Keppel settles with victims of shipyard accident

Keppel Subic Shipyard (KSS) has settled with the families of workers who died and were hurt in an accident inside its shipyard in October, a top provincial official said.

Vice Governor Ramon Lacbain II said KSS officials attended a labor committee hearing last week where they met with families of the victims.

“We invited them to verify whether Keppel had adequately compensated families of workers who died and those who were injured. All the families came and they confirmed to me that they had received their compensation package,” he said.

Six dock workers who were repairing the MV Tombarra, a 22,650-ton container ship, were killed on Oct. 7 when they were pinned by a steel platform that collapsed. Six other workers were hurt and treated at Our Lady of Lourdes International Hospital in Olongapo City.

Lacbain said KSS was also helping the victims’ families and the injured workers facilitate assistance from government agencies like the Social Security System, the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig Fund) and the Employees’ Compensation Commission.

“Keppel also paid for the insurance of P70,000 in advance. More important, Keppel’s president said the families can also recommend relatives, it doesn’t matter how many, to work in the shipyard if they are qualified. If they are not, Keppel will train them,” he said.

Lacbain, who also chairs Task Force Hanjin that monitors workplace safety in the Korean-owned Hanjin shipyard here, summoned Keppel officials to discuss how the firm would help the victims.

“At least here, Keppel did this on its own without our prodding and coordinated with us. We’ve never experienced this from Hanjin. It’s their obligation, but we didn’t have to go after them,” he said. Robert Gonzaga, Inquirer Central Luzon