SINGAPORE – The death of a construction worker at a Build-To-Order (BTO) project site in Sembawang on Monday should not have happened, and could have been prevented, said Radin Mas MP Melvin Yong.
While the causes of the fatal accident are still under investigation, Mr Yong in a Facebook post on Wednesday urged firms involved in similar hazardous activities to stop and re-examine their work procedures to ensure that the necessary safety measures are in place.
“We need to do better,” he added.
All businesses, he said, need to quickly put in place proper reporting channels at the workplace for staff to report safety concerns.
Mr Yong, who is an assistant secretary-general at NTUC, said: “This tragedy should not have happened, and could be prevented.”
The worker, a 29-year-old Bangladeshi man, was hit by a material waste bucket that was being lifted by a crane, and he fell 10 storeys to the ground at the Sun Sails BTO project site. He was unconscious when taken to hospital, where he died.
The latest workplace fatality means that there have been at least 20 reported workplace deaths since the start of 2023.
In his post, Mr Yong said: “This loss is a stark reminder of the importance of workplace safety and the need for continued vigilance in creating and maintaining safe working environments.
“We must do all we can to prevent accidents from happening at the workplace. Let us continue to work together to look out for one another and make every workplace safer for every worker.”
Mr Yong said NTUC recently launched a Spot, Stop and Report campaign to encourage and reassure workers of their right to report unsafe situations at the workplace to keep themselves and their co-workers safe.
The campaign, launched on Sept 22, makes the reporting of safety breaches easier, educates workers on common workplace hazards, and allows workers to feel comfortable enough to report safety hazards before an accident takes place.
In a speech in Parliament on Sept 19, Mr Yong called for heavier fines for errant firms when workplace deaths take place.
He said penalties now for such accidents involve composition fines and stop-work orders, which are insufficient.
In 2020, there were 30 workplace deaths. In 2021, there were 37, and 46 in 2022.
MOM said 14 workplace fatalities were recorded in the first half of 2023.
