Bahrain construction site deaths double since 2005

Deaths at construction sites in Bahrain have doubled in the past four years, according to the latest Labour Ministry figures.

And a senior health and safety official has said the deaths will continue to rise unless companies stop breaking regulations aimed at protecting workers.

Thirty-five workers have already died in accidents this year, compared to just 18 in 2005.

The statistics, reported by Gulf Daily News on Monday, also showed that 36 were killed during 2008, 29 in 2007 and 21 in 2006.

Of those killed, most fell from buildings under construction, were hit by falling debris or became trapped in workplace machines, said occupational health and safety head Abbas Salman Matooq in comments published by the paper.

He warned the number of worksite fatalities will rise by the end of the year unless companies stopped flouting safety rules and regulations.

"They hire cheap labour and purchase cheap equipment to cut costs," Matooq told the paper.

"Construction accident inspectors work hard to enforce construction safety laws by distributing safety brochures that are printed in several languages for the workers' safety. But we have noticed that no one follows these rules and that's the reason so many accidents happen."

Labour regulations state companies that employ 100 workers must hire a safety officer, while those with 50 or less should train a supervisor or foreman to monitor safety issues but Matooq said inspections had revealed that this was not happening at some of the 1,000 construction sites and labour camps inspected this year.

Matooq said most of the workers killed this year were from India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

On Saturday, a Labour Ministry investigation was launched into two worksite accidents that killed one worker and left another seriously injured in Isa Town.