11 fatalities in February WSH Council calls upon industry for a Safety Time Out

05 Mar 2021 Announcements

 
2021 saw 11 fatal workplace accidents occurring in the month of February alone, more than double as compared to the same month in 2020. Three cases were from the construction sector, three from manufacturing, two from logistics & transport, one from marine and two from other workplaces. Of the 11, three workers fell from height, four were caught between objects, three sustained extensive burnt injuries, and one was involved in a work-related traffic accident.
 
Preliminary investigations revealed that for majority of the cases, safety and health hazards were not identified as the risk assessments conducted at the workplaces were inadequate, and proper work methods were also not established before work commencement. Another common finding was related to untrained and unauthorised use of machinery, specifically forklifts and Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs). For the burnt injuries, preliminary investigations found that an explosion was caused by the accumulation of combustible dust in a confined environment.
 
Mr John Ng, Chairman of the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council expressed his concern, “I am gravely concerned with the spate of 11 fatal workplace accidents that is unprecedented. WSH ownership must be ingrained at every level from management to worker so that a culture of safe work practices can be inculcated at the workplace. I call on all employers to carry out a Safety Time-Out to take stock of the existing safety provisions and implement necessary control measures, and encourage every employee to report unsafe conditions and near-misses to prevent the next incident from occurring.”  
 
Find out how to conduct a WSH Risk Assessment to manage risks in your workplace.
 
Get more resources on:
• how to prevent WSH risks
• how to prevent machine hazards
• how to work safely at heights
• safe use of forklifts
• WSH Guidelines on Flammable Materials