9 stop-work orders issued, firms fined $452K for flouting rules on working at height
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Falls from height ranked among the top causes of workplace fatalities in Singapore in 2023.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
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SINGAPORE – Nine stop-work orders and fines totalling $452,600 have been meted out to firms found to have flouted rules to protect workers carrying out tasks at high places.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a Facebook post on June 21 that these lapses were uncovered after an operation targeting sites with work-at-height activities. More than 1,000 inspections were conducted between February and April.
This marks a slight improvement from a similar operation
Falls from height ranked among the top causes of workplace fatalities here in 2023, even as the Republic logged its lowest workplace fatality rate. Falls from height accounted for eight of 36 deaths at work that year and resulted in 67 cases of major injuries at workplaces.
At the launch of its annual workplace safety and health report in March, MOM said that there were more work-from-height activities with the increase in projects involving the installation of solar panels.
The ministry said in its Facebook post that 227 fines were handed out because of poor work-at-height practices, which included the lack of effective guard rails.
It said that work sites should maintain key safety measures in the use of ladders by ensuring that workers always maintain three points of contact on the ladder and providing handholds to personnel working at a height of 1m or more above the highest point of the ladder.
If ladders are deemed unsafe by risk assessments, work sites should implement alternative means of access like boom lifts or scissor lifts, as well as work platforms.
Several workplaces were commended by MOM for their safety practices. These include prominent reminders to personnel working from height and designing a safety barricade to protect workers installing air-conditioner piping.
The ministry said the lack of control measures had resulted in the death of a technician who fell from the fifth floor at the Chop Hup Chong Food Industries building, where he was relocating an air-conditioning fan coil unit with two other workers.
Investigations found that the man, employed by cleaning firm QBest, wore a safety harness, but no proper anchor points were provided, and the team had not been briefed on safety procedures, said MOM.
On Sept 8, 2023, both QBest and Chop Hup Chong Food Industries were fined $220,000 each for failing to ensure appropriate safety measures.
Since June 1, companies breaching safety regulations face a higher maximum fine of $50,000 – up from $20,000 – and construction sites with a contract sum of at least $5 million must have surveillance cameras.
Violations of safety regulations include failing to have protective structures to prevent falls, not appointing competent people to perform critical duties, and failing to inspect or maintain equipment such as cranes and scaffolds.
Members of the public can report any unsafe practices at this website.
