28-year-old worker dies in tree pruning incident in Toa Payoh, taking workplace deaths to 43 so far in 2022
this is index.phpSINGAPORE — A 28-year-old worker involved in tree pruning works died on Wednesday (Dec 7) after a mishap involving the loading of a tree trunk. This took to 43 the number of workplace deaths so far this year, already well above last year’s total of 37.
In a news release on Thursday, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said that the fatal accident happened at around 3.30pm along Toa Payoh East Road, near 1003 Toa Payoh Industrial Park.
The ministry said that the man, a Bangladeshi, was involved in the loading of tree trunks using a lorry crane after the tree-pruning works.
During the lifting operation, a tree trunk that was being hoisted dislodged from its lifting sling and struck the man.
This caused him to fall and hit his head against the pavement.
The man was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after, MOM said.
The ministry is investigating the accident and it had ordered the man’s employer — Penta Landscape — to stop all pruning and lifting activities.
It added: “As a general safety measure, all loads must be properly rigged and secured by a competent rigger before conducting any lifting operation by mobile cranes.”
The 43 workplace deaths so far this year already exceed the 37 workplace deaths for the whole of 2021.
Last month, two workplace incidents occurred, including one on Nov 26 involving a 69-year-old worker who fell while cleaning windows.
The other fatality happened on Nov 25 and involved a 41-year-old India national who was involved in scaffolding works at Singapore Refining Company in Jurong Island when he fell into the sea.
Workplace safety breaches dealt with in November show similar worrying trends: MOM
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – He failed to ascertain the weight of the load he was lifting onto his lorry and used inappropriate equipment to secure it, resulting in the death of a worker who was helping him.
For his actions on Oct 12, 2018, lorry loader operator and driver Ho Man Kwong was sentenced on Nov 29 to five months’ jail under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
His employer, Koh Lian Kok, the sole proprietor of Ban Keong Transport, has been charged as well. Koh’s case is still pending.
JP Nelson Access Equipment, the firm that engaged Ban Keong’s services, was fined $50,000 in 2021.
Ho’s case was one of four highlighted by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Monday.
The cases showed “worrying observations”, including taking shortcuts, a lack of proper safety procedures as well as a lack of risk assessment.
In another case, Mass Engineering sole director Karuppaiah Mathi was fined $110,000 on Nov 29 for failing to ensure that construction debris had been stored properly, and that workers could enter and exit the workplace safely.
A worker was killed on Feb 21, 2021, after he was trapped between two containers when one of them shifted due to the way the construction debris was stored.
The worker and his colleague had been loading accumulated debris onto tipper trucks at the workplace’s main entrance, leaving the space between two containers as the only available entry point.
The colleague has been charged with committing a negligent act that resulted in the worker’s death. The case is still pending.
For the third case, Summit Gas Systems was fined $270,000 on Nov 30 after one of its workers died in a fire on June 21, 2019.
The worker and two others had been employed to fill cylinders with liquefied petroleum gas.
That day, one of them noticed some cylinders on the conveyor belts knocking against one another. Then one cylinder fell and hit a pipeline structure, causing the highly flammable gas to leak, and a fire broke out.
One worker died at the scene, while the other two managed to flee the premises and were later treated at Singapore General Hospital.
MOM found that the firm had failed to do several things, including providing employees with flame-retardant clothing and an emergency stop button at the location.
It also did not ensure that employees had received adequate information to carry out their work.
Summit Gas Systems’ director, Ellen Teo Soak Hoon, was found to have failed in exercising diligence to prevent such an accident and she was fined $50,000.
In the final case, the director of TC Builder and Machinery, Low Thiam Chuar, was fined $125,000 on Nov 18 after a construction worker died at its worksite on Jan 14, 2019.
Workers there had been using a lift with its doors open to transport bags of debris to the ground floor for disposal.
While the lift was descending from the seventh to the sixth storey, a worker reached out through the doorway to retrieve an unidentified object.
But the lift was moving at a faster rate than normal because of the weight of the debris, causing the worker to be caught between the lift and the seventh-storey lift landing.
In its findings, MOM said the firm had failed to implement an adequately safe work procedure for the use of the lift while its doors were open.
It also found that the firm had failed to conduct a risk assessment in the light of the dangers posed by using a lift with an open door.
MOM reiterated that employers and top management have a responsibility to ensure that safe work measures are in place, with employees reminded to adhere to these measures.
The ministry’s statement, which comes as Singapore grapples with the highest number of work-related deaths in four years – 42 so far in 2022, also stressed that it would not hesitate to impose tough penalties on parties found to have neglected safety.
“When companies, their top management or employees are lax on safety practices, the consequences can be fatal,” said MOM.
