Over 5,000 N95s bought as outdoor safety measures intensify
KUCHING: Persistent haze has prompted Hock Seng Lee (HSL) to buy more than 5,000 N95 masks and tighten safety measures across its construction sites.
The company said the masks were purchased over about the past week, with more being sourced progressively as requests come in from project sites.
“We encountered some shortages of N95 masks, prompting us to widen our sourcing beyond pharmacies to hardware suppliers that carry industrial-grade masks,” it told Sarawak Tribune.
The company said construction posed particular challenges during haze conditions because much of the work had to be carried out outdoors or in semi-outdoor environments.
At its outdoor sites, daily briefings are being used to emphasise that employees must wear the N95 masks provided while working outside.
“Staff involved in transportation have also been told to exercise additional caution because of reduced visibility.
“The same precaution applies to crane operators and other employees operating heavy machinery.”
While HSL does not yet have a complete picture of the operational impact, it said the haze may have caused some slowdown in work.
“Every time the haze improves slightly, it seems to return just as badly,” it said.
The company said it currently had no ongoing work in Serian, where an emergency was declared, as its projects there had already been completed.
Precautions have also been extended beyond construction sites to security, office and retail employees to minimise unnecessary outdoor exposure.
At La Promenade in Samarahan, all guardhouses are air-conditioned, while security personnel have been asked to keep windows and doors closed and use the N95 masks provided.
“At the peak of the haze on Friday, we also provided food and drinks so that more employees who could avoid outdoor exposure were able to have their meals indoors.”
HSL said office and retail employees at HSL Tower and La Promenade Mall had also been shielded from the worst of the haze. Both buildings are Green Building Index-certified.
At its headquarters, real-time monitoring of the centralised air-conditioning system allows the company to regulate how much outside air is drawn into the building, while incoming air is also filtered.
“The staff canteen on Level 5 of HSL Tower has increased its daily food production so that more employees can have their meals indoors and avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure.”
HSL said it was assessing haze conditions daily and implementing measures in accordance with government guidelines.
