The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation has instructed the construction company Zhongmei Engineering Group to stop its work on the airport road construction project near Windhoek.

This comes after a fatal accident at the site claimed the life of a Zhongmei worker on Wednesday.

The worker had been instructed to carry out work involving the lifting of heavy loads with a crane high above head level without wearing a helmet and without being properly trained to operate a crane, according to a press release issued by the labour ministry's executive director, Lydia Indombo, on Thursday.

Following the accident, the ministry conducted an inspection at the work site and observed "serious unsafe working practices" in violation of occupational health and safety regulations.

Cranes at the construction site were not subjected to regular inspections, load tests and maintenance by qualified personnel, according to the ministry's press release.

"The employer has failed to investigate and identify hazards attached to the work and employ appropriate measures to prevent and minimise risk thereof," it is stated in the ministry's press release.

"The employer also failed to provide appropriate personal protective clothing," Indombo stated.

The labour ministry is preparing a preliminary report on the incident to be submitted to the prosecutor general.

Construction will be halted "until the employer implements recommended corrective measures, which have to be approved as correct by the labour inspector prior to resumption of such construction activities," the press release reads.