The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of Kazakhstan is initiating unscheduled inspections at construction sites in Astana. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The reason for the intervention was a series of incidents involving the collapse of tower cranes, which resulted in two deaths and two serious injuries. The ministry intends to apply extreme measures to systematic violators, up to revocation of construction licenses. This is stated in the ministry's message.
Investigations and inspections
Special investigations are currently being conducted into every case of worker death and injury in the capital. Following an interdepartmental meeting, the Committee of State Labor Inspection was tasked with launching a total inspection of the industry. If violations are found, materials will be immediately sent to the competent authorities.
Statement by Yerbol Tuyakbayev
First Vice Minister of Labor Yerbol Tuyakbayev stated that the period of warnings is over. Companies with recurring accidents will be subject to special analysis. For such organizations, procedures for suspension or full revocation of licenses for construction activities will be initiated.
Ministry's position
The Ministry of Labor emphasizes that a repeated incident at a site is a signal of a systemic management problem, not an accident. Yerbol Tuyakbayev called on developers to stop attributing occupational injuries to the "human factor."
The ministry's position is that behind any mistake of an ordinary builder lies a management failure: lack of proper training, equipment malfunction, or violation of technological control. Responsibility for safety on the site rests solely with the top managers of construction companies, who must control professional risks along with project deadlines and financial indicators.
Recent incidents
On August 31, it was reported that a tower crane collapsed in the Kurgaldzhinskoye Highway area in Astana. At that time, it was reported that one person died and two were injured.
Occupational injuries at construction sites remain a systemic problem for all of Kazakhstan. In late August 2026, a tragedy occurred at the construction site of the Kokjiek City residential complex in Almaty, where a worker, a father of five children, died.
In Astana, incidents with high-rise equipment have also been recorded repeatedly. In April 2026, a tower crane caught fire at one of the capital's construction sites, and in July 2025, similar equipment collapsed to the ground.
Legal measures
Law enforcement agencies and courts are increasingly applying strict sanctions to responsible persons. In December 2025, a court sentenced two foremen to actual prison terms for the deaths of workers at a construction site in Temirtau.