Company fined S$60,000 for unsafe work practices, resulting in worker's death

[Medusa]

Company fined S$60,000 for unsafe work practices, resulting in worker's death
By Mustafa Shafawi | Posted: 20 July 2010 1907 hrs
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SINGAPORE : A company has been fined S$60,000 for unsafe work practices that resulted in the death of a worker back in 2007. The Subordinate Court said the company, Loh Brothers Pte Ltd, had failed to take reasonable measures to ensure workplace safety and health, that resulted in the death of Chew Chee Mee on 12 October 2007.

Loh Brothers was engaged to carry out demolition works of the 19-storey Asia Chambers Building at McCallum Street. Chew operated an excavator used in the demolition works.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said he was resting within his excavator in the basement of the building when a portion of the floor slab on the 17th storey of the building collapsed. The collapsed slab caused the lower levels to fail as well in a domino effect which led to the basement level being buried by rubble.

Chew suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. MOM said its investigations showed the company had failed to ensure that the demolished concrete debris accumulated on the 17th storey floor was cleared regularly.

The company did not also adhere to the demolition plan and failed to erect props on the 15th and 14th floor before demolition works were carried out on the 17th floor. MOM said these props were supposed to provide additional support.

The Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health, Ho Siong Hin, said the fatal accident was caused by poor planning and execution of the demolition process, coupled with the inefficient removal of debris. He said the conviction serves as a timely reminder to employers to incorporate workplace safety and health as a top priority in their daily operations. - CNA /ls

 

[Cao Pi]

Loh Brothers fined $60,000


Jul 20, 2010
Loh Brothers fined $60,000

<!-- by line --> <!-- end by line --> A WORKER was resting in his excavator in the basement of Asia Chambers in McCallum Street at about noon on Oct 12, 2007 when a portion of the floor slab on the 17th storey collapsed. The falling slab caused the lower levels to fail as well in a domino effect which led to the basement level being buried by rubble where the worker was, killing him on the spot.

The worker died of multiple injuries. On Tuesday, Loh Brothers Pte Ltd was fined $60,000 for failing to take 'reasonably practicable' measures to ensure workplace safety and health that caused the worker's death. Investigations by the Ministry of Manpower showed that the company had failed to ensure that the demolished concrete debris accumulated on the 17th storey floor was cleared regularly.

It also did not adhere to the demolition plan and had failed to erect props on the 15th and 14th floor before demolition works were carried out on the 17th floor. These props were supposed to provide additional support for the hardcore ramp built with demolished debris to facilitate the hydraulic breaker to move from the 18th floor to the 17th floor.

Mr Ho Siong Hin, MOM's Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health, said: 'This fatal accident was caused by poor planning and execution of the demolition process, coupled with the inefficient removal of debris. The company failed to execute its demolition plan responsibly and was thus negligent.

'Worksites must ensure they have a safe debris management system to ensure the safety of workers. Today's conviction of Loh Brothers Pte Ltd serves as a timely reminder to employers to incorporate workplace safety and health as a top priority in their daily operations.'