LookAtVietnam – Many people still ignore safety regulations on private construction projects due to lax laws, according to construction experts.

An under-construction house in Di An District, southern Binh Duong Province, that collapsed killing three people and seriously injuring another nine.

The recent collapse was a prime example. Its owners submitted plans to the local authorities outlining the construction of a two-storey building with a basement. Instead, they built a five-storey building and planned to add a sixth.

“Owner Pham Xuan On recognised the tell-tale signs of subsidence by the large cracks across the walls, but he continued to work on the house. He should have had his house re-examined and supervised at that time,” Hung said.

“Inspectors should have known about this situation and had effective measures in place to stop the work,” Hung said, adding that currently there were only 700 inspectors in the city.

Le Quang Hung, head of the Ministry of Construction’s Department of Construction Works Quality Appraisal, said that safety issues on large construction projects took up all the construction experts’ time, so private projects did not receive the proper attention.

“Some accidents are unavoidable on the millions of construction works under process annually in the country. However, not all incidents are reported and the number of deaths and injuries can only be approximate,” Hung said.

The number of accidents on private construction projects might account for 10 per cent of the nation’s total incidents, he estimated.

Hung said his ministry had chalked out a draft circular which requires private construction of more than three stories to be designed by an architect to ensure the safety of owners and neighbours.

As planned, the circular will come into effect next February.

Hung said relevant authorities should publicise well-qualified architects, designers and contractors on their websites so that people could choose the best and avoid unexpected accidents.

Last November, a three-storey house in Ha Long City, northern Quang Ninh Province, collapsed and killed one person next door. A two-storey house in Ha Noi’s Cau Giay District collapsed and killed three people last March.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News