SINGAPORE: In the second half of last year, 14 fatal accidents occurred at construction sites across Singapore, prompting the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to issue stop-work orders at nine of these sites. This was revealed by Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad in response to a parliamentary question.
The nine sites ordered to cease operations were found to have inadequate safety management systems, posing significant risks to workers.
Mr Zaqy emphasized that these sites must implement corrective measures, such as reviewing and improving their safety protocols, before they are allowed to resume work.
He added that none of the 14 sites where fatal accidents occurred had previously been subjected to stop-work orders.
While addressing workplace safety, Mr Zaqy acknowledged that Singapore’s overall performance in this area is better than many developed countries, including Japan.
However, he pointed out that it still lags behind nations like the Netherlands, highlighting the need for further improvements in the construction sector.
To bolster workplace safety and health standards, the MOM conducted over 3,000 inspections last year.
Despite the tragic incidents, the construction industry’s fatality rate has been on a downward trend, averaging 1.1 deaths per 100,000 workers. Nevertheless, construction remains a high-risk sector, accounting for nearly half of all workplace fatalities.