SINGAPORE – A 42-year-old Bangladeshi worker died on Aug 1, three days after he was struck by a galvanised iron pipe that fell from the fifth storey of a building under construction in Jurong.
The worker, who suffered head injuries, was taken by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to the National University Hospital, where he died after his conditioned worsened.
The accident took place at about 9am on July 29 at a worksite in Jalan Terusan near Jurong Port Road, where Kok Tong Transport and Engineering Works – a subsidiary of home-grown construction giant KTC Group – is building a new workshop that is slated for completion in early 2025.
The police said they were alerted to the incident at 36 Jalan Terusan at about 9.25am, and the SCDF said it received a call for assistance at the construction site at about 9.30am.
The worker, who was employed by Fu Cheng Building Construction, was on the ground floor when the accident occurred. He was conscious when taken to hospital.
The Ministry of Manpower is investigating the incident, and it has told Kok Tong Construction, another company under the KTC Group and the occupier of the worksite, to stop all work activities on the premises.
“As a general safety measure, areas below any formwork or lifting activities must be cordoned off and properly demarcated to prevent persons from being exposed to the risk of falling objects,” the ministry added. Formwork refers to temporary moulds into which concrete is poured and formed.
Police investigations are also ongoing, but based on preliminary findings, foul play is not suspected.
Mr Han Wenqi, a registered workplace safety and health officer, said physical barriers such as netting can help prevent falling objects from hitting people below. Workers should also be properly trained on safe work practices, including how to properly secure tools and materials.
Regular inspections to ensure that tools and equipment are in good condition, and that structures are stable and secure, can also help identify potential hazards, he said.
So far in 2024, at least nine people have died while at work here, according to past media reports.
Source: The Straits Times (Kok Yufeng post)