SAFETY EMPLOYEE DEATH
Singapore – The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is increasing the number of surprise safety checks by 50% as it aims to increase workplace safety.
The Ministry has decided to step up its efforts following a recent spat of safety lapses, such as the East Village fire, the Bugis Downtown Line construction site accident and the collapse of a multi-storey carpark during demolition works, The Business Times reported.
“Based on our preliminary investigations, these recent workplace accidents could have been prevented if each stakeholder had put in greater effort to assess the risks as well as check and review procedures before carrying out work, particularly for the construction industry,” Kevin Teoh, MOM’s director of Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate (OSHI), said.
There have already been nine workplace deaths in the construction sector in the first half of this year. Although this figure is lower than the 12 reported last year, it is equivalent to 2.2 deaths per 100,000 workers.
Currently, OSHI carries out spot checks at about 3,000 of the 4,000 construction sites yearly. The upcoming inspections will focus on three main areas of concern, which are demolition, formwork and working at heights.
Inspectors will be on the look out for safety lapses such as lack of appropriate barriers or support structures, unstable scaffolding, poor lighting conditions and exposed wires.
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