Section 4
Powers of inspection and inquiry
—
(1)
The Director shall have power to enter without prior notice at all times any place of employment where employees are employed or where he has reasonable grounds for believing that employees are employed and to inspect any building occupied or used for any purpose connected with such employment and to make any inquiry which he considers necessary in relation to any matter within the provisions of this Ordinance.
[Sub. Act A1237.]
In the course of an inspection under subsection (1)—
(a)
the Director may put questions concerning the employees to the employer or to any person who may be in charge of them, or to the employees themselves or any other person whom he believes to be acquainted with the facts and circumstances of any matter within the provisions of this
Ordinance;
For Reference Only
Sarawak Lawnet 24
(b)
the employer or such person, or any such employee, or any such other person shall be legally bound to answer such questions truly to the best of his ability;
(c)
a statement made by a person under this section shall, whenever possible, be reduced into writing and signed by the person making it or affixed with his thumbprint, as the case may be, after it has been read to him in the language in which he made it and after he has been given an opportunity to make any correction he may wish; and
(d)
any statement made and recorded under this section shall be admissible as evidence in any proceedings in Court.
[Ins. Act A1237.]
(2)
If the Director has reasonable ground for suspecting that any offence has been committed against an employee, and whenever any complaint of personal ill-usage or breach of any of the provisions of this Ordinance is made to the Director, the Director may forthwith remove, or cause to be removed, such worker from the place of employment where he is employed for further inquiry into the matter.
(3)
The Director may by order in writing require any employer to take within a reasonable time in the circumstances such steps as he considers necessary with a view to remedying defects observed in plant, layout, working methods, supervision, medical or sanitary provision or other matters at any place of employment which he may have reasonable cause to believe constitute a threat to the health or safety of the employees.