Stop-work orders, fines given to 2 companies after unsafe conditions found at worksites
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: Two companies have been fined and issued stop-work orders after safety inspections found unsafe conditions at their worksites, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Thursday (Aug 4).
The ministry said in a Facebook post that to curb the spike in workplace fatalities, it has ramped up enforcement efforts and imposed stiffer penalties on companies with poor workplace safety and health practices.
At recent inspections, it found unsafe conditions at the worksites of two companies: CAD Associates and KHC Development.
CAD Associates was fined S$21,000 and KHC Development was fined S$20,000. Both were issued stop-work orders.
To lift the stop-work orders, these companies must rectify all unsafe work conditions, engage third-party auditors to assess their workplace safety and health management systems and develop action plans based on the audit findings.
They also need to install closed-circuit television cameras at places where high-risk activities are being carried out, said MOM.
MOM said that during the inspections, the most common workplace safety contravention was working at height without effective and adequate fall prevention.
Pictures in the Facebook post showed some of MOM’s findings. They ranged from a lack of effective barricades to unsafe platforms and scaffolding.
Some workers were also not given the correct tools to access worksites at higher levels. They had to climb a ladder without proper handholds or had to jump from the roof to a scaffold.
Mr Sebastian Tan, director of MOM’s occupational safety and health inspectorate, said: “The site conditions at these two worksites are appalling and unacceptable. Our workers must never be subject to such imminent dangers where they risk falling from heights or have materials collapsing on them.
“As more construction activities pick up, contractors must step up their efforts to keep our worksites safe for our workers.”
There have been 31 workplace fatalities so far this year, compared to 37 for the whole of 2021 and 39 in 2019.
To report unsafe work practices, the public can visit mom.gov.sg/report-wsh-issues or call 6438 5122.
High cadmium levels found in crayfish, scallops packed with no brand name; products being recalled
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – High levels of the toxic metal cadmium have been detected in crayfish and scallops from seafood supplier Song Fish Dealer, which supplies these to hotels, restaurants and markets, and a recall is ongoing.
The products were also sold at the nine outlets of The Seafood Market Place by Song Fish, as well as Tasty Farm by Song Fish, all run by the supplier.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Thursday (June 30) that the affected products, which are packaged without a brand name, are Crayfish Large Cut, with an expiry date of Feb 4, 2023; Crayfish Medium Cut, with an expiry date of May 7, 2023; and Half Shell Scallop, with an expiry date of Aug 12, 2023.
The crayfish are from Indonesia while the scallops are from China.
SFA said that cadmium levels exceeding the maximum limit set under the Singapore Food Regulations were found in these products.
Consumers who have consumed them and have concerns about their health should seek medical advice, it added.
If unsure, consumers may contact the stores they bought their products from to check if they are the ones being recalled.
Heavy metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic and cadmium are naturally present in the environment and can enter the food chain when the animals and plants humans eat come into contact with the metals in water, soil and the seabed.
Shellfish live on the ocean floor and tend to accumulate heavy metals that have sunk to the bottom.
Based on the levels detected, a one-off consumption of the affected products is fine, but long-term consumption of high levels of cadmium may cause renal dysfunction, bone demineralisation and increased risk of cancer in the lung, endometrium, bladder, and breast, SFA said.
Worker dies after falling into sea while boarding service boat
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: A 59-year-old local worker fell into the sea while crossing a gangway and drowned in a workplace accident that happened on May 17.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said on Monday (Jul 4) that the worker had just crossed a gangway from one vessel to another when he lost his balance and fell into the water.
His body was recovered four days later on May 21.
The accident happened at the Eastern Bunkering A Anchorage, on a vessel occupied by Unitrust Marine Services. The worker was employed by Alliance Instrumentation.
A notice from the Workplace Safety & Health (WSH) Council said preliminary investigations revealed that the worker was wearing a life jacket and carrying a backpack containing equipment at the time of the accident.
The number of workplace fatalities in the first six months of 2022 is 28, higher than in 2019 pre-COVID-19. The marine industry is among higher-risk industries where fatal accidents have been more common.
