SINGAPORE - The body of a Bangladeshi worker who fell into the sea off Tuas after part of a concrete pier collapsed at Keppel Shipyard was found on Wednesday morning (Aug 24).
Keppel Shipyard said in a statement that it is providing assistance to the family of the 38-year-old worker.
It added that it is working closely with the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and review of the accident.
A Keppel spokesman said: “Keppel Shipyard values the safety and life of every worker, and we deeply regret this tragic incident.”
In response to queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Wednesday afternoon said its officers fished the man’s body out of the waters near the shipyard.
The police said the man’s body was found at around 8.30am and that police investigations are ongoing.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the worker, employed by Kumarann Marine, was on the pier when a crane toppled at about 10.40am on Monday.
The SCDF on Tuesday night stopped its search operation.
MOM is investigating the cause of the accident at 51 Pioneer Sector 1 and has stopped all work at the pier.
Two other Bangladeshi workers aged 29 and 31, a 48-year-old Chinese national and a 40-year-old Singaporean worker were taken to hospital with minor injuries and were in stable condition, said the authorities on Tuesday.
There is growing concern over workplace safety and health standards in Singapore after a rise in the number of work-related deaths and major injuries in recent months.
As of Wednesday, 34 workers, including the Bangladeshi man in Monday’s incident, have died this year. This is compared with the 30 work-related deaths recorded in 2020, and the 37 deaths recorded last year.
The Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC), which is backed by the National Trades Union Congress, said on Tuesday that the recent spate of workplace accidents is a worrying trend.
In a Facebook post, MWC said assistance and mental health support will be offered to the workers injured in the latest accident, and counselling services will be extended to others who were working nearby.
