SINGAPORE - A foreign worker was killed at his worksite in Kranji on Thursday (June 9), bringing the total number of known workplace-related deaths this year to 35.

The 43-year old man was pronounced dead by a paramedic at the scene and a 33-year-old man was arrested for causing death by a negligent act, said the police.

The Straits Times understands that the suspect is also a foreign national.

Just four days earlier, another worker had collapsed and died while cleaning an outdoor pavement at an undisclosed location with a high-pressure water jet, according to a Workplace Safety and Health Council bulletin.

The deaths come after stiffer penalties were implemented last month for workplace safety lapses.

Thursday's incident took place at a worksite of Zap Piling, a small and medium-sized enterprise in the construction industry.

Zap Piling declined to comment.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it received a call at 11.10am and despatched help to 6 Kranji Link.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said officers from its Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate were also at the scene.

Its preliminary investigations indicate that a worker was pinned against the tracks of a piling machine by piling casings.

The casings had fallen off a stack that was struck by a load being lifted by a crane.

MOM has ordered the occupier of the site to stop all work activities and is continuing its investigation.

On May 12, it extended the minimum stop-work time from two to three weeks for companies found to have breached safety standards. Those companies may also be prohibited from hiring new foreign workers until they fix the lapses.