Skip to main content
 
About us
Search

Fatal Accident at Great Earth Construction Pte Ltd’s Worksite

Workplace safety and health
  1. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) was informed by the Singapore Police Force of a fatal accident that took place at Great Earth Construction Pte Ltd’s worksite at 11 Mandalay Road on Wednesday, 17 February 2016. The developer is Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.
  2. Officers from MOM’s Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate responded to the scene immediately and commenced investigations. Preliminary findings indicate that a worker fell to his death when the floor crane he was operating dragged him along when it toppled over the edge of the floor and fell off the building. The worker was pronounced dead at the scene by attending paramedics.
  3. Another worker working on the ground level at the time of the accident sustained leg injuries after being hit by debris caused by the impact of the fallen floor crane. He was conveyed to hospital for treatment.
  4. MOM’s inspection of the worksite revealed several serious safety lapses at the worksite. Some examples include:
    1. Many open sides that were not barricaded posed a falling hazard to workers;
    2. Access to work areas were not made safe;
    3. Presence of unsafe scaffolding; and
    4. Lifting gears used for lifting operations were not properly maintained.
  5. MOM has issued a full Stop-Work Order to the occupier to stop all work operations at the worksite. The occupier is required to rectify the non-conformances before work operations are allowed to resume.
  6. The recent spate of accidents which has caused workplace fatalities is a major cause of concern. Mr Chan Yew Kwong, Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate, said, “Given the number and severity of safety lapses found during MOM’s inspection, MOM will be taking stern enforcement actions against the company. The company will be placed under surveillance and be issued demerit points for the full Stop-Work Order as well as fines for the safety contraventions observed. We remind all employers and employees to take work safety seriously and will continue to step up on our enforcement.”