The WSH Council advised that to prevent similar accidents, companies should ensure the worker is wearing a suitable life jacket that is in good condition, and that all belongings, loose items and equipment should be packed into bags and transferred separately to the vessel.
They should not proceed with the vessel transfer if there are unfavourable weather or sea conditions, extensive vessel or boat movement, if anyone feels unwell or if it feels unsafe to proceed.
They should also deploy a deckhand on the service boat and a gangway watch on the vessel to supervise and assist workers during vessel transfer, and to activate emergency response and rescue procedures if needed.
Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/workplace-death-drown-fall-sea-2788606
Companies with poor workplace safety face stiffer penalities from Jun 14
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: Companies with poor workplace safety and health performance will face harsher penalties from Tuesday (Jun 14) after a rise in fatalities this year, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
The composition fine for offences observed during MOM inspections will be doubled from S$1,000 to S$2,000 on average, up to a maximum sum of S$5,000.
Companies that have been issued with stop-work orders or have had major injuries will be required to engage external auditors to conduct a thorough review of their processes.
“We must move upstream and nip the problem in the bud before a fatality takes place,” said Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad after a worksite safety inspection on Monday.
There have been 26 workplace fatalities so far this year, surpassing the 23 cases recorded in the first half of 2021.
“We are keeping a close watch on the number of major injuries, which is over 200 in the first four months of 2022. This is comparable to the same period last year and pre-COVID,” said Mr Zaqy.
The accidents were mainly in the manufacturing, construction and marine shipyard sectors, and 65 per cent of the fatalities and major injuries involved workers from small- and medium-sized enterprises, said MOM.
ENFORCEMENT STEPPED UP
The Manpower Ministry has stepped up enforcement, almost doubling inspections this quarter compared to the same period last year.
More than 1,400 inspections have been conducted since April and close to 3,300 enforcement actions were issued, said Mr Zaqy.
“Strong focus has been placed on work at heights, machinery and vehicular safety, as these are the common causes of accidents leading to fatal or major injuries this year,” he told reporters.
During one of the inspections on Monday, MOM officers found several lapses at Goh Seng Lai Company, which specialises in setting up tents and stages for events.
Lapses include the use of an unlicensed forklift operator and the lack of guardrails for floors that were more than 2m high, as well as wires exposed from the circuit board.
The company has been issued a stop-work order.
Its director Goh Beng Koon said that the firm has run into difficult times since the COVID-19 pandemic and is also in the process of relocating.
“At the new site, we will try to fulfil MOM’s regulations. But we’ll also try to fulfil regulations at the current site,” he added.
Mr Zaqy said authorities will place more accountability on company management by bringing forward the implementation of the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) for Company Director’s WSH Duties.
“This will be a yardstick by which we assess if reasonably practicable measures have been taken by company leaders to upkeep safety standards,” he said.
“The courts can also take into account whether companies heeded guidance set out in the ACOP in deciding judgments and penalties.”
Last month, MOM, the WSH Council, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and industry partners had called on companies to conduct a safety time-out amid a “worrying spate” of workplace fatalities across various industries.
Safety time-outs typically involve taking a pause in work for senior management to engage workers and unions in reinforcing workplace safety and health processes, and to act on any issues raised.
Local start-up uses AI and cameras to detect violations to improve workplace safety
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – A local start-up is exploring ways in which video analytic tools may be used to improve workplace safety and prevent accidents on site.
Invigilo Technologies employs cameras and a proprietary Safekey software to alert users to safety violations.
The firm showed how the artificial intelligence (AI) system works in a live demonstration on Monday (June 6) for President Halimah Yacob at its Ayer Rajah Crescent office.
When an employee put on a helmet and safety vest in front of a camera, a label appeared on-screen to indicate they were being used.
But when the helmet was removed, the software sent out a safety violation alert.
“Our aim is to increase safety awareness and correct safety lapses,” said the firm’s 28-year-old chief executive Vishnu Saran.
“A thousand near misses happen before an accident does, so we want to identify these thousand near-misses to prevent accidents,” added Mr Vishnu.
President Halimah praised Invigilo Technologies for improving workplace safety through innovative safety solutions and behaviour-based technologies.
