KUCHING: Road users must lodge reports if they hit electricity poles as the accidents could disrupt power supply.

Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) occupational health and safety senior manager Ngu Piew Choo said road users involved in accidents with power poles should take responsibility and not just have their vehicles towed without lodging a report.

“During some road accidents, the vehicles may hit electricity poles and cut supply to those in the area. We have to fix it to restore electricity supply immediately to not affect users in the area,” she said after SEB’s road safety awareness campaign launching yesterday.

The motorist responsible, she said, would have to sign a liability form and shoulder the repair costs.

One hundred SEB staff attended the programme jointly organised with the Road Safety Department (JKJR) and Shell.

SEB corporate risk and health, safety and environment general manager Marconi Madai said the programme was held out of concern for the road safety of staff and their family members.

“We are not just a power provider, but we also focus on road safety and to do so we are educating our own people before going to do the same for the public. This is a starting point for SEB, and we care about our own people,” he said.

“We want them to come to work in one piece and go home in one piece. According to Socso (Social Security Organisation), 70 per cent of claims made last year went to commuting accidents with RM1.6 billion payout in Malaysia.”

Meanwhile, JKJR state director Rano Aylwino Akat said research showed there are four times more vehicles on the road seven days before and seven days after a festive season.

With this high volume of traffic, he said, road users should take extra care during such times.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/10/28/%e2%80%98lodge-report-if-you-hit-electricity-poles%e2%80%99/#ixzz1dHYYEKJJ