Collapsed building in Irbid lacked construction contract certificate — JCCA

AMMAN — The Jordanian Construction Contractors Association (JCCA) on Wednesday said that after checking its records of an under-construction building which collapsed on Tuesday in Irbid Governorate, it was found that the contractor did not obtain a construction contract certificate from the syndicate.

JCCA President Ahmad Yacoub said in a statement made available to The Jordan Times on Wednesday that there was no registration applied by any contractor, expressing “surprise” at how the owner of the building got a construction licence from the municipality without having a contract certificate.

No major injuries were reported in the incident, he said.

Yacoub pointed out that this exposes violators to the penalties stipulated in the operational regulations that were issued recently and which are based on the amendments of severe penalties for violators, gearing towards regulating work in the construction sector, reducing the phenomenon of construction projects by unauthorised and unqualified persons.

He noted that the JCCA aims to mitigate the violations in the construction industry, including safety violations, “to uplift the constructing profession, control the construction market, in addition to preventing on-site incidents and injuries”.

The penalties stipulated in the operational regulations of the National Building Law will be applied to owners who implement their projects through unlicensed persons, as well as to those who violate the principles and regulations of the construction industry, the JCCA president told The Jordan Times over the phone on Wednesday, noting that “owners of unlicensed construction sites may end up paying as much as JD50, 000” in fines.

“Constructors have a major responsibility. They need to ensure that the safety and health of the workers at the entire project is protected, while also making sure that everyone on site complies with the regulations and standards prescribed under the National Building Law,” he said.

“There is no room for error and random work in the construction industry because it can create serious hazards,” Yacoub noted.