Rasel Catering business operations suspended after almost 300 cases of food poisoning
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: Authorities have suspended the food business operations of caterer Rasel Catering following 284 reported cases of gastroenteritis by people who ate food prepared by the caterer.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) are investigating two incidents that took place between Nov 8 and Nov 16, they said in a joint statement on Saturday (Nov 19).
None of the affected people was hospitalised, having either sought outpatient treatment, self-medicated, or recovered without treatment.
“In view of the suspected ongoing transmission, SFA has suspended the food business operations of Rasel Catering Singapore Pte Ltd located at 253 Pandan Loop Singapore 128432 with effect from Nov 18, 2022 until further notice,” said MOH and SFA.
The company also must clean and sanitise the premises – including equipment and utensils – and throw away all ready-to-eat food and perishable food items.
All food handlers and the appointed Food Hygiene Officer working in the premises are also required to reattend and pass food safety courses before they can resume work. Food handlers must also test negative for foodborne pathogens.
“Food safety is a joint responsibility,” MOH and SFA said in the press release, adding that it would not hesitate to to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act.
In the interest of maintaining a high standard of food hygiene at all eating establishments, the authorities also advised members of the public who come across poor hygiene practices in food establishments not to patronise such outlets, and instead give online feedback with details for authorities to follow up on.
Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/rasel-food-catering-suspended-gastroenteritis-3086206
MOM takes 558 firms to task for workplace safety lapses, with stop-work orders and almost S$500,000 in fines meted out
this is index.phpSINGAPORE — The authorities issued 12 stop-work orders and 232 composition fines amounting to S$499,150 over safety lapses in the last two months, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a Facebook post on Monday (Oct 31).
MOM conducted more than 750 inspections aimed at reducing workplace slips and trips between Aug 15 and Oct 17, which resulted in 1,828 enforcement actions taken against 558 companies.
The inspections were conducted across the construction, manufacturing, transportation and storage, accommodation, and food services sectors.
The most common lapses found were:
- Slips, trips and fall hazards were not identified during risk assessments and thus, no corrective action was taken
- Control measures were not implemented for poorly maintained flooring (such as missing floor tiles, wet surfaces) and poor housekeeping
- Workers wore inadequate footwear, which did not protect enough against slips, trips and fall accidents.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Senior Minister of State for Manpower, said in the Facebook post: “The common contraventions of slips, trips and falls requires attention to the safety of workers and very basic mitigations.”
He added: “Company leaders, supervisors and workers must never compromise on safety practices — we have put everyone on notice, and we expect all parties to keep their eyes on the ball.”
Slips, trips and falls leading cause of major workplace injuries in first half of 2022: MOM
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: Slips, trips, and falls were found to be the leading cause of major workplace injuries in the first half of this year, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Monday (Oct 31).
Between Aug 15 and Oct 17, the Manpower Ministry conducted a nine-week enforcement operation aimed at reducing slips, trips, and falls at the workplace.
More than 750 inspections were conducted across the construction, manufacturing, transportation & storage, accommodation, and food services sectors, said the ministry in a Facebook post.
As a result, a total of 1,828 enforcement actions were taken against 558 companies.
They included 12 stop-work orders and 232 composition fines amounting to S$499,150, said MOM.
During the inspections, the most common actions that resulted in the accidents were hazards not being identified during risk assessments, control measures not being implemented for poorly-maintained flooring and poor housekeeping, and workers not wearing proper footwear – which did not protect against such accidents.
Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad said that the common contraventions of slip, trips, and fall accidents not only showed a lack of workplace safety and health culture but also a poor attitude to prioritise safety at the workplace.
“Often firms that have poor attitudes have been found to have systemic lapses in safety measures,” he added.
“We will continue to take appropriate action for such contraventions,” said Mr Zaqy.
Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/slips-trips-falls-workplace-injuries-mom-3034166
SFA orders recall of eggs from Malaysian farm due to presence of Salmonella bacteria
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) ordered the recall of eggs imported from Teo Seng Layer Farm 1 in Malaysia after detecting the presence of Salmonella Enteritidis, it said in a media release on Friday (Oct 14).
The affected eggs can be identified by the stamp CEJ027 on them, said SFA.
Salmonella Enteritidis may cause foodborne illness if food is consumed raw or undercooked.
SFA directed all six importers to withhold or recall the affected eggs.
In particular, BH Fresh Food was directed to recall the affected eggs that had been distributed to retail outlets for sale as a precautionary measure, said SFA, adding that the other five importers were also told to withhold the affected eggs from distribution.
Only eggs with farm code CEJ027 are implicated in this recall. Other eggs imported by BH Fresh Food are not affected, said SFA.
The recall is ongoing.
SFA said Teo Seng Layer Farm 1 is also suspended and will not be allowed to export its eggs to Singapore until the farm has rectified the contamination issue.
As Salmonella Enteritidis can be destroyed by heat, the eggs are safe to consume if they are cooked thoroughly.
Salmonella Enteritidis can survive in raw and undercooked eggs and may cause foodborne illness. Symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting.
While the infection typically subsides within a week in most people, Salmonella Enteritidis can cause serious infection in the vulnerable such as the elderly, young children, and those with weakened immune systems.
SFA advised consumers who have purchased the affected eggs to cook them thoroughly before consumption. Those who have consumed the eggs and are unwell should seek medical attention.
Construction firm Synergy-Biz hit with fine, stop-work order for safety lapses
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: Local construction firm Synergy-Biz has been issued a composition fine of S$6,000 on top of a stop-work order, after multiple unsafe conditions were uncovered during a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) inspection of its premises.
On Aug 25, a lorry driver from the company was involved in a fatal accident.
The 65-year-old Singaporean man was run over by a forklift while loading it onto a lorry and securing it for transportation.
MOM’s inspection of the premises, which was conducted the next day, was separate to the incident, the ministry said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Sep 27).
MULTIPLE SAFETY LAPSES FOUND
The safety lapses found at Synergy-Biz posed danger to workers and “could have been easily rectified”, said Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad.
In one incident, electrical casing and wiring were found to not be properly insulated and in poor condition.
MOM also found that some materials were stored haphazardly within the company’s storage areas, and that some heavy machinery had expired lifting registrations.
“Several excavators were found with their ignition keys inserted in the ignition switches and left unattended,” the ministry added.
Diesel storage tanks with no labels and warning signs, fire extinguishers not in working condition, and inadequate safe work procedures for transporting excavators were among other issues at Synergy-Biz highlighted by MOM.
Since the start of the year, Singapore has reported 37 workplace fatalities – the same number for the whole of last year, and exceeding the 30 deaths reported in 2020.
Amid the increased rate of fatal workplace accidents, MOM imposed the requirement of a mandatory safety-time out to review safety procedures, which companies must complete by Friday.
The Manpower Ministry will conduct compliance checks from Oct 1 and debar errant companies from employing new foreign employees for one month.
It has also introduced a six-month “heightened safety” period from Sep 1 till Feb 28, 2023.
“During this period of heightened safety, we have stepped up inspections and taken action against companies that have fallen short on safety,” said Mr Zaqy.
“At the same time, to help firms, MOM continues to stand ready to support companies to enhance their safety practices and procedures through the StartSAFE programme.”
Mr Zaqy added that MOM will subsidise its efforts for SMEs, to aid in their safety efforts.
Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/synergy-biz-construction-stop-work-order-fine-mom-2968471
Woman fined S$100,000 for lapses in workplace safety that led to her worker’s fatal electrocution
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: A woman was fined $100,000 by a court on Tuesday (Sep 20) in relation to the death of a worker who was electrocuted while replacing a roller shutter.
Lee Ee Ten, 65, was the employer of the deceased electrician, Mr Tong Baorong. She pleaded guilty to one count of failing to take measures necessary to ensure the safety and health of her employees at work, thereby causing Mr Tong’s death.
The court heard that Lee was a partner at Tan Kim Seng Roller Shutters, which repaired and replaced motors of roller shutters.
In early November 2019, a construction company hired Tan Kim Seng to replace the motor of a roller shutter at the Tritech Building in 31 Changi South Avenue 2.
Lee, who was in charge of her company’s operations and safety and health matters, deployed a team comprising Mr Tong and two other workers to the site.
At about 9.30am, on Nov 7, 2019, they arrived at the building. Mr Tong climbed an aluminium ladder to turn off the isolator of the roller shutter’s motor and began replacing the motor.
The ladder was about 5.9m long and was placed at an angle against the frame of the roller shutter. The other two workers helped Mr Tong by holding onto his ladder and giving him the replacement motor.
About 10 minutes later, Mr Tong successfully mounted the motor and connected it to the isolator. As the metal frame of the motor was connected to the live terminal of the main electricity supply, the frame and all conductive materials including the aluminium ladder became live when Mr Tong turned on the isolator.
He fell of the ladder instantly and landed face down on the ground, court documents said. He was taken to hospital but died later that morning of electrocution with multiple injuries.
“At all material times, Mr Tong did not open the isolator cover to check the wiring configuration,” said the prosecutor.
“He had assumed that the electricity supply from the isolator was single-phase when it was in fact three-phase. Mr Tong connected the replacement motor to the isolator based on this incorrect assumption. The switch for the main electricity supply was turned on at that time.”
