Authorities Are Worried As There Have Been 5 Deaths in Worksites in the Last 2 Weeks

By
Victoria Lee
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2020 has seen many deaths, and it is unfortunate that we are seeing more.

The construction industry has taken a hit due to Covid-19. From a drop in manpower and stops in projects, they are slowly building up momentum again.

However, their actions come with some consequences.

In the last two weeks, there have been fives deaths in worksites.

This week, two workers died in workplace accidents. This then prompted NTUC to urge companies to keep their workers safe and not put their lives in danger to catch up on missed work.

Mr Melvin Yong, NTUC’s assistant secretary-general, expressed his concern in a Facebook post.

Breakdown of Accidents

#1: 23 November 2020: While raising the work platform of a boom lift, a worker was caught between the guardrail of the said boom lift and a roofing structural member. However, he was pronounced dead on the scene.

#2: 24 November 2020: A worker had fallen 0.8m while he was checking formwork panels at a construction site. He was rushed to the hospital, but passed away the next day.

#3: 24 November 2020: Unfortunately, another death occurred on this day. At another construction site, a worker was tasked with arc wielding on a pipe. An inert gas was introduced into the pipe to facilitate welding works, resulting in the worker found unconscious. His upper body was inside the opening of the adjacent pipe, and he was pronounced dead at the hospital.

#4: 1 December 2020: While packing goods at a warehouse, one worker heard a loud thud. He found his co-worker lying on the ground face up, and was taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries and passed away.

#5: 2 December 2020: While two workers were repairing a machine, one of its parts fell on one of the workers. The injured worker passed away on site.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has commenced investigations for all the accidents.

In his Facebook post, Mr Yong expressed his concern for these accidents and wishes for a Workplace Safety and Health council (WSH) representative in every organization.

He believes that representatives could help to implement safe management measures while ensuring the safety of the workplace.

He was also glad that WSH and the Singapore Contractors Association had called for a safety time-out last week.

So, is this number normal?

Local Workplace Accidents 

In 2019, MOM reported that 39 workplace fatalities occurred. While it was 2 less than the number recorded in 2018, there were more major and minor injuries recorded.

There were a total of 13,779 workplace injuries in 2019, up from 12,810 injuries in 2018. Of the 13,779 cases of workplace injuries, 596 of them were major injuries. This was a 5.5% increase from 2018. Meanwhile, the number of minor injuries were 7.7% up from the year before.

While the 2020 statistics have not been released, Mr Yong also mentions that the number of workplace fatalities is more than two-thirds of the total number recorded in 2019. This took place even with Covid-19 restrictions and a drop in activities, which means if work hasn’t stopped for a few months, the number could’ve been higher.

He also urged companies to prioritise and safeguard the safety of their workers.

“At the end of the day, workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility. Each of us must play our part as we strive towards a safer and healthier workplace for all,” he said in his Facebook post.

You can view his entire Facebook post here:

Featured Image: Heng Lim / Shutterstock.com

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Victoria Lee
Email: [email protected]