Stars Engrg Director Sentenced Over 2021 Workplace Explosion At Tuas Worksite; Company And Production Manager Also Penalised
A Singaporean male, Chua Xing Da (“Chua”), Director of Stars Engrg Pte Ltd (“Stars Engrg”), was sentenced to eighteen (18) months’ and one (1) week imprisonment for offences under the Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 (“WSHA”) and for abetting the obstruction of the course of justice under the Penal Code, in relation to a fatal workplace explosion and fire that occurred on 24 February 2021 at the company’s Tuas worksite.
2 Stars Engrg was fined a total of $500,000 for offences under the WSHA for the same fatal workplace incident. The company’s Production Manager, Lwin Moe Tun (“Moe”), was sentenced to six (6) weeks’ imprisonment under the Penal Code for obstructing the course of justice.
3 The explosion claimed the lives of three workers – Shohel Md, Anisuzzaman Md, and Subbaiyan Marimuthu, and injured seven others.
Case Background
4 On 24 February 2021, an explosion occurred while workers were manufacturing fire-retardant wraps using a heated mixer machine at Stars Engrg’s Tuas worksite. Investigations found that the machine had been operated unsafely over an extended period despite repeated warning signs, including overheating, oil leaks, smoke emissions and a fire incident shortly before the fatal explosion. These unsafe operating conditions caused pressure to build up within the mixer machine, leading to the explosion.
5 MOM’s investigations revealed multiple workplace safety and health lapses, including failures in risk assessment, safe work procedures, machine maintenance, and supervision. Workers were also not adequately trained to safely operate and maintain the mixer machine.
6 Following the fatal workplace incident, Moe, abetted by Chua’s instigation, deleted messages exchanged with deceased worker Subbaiyan Marimuthu relating to the handling of a faulty heater on the mixer machine shortly before the explosion. These deleted messages were significant to MOM’s investigations into the fatal workplace incident.
Investigation into Fatal Workplace Incident
7 MOM subsequently convened an Inquiry Committee (“IC”) to investigate the causes and circumstances leading to the explosion and fire. The IC found that the explosion was preventable and stemmed from serious failures in the safe operation and maintenance of the mixer machine, despite repeated warning signs. The IC also found inadequate controls for combustible powders at the worksite, which contributed to secondary flash fires. The findings from MOM’s investigations led to charges against the company and individuals responsible for the lapses that contributed to the incident.
8 The Government accepted all the IC’s recommendations following the inquiry. In November 2024, the Multi-Agency Workplace Safety and Health Taskforce (“MAST”) announced enhanced safety measures for higher-risk machinery and combustible dusts, which took effect from 1 January 2025. These measures, mandated under the WSHA and WSH (General Provisions) Regulations, strengthened duties across the machinery supply chain, expanded the list of higher-risk machinery regulated under the WSHA, and introduced additional requirements for the labelling and notification of combustible dust hazards. MOM has also continued targeted outreach, guidance, and enforcement efforts to strengthen industry awareness and prevent similar workplace incidents.
9 Mr Silas Sng, Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health, said, “Companies and company officers must take workplace safety seriously and act decisively at the first sign of risk. In this case, repeated red flags and unsafe practices were not addressed, resulting in a preventable tragedy that claimed three lives and injured seven others. Workplace safety is a responsibility that rests not only with workers on the ground, but also with those who oversee operations and make decisions affecting workers’ safety. MOM will not hesitate to take firm enforcement action against employers and company officers who fail in their duties to protect workers' safety and health, as well as those who attempt to obstruct investigations into workplace incidents.