Accident probe will be taken seriously: SMRT chief

SMRT takes the investigation into a recent accident that injured one of its employees very seriously, said its chief executive Neo Kian Hong yesterday.

He said a board of inquiry into the incident has been convened and that the investigation has to take its course.

An SMRT worker had his right foot crushed in the accident involving a maintenance vehicle on the MRT tracks near Joo Koon station on Wednesday.

His foot had to be amputated. The Straits Times understands that he is a man in his 50s.

Maintenance teams observed a safety time-out on Wednesday morning.

Speaking to reporters after a familiarisation tour of the new Choa Chu Kang bus interchange yesterday, Mr Neo said: "We are very saddened by the workplace accident... The investigation is ongoing. We take it very seriously.

"That's the reason why we have a safety time-out to make sure that our people take a step away from their daily routines, make sure they check through all their processes again before they resume services. That's how seriously we take it."

While the exact cause of the accident is not known, ST understands it involved a track tamping vehicle used to compact the ballast that supports the tracks.

Mr Neo visited the employee and his family in the hospital over the last two days. He said the man's family was worried about his employment, but the company has assured them that it would take care of him.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 15, 2018, with the headline Accident probe will be taken seriously: SMRT chief. Subscribe