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LAST year's condominiums sold en bloc - and there were plenty of them - are likely to be this year's demolition sites.
The concern now is that they do not become danger zones for construction workers.
Three people died late last year at worksites where old buildings were being torn down, said a workplace safety official. He warned that the spike in collective sales will result in more 'potentially hazardous' demolition works.
Mr Heng Chiang Gnee, designated deputy chairman of the upcoming Workplace Safety and Health Council, said: 'There is a clear need to pay more attention to prevent accidents from demolition activities.'
Another area of concern - the recent spate of crane crashes as more worksites spring up with the current building boom. The most recent fatal crane collapse killed three workers at a National University of Singapore worksite on Feb 22.
Mr Heng told 400 employers and safety officers present at yesterday's briefing that both demolition works and crane operations will be scrutinised closely by safety professionals this year under Probe.
Probe stands for Programme-Based Engagement, a scheme to target high-risk work areas to boost overall workplace safety and health standards.
Under the initiative, officials work with industries on safety procedures through means such as seminars. There are also inspections with fines meted out to companies that breach safety rules.
Mr Heng also touched on last year's report card on workplace safety and health.
Overall, the workplace fatality rate continued to head south.
There were 63 deaths last year. Though one more than in 2006, the fatality rate improved to 2.9 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared to 3.1 in 2006.
This put Singapore on course to achieve its goal of halving the workplace fatality rate to 2.5 by 2015, a target set in 2005 in the wake of tragedies at the Nicoll Highway and Fusionopolis worksites.
The construction and manufacturing sectors were responsible for 63 per cent - or 40 - of the deaths.
The number of injuries suffered breached the 10,000 mark, an 8 per cent rise over 9,261 in 2006.
One reason for the rise: more workers employed against the backdrop of buzzing construction activity. It is also believed there was some under-reporting of work injuries.
Most injured victims returned to work after medical leave, though 163 suffered permanent disabilities, mostly complete loss, or loss of use, of hands and fingers.
Keeping workers' hands safe is now a target of Probe, an initiative by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Workplace Safety and Health Advisory Committee, which will soon attain council status.
This focused approach that combines industry engagement and enforcement has helped in the past.
Three areas targeted last year - work at heights, forklift operations and use of lifting equipment - registered a combined 22 per cent dip in deaths to 35 last year, 10 fewer than in 2006.
Forklift operations posted the most stellar improvement, with deaths plummeting to one from nine previously.
With work at height re-tabled as a focus this year, Mr Thomas Teo, a manager with MOM's occupational safety and health division, said there will be an 'enhanced approach' to tackle this 'perennial problem'. Responding during a question-and-answer session, he said there will be an 'extra push' to link up with workers on the ground and help them understand safety risks. Officials will also look at the profiles of companies where most deaths occurred and beef up enforcement, he said.
Mr Desmond Hill, chairman of Spring Singapore's Technical Committee on Construction Management, said standards for demolition works are being updated. This work is being done, not because of recent events, 'but as a recognition that there will be lots of high-rise buildings demolished over the next five to 10 years', he said.
On crane safety, Mr Hill, who is also president of the Singapore Contractors Association, said advisories will be sent to its members once the causes of the recent accidents are identified.
joolin@sph.com.sg
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