A construction worker identified as SK died after falling roughly 3 metres from a roof while renovating the front canopy of a house in Pulo Gadung, East Jakarta, in January 2025. Jakarta Metropolitan Police spokesperson Kombes Ade Ary Syam Indradi said the worker probably slipped while stepping on light steel or wooden beams that had not yet been removed, Metro TV reported. The homeowner had handed the job to a foreman who brought four workers.
The arrangement is common across Bekasi housing estates. A homeowner calls a foreman or a day labourer, agrees a price over WhatsApp, and the work goes ahead without a contract or social insurance. Building a carport canopy, casting a roof deck or repainting the facade of a two-storey house all count as work at height. The rainy season that begins in November adds slippery roofs and decks to the risk. The question homeowners rarely ask in advance is who pays the hospital bill if a worker falls at their house.
Who pays when a worker is injured
The answer is clearest when the worker is enrolled in BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, Indonesia's workers' social security agency. Its work-accident programme (JKK) pays for treatment until recovery. "Seluruh peserta yang mengalami risiko kecelakaan kerja akan mendapatkan pengobatan medis hingga sembuh," said Novarina Azli, head of the agency's Depok branch, in a 27 May 2025 release: every participant who suffers a work accident receives medical treatment until healed. The release described a self-enrolled day worker whose two-week hospital stay cost Rp92 million, all of it covered.
If the worker is not enrolled, the outcome falls back on goodwill and whatever was agreed. A private homeowner's obligations towards an unregistered day labourer are far less clearly defined than an employer's obligations towards staff. A homeowner can still face a civil claim if the accident stems from their own negligence, such as sending someone onto a roof deck with no safety gear.
What insurance costs for a day labourer
Day labourers and independent foremen can join as non-wage participants (BPU). The contributions are small compared with the value of a renovation job.
| BPU programme | Standard contribution | With 50% discount (Government Regulation 50/2025) |
|---|---|---|
| JKK (work accident) | 1% of declared income, for example Rp12,000 on income of Rp1.1 million to Rp1.299 million | Rp6,000 |
| JKM (death benefit) | Rp6,800 regardless of income | Rp3,400 |
According to BPJS Ketenagakerjaan's own explainer, the 50 percent discount for non-transport BPU participants applies to contributions from April to December 2026. For a renovation in November or December, JKK and JKM cover for one worker can therefore cost less than Rp10,000 a month. BPU accident cover also extends to the commute to and from work, as in the case cited in the release.
Before anyone climbs onto the roof
- Ask about enrolment. Ask the worker or foreman to show the digital card in the JMO app. Workers who are not enrolled can sign up as BPU participants through the same app with an ID card. The homeowner can offer to pay the contributions for the duration of the job and put that in writing.
- For a contractor, ask about Jakon. Contractor staff count as construction workers and are covered through the agency's construction programme (Jakon). Ministry of Manpower Regulation 44/2015 governs JKK and JKM for casual, piece-rate and fixed-term workers in construction. Ask for proof of enrolment before paying a deposit. The difference between day-rate and lump-sum arrangements is covered in day labour vs lump-sum contracts.
- Write a short agreement. One page is enough: scope, price, schedule, who supplies the tools and who pays the BPJS contributions. A written agreement also helps if the job goes wrong, as in the case of a contractor who disappears with the deposit.
- Provide equipment for work at height. A sturdy ladder that is tied off, scaffolding for painting a second-floor facade, and a safety line for work on a roof deck or pitched roof. All of it costs far less than a hospital stay.
- Set working hours for the rainy season. Roof and deck work should stop when rain starts and resume only once surfaces are dry. Wet light-steel canopies and roof tiles are among the most slippery surfaces on site.
- Notify estate management. Beyond permits and working hours under the cluster renovation rules, it means security staff know who is working at the house if something happens.
Save the number of the nearest emergency department before work starts, for example RS Mitra Keluarga Bekasi, and keep the 112 emergency line at hand for an ambulance.
If an accident happens
- Do not move someone who has fallen from height unless the spot is dangerous, as spinal injuries can worsen. Call an ambulance.
- If the worker is a BPJS Ketenagakerjaan participant, tell the hospital it is a work accident and report it to the agency promptly.
- Photograph the scene, the ladder and the tools used. Note witnesses and the time.
- Contact the worker's family and discuss costs openly. Any settlement is best put in writing.
When the crew damages the neighbour's house
Small incidents are frequent in row housing: material falls onto the next carport, mortar stains a neighbour's wall, a neighbour's gutter cracks underfoot. Article 1367 of the Indonesian Civil Code makes a person liable for losses caused by those under their responsibility, including an employer for staff at work. In practice the neighbour will turn to the homeowner first, so the agreement should state that the foreman covers damage caused by the crew's negligence. For shared walls, see cracked party walls in row houses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a homeowner in Indonesia have to pay the hospital bill of an injured worker?
A private homeowner's duties towards an unregistered day labourer are less clearly set out than an employer's. If the worker is enrolled in BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, the JKK programme pays for treatment until recovery. The homeowner can still be sued if the accident results from their negligence.
How much is BPJS Ketenagakerjaan for a day labourer?
As a non-wage (BPU) participant, JKK costs 1 percent of declared income and JKM Rp6,800 a month. Contributions for April to December 2026 carry a 50 percent discount under Government Regulation 50/2025.
Who pays for damage to a neighbour's house during renovation?
Article 1367 of the Civil Code makes an employer liable for losses caused by staff at work. Put a clause in the agreement that the foreman or contractor covers damage caused by the crew's negligence.
Planning changes to an Emerald 70 unit?
Ask the Kingspoint team about canopy and roof-deck specifications and the renovation rules for Emerald 70 homes on Jl. Raya Perjuangan, North Bekasi.
Ask on WhatsAppReferences: Metro TV, January 2025; BPJS Ketenagakerjaan, 27 May 2025, and its BPU contribution discount explainer; Government Regulation 50/2025; Ministry of Manpower Regulation 44/2015; Civil Code Article 1367. This article is general information, not legal advice. For your situation, consult BPJS Ketenagakerjaan or a lawyer.