Mover dies in 7-storey fall at condo - 13th workplace fatality this year

A 23-year-old Singaporean mover died after he fell backwards from a ladder over a parapet wall at a 10th-floor unit of a condominium.

He fell seven storeys and was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics last Monday at Watermark @ Robertson Quay.

His employer, Apex Worldwide Movers & Services, has been ordered to stop work by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

In response to queries from The Straits Times, MOM said yesterday that the man was moving and disposing of furniture at the condominium unit at 5 Rodyk Street in the River Valley area when he fell.

"He was standing on a ladder when he fell backwards over an opening that was above a 1m-high parapet wall in the service yard. He fell from the 10th floor and landed on the third floor," said an MOM spokesman.

The ministry added that this was the 13th workplace fatality this year from 11 incidents. It is currently investigating the incident.

The man's death was first reported by a Workplace Safety and Health Council bulletin on Monday. It stated that he was part of a group of workers that had been tasked with disposing of furniture and electrical appliances from the 10th floor of a residential unit.

In another fatal fall on Feb 10, Mr Koh Kok Heng - a permanent resident and director at JMS Construction - died after falling 4.7m through an opening in the floor while overseeing construction work in a semi-detached house in University Walk.

There were 10 work-related fatal falls in 2019, while last year had 11, according to MOM statistics.

There were a total of 39 workplace accident-related deaths in 2019 and 30 last year.