Two Workers Injured During Tunnel Construction

The collapse of the railway tunnel at village Aneula, Kharagauli Municipality of West Georgia has left two construction workers injured on Saturday.

The health condition of one worker is very grave and he is undergoing treatment in the neurosurgery intensive therapy ward with fracture of skull bones, bruising in the brain and nasal bones fracture.

Ilia Lejava, the Head of the Railway Trade Union stated the monitoring of the site took place this May and several recommendations had been issued, as the commission revealed some violations of safety norms and labor rights.

He added that the next monitoring was planned for September.

Lejava doubts that the recommendations were not taken into account, which might have caused the incident.

The construction company - Chinese Railway 23rd says the labor standards were fully observed at the site.

“The workers were provided with all appropriate equipment and conditions,” the company claims.

Georgia’s Interior Ministry has launched an investigation under Article 240 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which means the violation of safety rules in mining, construction, or other work.

Thea Morrison