fully complied with.

He said the contractor had also been ordered to conduct an internal investigation to identify the cause of the incident, propose improvements, and present the findings to the department.

Hairozie said the department would gather the relevant documents and record statements from all identified witnesses.

“A follow-up visit to the employer’s premises will be made after corrective and preventive actions are taken.

“We will also pursue legal action under Section 15(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Amendment) 2022 if any violations under the Act are found,” he said.