Singapore – A 37-year-old Bangladeshi migrant worker died at a worksite in Ubi after a part of an excavator fell on him on Thursday (Apr 22).
According to a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) representative on Friday (Apr 23), the man was helping his co-worker lift some steel frames using an excavator fitted with a concrete breaker attachment.
The attachment detached and fell on the man, said the MOM spokesperson.
He was conveyed to the Changi General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Reports noted that the accident happened at a construction site at Ubi Road 3 and Ubi Avenues 1 and 2.
The man is employed under Right Construction, a company involved in general building, civil engineering and piling work. Right Construction is also the occupant of the worksite.
“MOM is investigating the incident and has instructed the occupier to stop the use of excavators in the worksite,” said the representative to Channel News Asia.
The incident is the latest in a series of fatal workplace accidents this year.
In Feb, three workers died from injuries after an explosion involving potato starch powder at an industrial building in Tuas.
Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad took to Facebook on Apr 19 to highlight six workplace fatalities in the manufacturing sector last year compared to four in 2019.
“The sector also had the highest number of non-fatal injuries in 2020,” said Mr Zaqy.
In particular, machinery accidents accounted for nearly 30 per cent of all injuries, and is one of the leading cause of non-fatal injuries overall, said Mr Zaqy.
During an inspection at a manufacturing company, Mr Zaqy and MOM officers uncovered several lapses, including lack of traffic management and poor machinery maintenance like forklifts. Said company will be issued a Stop-Work Order by MOM, added Mr Zaqy.
“Companies need to step up their safety efforts, especially in machinery safety,” he noted.
“From May to June, MOM will be conducting an enforcement operation Ops Ibis, with 400 inspections targeting high-risk sectors such as manufacturing and construction, with a focus on machinery safety.”
He urged employers and employees to play their part and take greater ownership of safety at their workplaces./TISG
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