“Companies have a responsibility to keep workers safe. I hope that more companies will harness effective solutions to prevent workplace accidents and ensure a safer workplace for all,” she added in a Facebook post.
Last month, companies in Singapore imposed a two-week safety timeout after 10 workplace fatalities were reported in April.
To date, there have been 24 workplace deaths this year – the highest number of fatalities for the same period since 2016.
Mr Vishnu, who is the firm’s founder, said the system is able to detect workers’ usage of personal protective equipment, such as helmets and safety vests, as well as their proximity to heavy machinery.
The software analyses images captured by closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras of workers, objects and machinery.
When a safety violation occurs, real-time alerts are sent to the on-site safety management team.
The video analytics solutions are already being put to use by several organisations in the construction and manufacturing sector, including JTC and the Housing Board.
The firm is currently developing portable AI cameras which can be positioned in various locations across workplaces, enabling for greater flexibility when analysing safety lapses.
Mr Vishnu said the use of AI would allow for a more complete understanding of how workers go about their tasks, including whether they flout safety rules.
“I’ve had relatives and friends who have suffered from serious injuries working in heavy industries (overseas), and I saw the potential for technology to help,” said the Singaporean, whose family moved here from India when he was seven.
“Safety is very meaningful to me and I wanted to do something about it.”
Worker dies after falling 9.5m to factory floor; 2022 fatalities now at 24
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – A 49-year-old local worker died after falling 9.5m through a skylight to the factory floor while preparing to do roof cleaning work.
The freelance labourer contracted by oil and gas inspection, repair and maintenance company Vina Specialist died in Ng Teng Fong General Hospital shortly after he was taken there, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in response to The Straits Times’ queries.
His death on May 19 brings the total number of workplace fatalities this year to 24, the highest number in the same period since 2016, as a manpower shortage and the rush to finish projects continue to push up an unwelcome statistic that had been falling before the Covid-19 pandemic.
MOM said the worker’s employer, Vina Specialist, is also the occupier of the unit at 36 Joo Koon Circle, where the incident happened at 8.40am.
It is investigating the accident and has instructed Vina Specialist to stop all work activities that require workers to be elevated.
“As a general safety measure, every means by which a worker may fall from height should be identified and guarded or covered. In addition, workers should be equipped with safety equipment to prevent falls,” the ministry added in its statement to ST.
Separately, another workplace accident occurred on Thursday (May 26) at 190 Orchard Boulevard, a building occupied by Kajima Overseas Asia that was undergoing works.
A formwork component for a lift shaft was dislodged on the 29th floor when it was being worked on at 9am and hit a Bangladeshi worker on the 14th floor.
The 31-year-old worker, who is employed by Xiang Tai Construction, is now in Tan Tock Seng Hospital being treated for a back injury.
MOM said incompatible works carried out by different groups of workers within the same area should be properly scheduled.
There should also be safe work procedures in place to prevent dismantled objects from falling, it added.
Observers including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have come forward to say that the recent spate of workplace fatalities is unacceptable, and have urged a safety time-out, which would put a stop to all work for companies to review risk assessments and familiarise workers with safety procedures.
More than 12,000 companies had called a time-out by mid-May, after 10 workers died in April alone.
The industry has a long-term goal of reducing workplace fatalities to a rate below one per 100,000 workers by 2028.
Love, Bonito fined $24,000 over 2019 data breach involving over 5,500 customers
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – Home-grown fashion label Love, Bonito has been fined $24,000 over a 2019 data breach which saw personal information of more than 5,500 customers compromised.
It had failed to put in place reasonable security arrangements to protect the personal data, which included customers’ first and last names, phone numbers and credit card details, said the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) in its written decision published last Thursday (May 19).
The data breach involved an administrator account of a software used by Love, Bonito to manage its e-commerce website, which was utilised by an unknown third party to access and obtain customers’ personal data.
The account was also likely used to add an unauthorised programming code to the website, according to investigations by the firm, its digital solutions providers and a private forensic investigator.
The code would run whenever customers accessed the “check-out” page on the website to pay for their orders, causing their credit card data to be transferred to the third party instead of the payment platform used by Love, Bonito.
