A Taiwanese construction company, RSEA Engineering Corp., and its contractors face fines of NT$300,000 each following the collapse of scaffolding at a work site in New Taipei Saturday that led to three deaths, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Three workers died and two others were injured at a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) construction site in Sanxia District Saturday at around 1 p.m. after the scaffolding they were on collapsed, according to the city’s Fire Department.

An initial investigation by the OSHA indicated that the formwork being used as part of construction was not properly secured and collapsed after concrete was poured into it, causing the scaffolding positioned below it to also collapse, OSHA official Chu Chin-lung (???) told CNA.

While the OSHA, which falls under the Ministry of Labor, is still looking into the incident, it has decided to impose an initial fine of NT$300,000 (US$10,691.37) on RSEA Engineering Corp. and each of its partnered contractors, he added.

All work on the site has been suspended until further notice.

Meanwhile, prosecutors in New Taipei said in a statement later Saturday that a response team had been set up to conduct post-mortem examinations and investigate the incident in concert with the police and labor authorities.

According to the fire department, one of the deceased was a Thai national named Phuangket Chakkarin, while the other two were Taiwanese, Cheng Sung-nan (???) and Lin Chin-hsing (???).

The two injured workers – Wu Ming-yi (???) and Nachmtien Nopphon, who is also from Thailand, suffered leg fractures, the department said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel