SINGAPORE: The question of whether construction companies are consistently adhering to safety regulations has once again come to the fore, after yet another worksite accident involving a migrant worker was reported this week.
In the latest incident, which occurred on Wednesday (29 May) evening, a crane at a construction site in Ang Mo Kio suddenly collapsed, resulting in a suspended concrete bucket accidentally hitting a 40-year-old Bangladeshi migrant worker.
The worker sustained a broken ankle and a hand injury and was promptly taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital for treatment. He is currently in stable condition.
The accident took place around 6pm at a construction site near Belgravia Drive. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) confirmed that at the time of the incident, the crane was lifting a concrete bucket when it suddenly overturned.
The injured worker was employed at the Belgravia Ace construction site, a strata landed project developed by Fairview Developments and owned by Kimly Construction. The incident has prompted an investigation by the MOM, which has ordered all lifting operations involving cranes to be temporarily halted at the site.
A video shared on Facebook by the Singapore Road Accidents page on Thursday (30 May) shows the crane, emblazoned with the words “Kim Lee Construction,” toppled over, with numerous foreign workers shouting with concern, amid the chaos.
In response to the incident, MOM reiterated general safety measures, emphasizing that the ground on which a crane operates must be confirmed as safe and, if necessary, the crane’s scaffolding should be extended and secured.
MOM also highlighted the importance of a stability control system on cranes, which detects the extension of each outrigger and automatically restricts the crane’s operation to a safe lifting area, thus preventing tipping.
It was found that the crane involved in this accident did not have such a system installed.
MOM is currently investigating the circumstances of the accident and assessing compliance with safety regulations at the site.
This incident occurs amid recent changes to safety regulations. Just two days prior, on May 27, MOM announced that companies breaching safety regulations would face a higher maximum fine of $50,000, effective from June 1. This is a significant hike from the previous maximum fine of $20,000.
The increased fines apply to all industries under the Workplace Safety and Health Act Subsidiary Legislation for offences that result in major injuries, deaths, or dangerous occurrences such as explosions.
As the probe continues, this latest accident highlights the critical need for stringent adherence to safety protocols to protect the welfare of all workers, particularly vulnerable migrant laborers who form the backbone of the construction industry in Singapore.