In late November 2019, the company noticed a significant drop in credit card authorisations for payments via the platform and discovered that the “check-out” page had been incorrectly configured.
It implemented a fix to allow the processing of credit card payments to resume through the platform.
However, the same issue recurred in early December 2019 and the firm disabled the credit card payment function on the “check-out” page.
Subsequent investigations uncovered the code and the unauthorised use of the administrator account by the unknown third party.
A previous report by The Straits Times said Love, Bonito had informed its online customers via e-mail on Dec 13, 2019.
A company spokesman had told ST at the time that a “small number” of its customers were affected. It is not known how many registered online customers the firm has.
The PDPC said in its written decision that Love, Bonito’s password policy – for the website management software accounts – was inadequate.
The firm had adopted the software’s default security settings, such as having a required password length and an account lockout after a number of failed login attempts.
But more robust and stringent measures were required, said the PDPC, which noted that Love, Bonito did not mandate periodic changes of passwords.
The software’s default security settings also did not require the company’s employees to refrain from using passwords that can be easily guessed.
The PDPC said that the password of the administrator account – “ilovebonito88” – incorporated the firm’s name, which made it easy to guess and vulnerable to brute-force attacks, a common method of guessing passwords by systematically trying every possible combination of letters, numbers and symbols.
It also noted other significant weaknesses in the company’s IT systems which could have been exploited by malicious third parties to gain access to the website’s management software.
These included the lack of security monitoring for the Love, Bonito’s network as well as its systems not being maintained or patched.
The maximum fine a company can face for a data breach is $1 million.
Burger & Lobster in Jewel Changi Airport suspended till further notice, after 17 people fall ill
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – The Burger & Lobster outlet in Jewel Changi Airport has been suspended from Monday (May 16) till further notice, after 17 people who consumed food prepared by the restaurant experienced gastroenteritis.
The Ministry of Health and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a statement on Monday evening that they are investigating the incidents of gastroenteritis affecting the 17 patrons, who consumed food prepared by the restaurant between May 7 and 15.
Four people were hospitalised. One person has since been discharged, and the other three cases are currently stable.
The remaining cases either sought outpatient treatment, self-medicated or recovered without treatment.
In view of the suspected ongoing transmission, SFA has suspended the restaurant’s operations until further notice.
All food handlers working in the premises are required to re-attend and pass the Food Safety Course Level 1 and test negative for foodborne pathogens, before they can resume work as food handlers, said SFA.
The appointed food hygiene officer working at the premises must re-attend and pass the WSQ Conduct Food and Beverage Hygiene Audit course before resuming work.
The licensee is also required to clean and sanitise the premises, including equipment and utensils, and dispose all ready-to-eat food and perishable food items, it added.
The Straits Times has contacted Burger & Lobster for comment.
‘Far too many’ workplace fatalities, safety standards and practices ‘seem to have slipped’: PM Lee
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: There have been “far too many” workplace fatalities this year, and safety standards and practices “seem to have slipped”, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday (May 9).
There were 20 workplace fatalities between Jan 1 and May 6, many of which could have been prevented with basic safety and health measures, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council on Sunday.
Of the 20 people who died between Jan 1 and May 6, 10 were in April.
“This is far too many, and not acceptable,” said Mr Lee in a Facebook post.
“We have been working hard for years to prevent workplace accidents, especially deaths,” he added.
“We have made good progress. But with our economy reopening and activities ramping up, safety standards and practices seem to have slipped.
“Accident rates have gone up, and we have lost ground. We must put this right.”
SAFETY TIME-OUT
MOM, WSH Council, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and industry partners have called on companies to conduct a safety time-out from Monday, amid a recent “worrying spate” of workplace fatalities across various industries. The safety time-out is expected to last two weeks.
Safety time-outs typically involve taking a pause in work for senior management to engage workers and unions in reinforcing workplace safety and health processes, and to act on any issues raised.
Companies can focus their attention on workplace safety, reinforce their safety processes, and deal promptly with safety issues raised by workers, said the Prime Minister.
The last time the WSH Council called for a nationwide safety time-out was on Jun 25, 2021, which lasted two weeks.
Mr Lee urged employers, supervisors and workers to take workplace safety seriously.