As the employer of the team, Lee failed to take several necessary measures. She did not properly conduct a risk assessment to identify the electrocution hazard and associated risks, nor to establish and implement safe work procedures to minimise and control the risks.
She had conducted a risk assessment, but it identified only the hazards of being struck by falling objects and falling from height. The assessment failed to identify the hazard of electrocution, even though the job involved working with live electrical apparatus.
As part of safety measures, Lee should have identified the hazard of electrocution and implement control measures.
This includes checking if the electricity supply was three-phase or single phase, wearing insulative protective equipment and maintaining a safe distance from energised parts.
Investigations revealed that Lee had failed to ensure that her team had adequate instruction, information and training that was necessary for them to finish the job.
Although she carried out toolbox meetings with her employees, she was unfamiliar with the works they performed and the safety precautions they must take.
None of the employees in the team had completed the required training course before erecting scaffolds and were untrained and unqualified, court documents stated.
Lee was allowed to pay the fine in instalments by February 2023.
She could have been jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$200,000, or both.
Stiffer penalties needed for bosses who flout workplace safety laws
this is index.phpThe latest workplace fatality reported on Aug 24 — involving a worker who fell into the sea at a Tuas shipyard — is indeed sad to read, and it brings the tally to 33 workplace deaths so far this year.
All stakeholders must act together to prevent workplace accidents from happening.
Very often, one of the top causes of workplace accidents is the lack of focus on health and safety by the top management of companies.
Directors may be more inclined to prioritise profits over safety as their performance is often appraised in terms of their financial bottom line.
The role played by company leaders is arguably more important than that of other stakeholders as they are the only parties who can approve the allocation of resources to improve safety.
The upcoming Approved Code of Practices (Acop) for Company Directors’ WSH (workplace, safety and health) Duties is a welcome move as it would provide clearer guidance to company leaders on how to provide more effective safety leadership.
Employers who blatantly disregard workplace safety must be kept away from society and workers.
To add more legislative bite to the Acop, the Companies Act should be amended to include the disqualification of company directors for up to five years if they have failed in discharging their WSH duties or are convicted of an offence under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
There is also a need to consider a company’s turnover when determining the maximum fine for WSH breaches.
It should not be cheaper for companies to offend than to spend more of their revenue to protect their workers.
When taking on more revenue, companies have a duty to correspondingly budget for more workers to address WSH risks, instead of over-stretching their current workforce and WSH personnel. Over-stretched workers, who are under unreasonable deadlines, tend to take shortcuts, resulting in higher risk of accidents happening.
For a first-time conviction under Section 50 of the WSH Act, the maximum financial penalty is S$200,000 and S$500,000 for natural persons and corporate bodies respectively.
For a first-time conviction under Section 50 of the WSH Act, the maximum financial penalty is S$200,000 and S$500,000 for natural persons and corporate bodies respectively.
With stronger leadership and commitment from top management, combined with concerted efforts from all other stakeholders, it would be hard for workplaces not to become safer and healthier to work in.
NEX ceiling incident caused by water leakage due to ‘plumbing issue’, says mall
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: Leaking water due to a plumbing fault caused parts of a ceiling at the NEX shopping centre in Serangoon to fall on Saturday (Aug 6), said a spokesperson for the mall.
Videos circulating on social media on Sunday showed a hole in the ceiling of Basement 1 at the mall, and bits and pieces of plaster on the floor of Basement 2.
The area where the plaster had fallen was also cordoned off to shoppers.
In response to CNA’s queries, a NEX spokesperson said on Monday that the mall was alerted by a Level 1 tenant to a “water backflow incident” at around 5.55pm on Saturday.
The mall’s onsite operations team subsequently identified a “plumbing issue” originating from the tenant’s floor trap, causing water to spread to the tenant’s retail area and leak down to Basement 1 and 2.
“Contractors were deployed to fix the choke which was resolved by 11pm,” said NEX.
However, remnant water continued to leak down from the unit and affected “some tenants” across Basement 1 and 2.
“For the safety of our tenants and shoppers, we informed affected tenants to suspend operations until the issue (was) fully rectified,” added NEX, while apologising for the inconvenience caused to tenants and shoppers.
As of Monday, the affected areas have been checked and rectified and Basement 2 is open and accessible to shoppers, said the mall.
In August 2020, a ventilation duct at Shaw Theatres in NEX collapsed during a movie screening, falling across several rows of seats and injuring two people.
Investigations later revealed that this had been caused by overloaded support brackets for the duct, due to the weight of accumulated water.
Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/nex-ceiling-fall-water-leak-plumbing-2866191