Construction worker falls to death

A foreign construction worker fell to his death on Wednesday from the eighth floor of a building in the capital’s suburb Hulhumalé.

The 37-year-old man sustained severe head injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Hulhumalé hospital, a media official told the press.

He was reportedly working on the Hiyaa social housing flats in the landmass reclaimed for the second phase of the Hulhumalé artificial island. The incident occurred around noon on Wednesday.

Construction-site accidents are common in the capital and its suburbs. In July, a 24-year-old Bangladeshi construction worker died after being crushed by a falling “jumbo bag” of cement. A 44-year-old Bangladeshi man died in February after he was hit by a falling stone at a construction site in Hulhumalé.

More recently, an expat worker was injured in a fall from the second floor of a construction site in Malé last week.

Inspections of all construction sites in Malé and its suburb islands were launched in December after an eight-year-old Bangladeshi girl was killed by a falling cement bag. A review of safety regulations were also ordered after horrific video footage of the tragic accident sparked public outrage.

Long overdue construction site safety regulations came into force on January 30. The new rules specify minimum standards and prescribe penalties for violations. Construction companies were required to provide workers with safety equipment such as helmets, belts and masks within a month.