“Lives are at stake. We have a responsibility to keep all our workers safe, whether they are local or foreign,” he added.
“Let us ensure a safe workplace for all, so that all our workers can return home safely to their families.”
On Apr 8, a 48-year-old engineer died after falling seven storeys at the CapitaSpring building. She was working on the maintenance level above the 16th floor of the building when she stepped on a false ceiling panel, said an MOM spokesperson.
The panel gave way under her weight, causing her to fall about 30m. She was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
16 workplace deaths in S’pore this year, more inspections to take place
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – More workplace safety inspections will be conducted here this quarter after 16 workplace deaths were recorded this year, with seven taking place this month alone.
Speaking at the launch of this year’s National Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Campaign on Thursday (April 28) at the NTUC Centre in Marina Boulevard, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad said there were two separate fatal accidents just yesterday, and this month’s death toll has been the worst since February last year.
Hence, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is devoting more resources to conduct 25 per cent more inspections this quarter compared with the last, Mr Zaqy said.
He added: “This trajectory is worrying, especially when many of these accidents could have been prevented with basic risk controls.”
He said preliminary investigations for some of the recent accidents found a clear lack of control measures and safe work procedures in place.
He gave two examples of this.
In the case of a forklift operator who died in February at the site of a Build-To-Order project after he was pinned by an overturned forklift, the operator was not wearing a seat belt, said Mr Zaqy.
In another tragic case this month, in which an engineer stepped on a false ceiling panel while performing inspections at the maintenance level of the CapitaSpring building and fell 30m to her death, the engineer was not wearing fall arrest equipment, which could have lowered the risk of her falling from height.
Said Mr Zaqy: “Our WSH performance over the last few months could, and should have, been better, and these accidents serve as a reminder for us to take workplace safety seriously.
“When we reflect on the basic lapses in the recent accidents, such as not wearing seat belts in vehicles or fall protection gear when working from height, it suggests that the education and outreach that we do may sometimes fall on deaf ears if it is not reinforced by company processes and cultures that prioritise WSH.”
He said MOM has been ramping up enforcement operations, focusing on worksites with common accident risks such as work-at-height activities and the use of heavy machinery, including forklift and elevated platforms.
Inspectors will be checking that risk assessments and safe work procedures are in place, and they will advise companies on best practices, where appropriate, and penalise errant companies where needed, Mr Zaqy added.
Meanwhile, the WSH Council will continue to engage companies and workers on how they can be safer.
That is the aim of the new campaign launched on Thursday, Mr Zaqy said, to make the awareness of workplace safety and health even more pervasive.
The theme of this year’s campaign is Take Time to Take Care of Your Safety and Health, and one of the initiatives is a new workout and song that calls on workers to “step up” their safety and health.
From May 12, there will be a TikTok challenge for companies and employees to share videos of themselves doing the new workout.
Mr Zaqy added that company processes and culture are shaped by senior management, specifically the chief executive and the board.
Hence, MOM and the WSH Council are consulting the tripartite partners – which include the National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation – and industry associations to develop a new approved code of practice for company directors on their WSH duties.
This will provide clarity and enhance ownership among CEOs and board members, and introduce measures that are effective in preventing accidents, yet practical and easy to implement, such as having workplace safety be a regular item on a board’s agenda, Mr Zaqy said.
In the event of any WSH Act offences, compliance with these measures can be used in the courts as evidence that reasonably practicable measures have been taken by company leaders, who are already held liable for ensuring worker safety and health under existing laws.
At the same time, the courts can also take into account whether companies ignored such guidance in the approved code of practice, Mr Zaqy added.
The aim is to publish this code of practice by early next year.
Last year, workplace fatalities returned to pre-Covid-19 levels, with 37 deaths.
This is compared with 30 deaths in 2020 and 39 deaths in 2019.
The workplace fatality rate stood at 1.1 per 100,000 workers.
Singapore’s goal is to reduce the fatality rate to below one per 100,000 workers by 2028, a figure achieved by only four countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Mr Zaqy said.
He added: “That’s what our workers deserve, and really as an advanced and developed economy, this is what we need to aspire to.”