SINGAPORE: A domestic helper’s tragic fall from a Toa Payoh HDB block has triggered a wave of public outrage across Singapore, as citizens call for tougher enforcement on maid safety and greater employer accountability.
On the morning of Sep 25, a 39-year-old woman was found lying motionless at the foot of a public housing block in Toa Payoh. Paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) pronounced her dead at the scene, with significant bloodstains visible on the ground, according to Shin Min Daily News.
The employer told Shin Min that the maid had likely fallen while cleaning windows—a high-risk activity that has long been flagged by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) as prohibited unless specific safety conditions are met. What makes this case even more distressing is that the maid had only started working on Sep 20, just five days before her fatal accident.
The employer, a 50-year-old HR professional, told Shin Min she and her family were asleep when the incident happened.
“Asleep is no excuse! Homeowner must be prosecuted to the max!”
Online commenters did not hold back in expressing their anger.
“We will never know if the maid did it [clean the window] on her own or under the instruction of the employer. At 8 a.m., many are still sleeping in on a weekend,” said one, to which another responded with “Whether asleep or not, one does not assign a newly employed maid to clean windows, especially since she’s so new and still very unfamiliar with our way of life.”
Another fumed, “Asleep is no excuse! Homeowner must be prosecuted to the max!”
Some netizens pointed out the tragic irony: “Poor maid! She just started working here, and she lost her life! Her employer must be punished severely for letting her clean the windows, which is against MOM regulations!”
Others highlighted the alarming trend of high-risk cleaning practices. “We see maids cleaning the outside of the sliding windows with 3/4 of their bodies stretched out very often,” one witness said. “Some are even seen standing on the ledges meant for placing the air-conditioners.”
Did the employer know about MOM’s regulations or simply choose to ignore them?
According to MOM regulations, domestic helpers must not clean the exterior of windows unless the employer or adult supervises, grilles are locked, and there’s no need for the maid to climb out.
One commenter said sharply, “No one without proper external window cleaning training should be permitted to do the task. Hold the employer to task on this!”
Another added, “If the employer did not instruct the maid to clean the window, the maid wouldn’t have fallen!”
“Hope MOM will hold the employer responsible…”
There is something particularly heart-wrenching about a woman uprooting her life to work in a foreign land, only to lose it within days of arrival.
“She just started working… and now she’s dead,” one Singaporean lamented. “Hope MOM will hold the employer responsible.”
Others are calling for systemic change. “Hope the authority will take stringent preventive measures and stiffen penalties for safety violations involving domestic helpers. Homeowners should know such high-risk tasks shouldn’t be included in the helper’s cleaning routine.”
Employers are legally required to ensure their helpers follow safety practices
As police investigations are ongoing, Singaporeans continue to demand justice, not just for this helper, but for every maid who has ever been expected to risk her life for a spotless window.
Because no life should be lost for the sake of a clear view.
Employers are legally required to ensure their helpers follow safety practices and prevent them from being exposed to situations that could endanger their lives.
Failing to ensure workplace safety for helpers can result in fines of up to S$10,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both for each offence. Offenders may also be barred from hiring foreign domestic helpers in the future.
Domestic helpers in need of help can contact the MOM’s Helpline at 1800 339 5505 or the Centre for Domestic Employees at 1800 2255 233.
In addition, anyone with information about such offences involving helpers can report it to MOM by emailing [email protected] or calling 6438 5122.
Read related: ‘Is the helper escaping from her employer’s abuse?’ — Maid seen ‘climbing down from HDB 10th to 7th floor, shocking residents’
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