here - Workplace Safety and Health Council

8 CASE FILE CASE FILE 9
Case Brief: On 13 October 2010, a worker was using a gas
cutter to cut a scrap escalator when one of the separated
parts fell and struck him.
The Accused: Operations manager of New Tsingyi Pte Ltd
Employer fined for failure to ensure workplace safety
On the day of the incident, the deceased was tasked to cut
the scrap escalator into three parts for recycling purposes. As
no clear instructions were given to the deceased on how he
should physically cut the scrap escalator, he decided to devise
his own work method and proceeded to use a gas cutter to
do so while the scrap escalator was in an upright position. During the cutting process, one of the separated parts
(measuring 5.9m long and 1.6m wide) suddenly dropped on its side, struck the deceased and killed him instantly.
Investigations revealed that the operations manager was aware that the scrap escalator was physically in the factory
and that it had to be cut up into smaller parts. However, he did not give any instructions as to the work method to
be used by his workers. The operations manager, who was in charge of workplace safety at the factory, also did
not conduct any risk assessment. He failed to provide adequate instructions and ensure that a safe work procedure
(such as using blocks and chain blocks to support the scrap escalator) was used by his worker before cutting works
commenced. This would ensure that the scrap escalator was stable in the midst of cutting and would not cause
serious injury to anyone in the vicinity.
For failing to ensure the safety of his worker, the operations manager was fined $50,000 under the Workplace Safety
and Health Act.
Case Brief: On 17 September 2009, a worker was
descending a ladder when he fell off the ladder and
landed 14m onto the ground below.
The Accused: Wai Fong Construction Pte Ltd
Employer fined for failure to ensure workplace safety
On the day of the accident, the deceased was involved
in a formwork dismantling process. The formwork panel
was earlier secured by nine tie-rods with wing nuts during
the construction of a column. At the material time of the
accident, all the tie-rods had already been removed and
the panel was only secured by two wires tied to the rebars
protruding from the top of the column.
To dismantle the formwork, the deceased climbed up a ladder that was resting against the formwork panel, in
order to rig the panel to a crane. He untied the two wires and as he started to descend the ladder, the unsecured
formwork panel was dislodged, which in turn destabilised the ladder. The deceased then lost his balance, fell off
the ladder and landed on the ground 14m below.
Investigations revealed that Wai Fong failed to implement an established safe formwork dismantling method
where at least two tie-rods should be left in place to temporarily secure the panel as it was being rigged to a
crane. Wai Fong also did not ensure the adequacy of using wires to secure the panel. The deceased’s supervisor
contributed to the accident as he did not ensure that at least two tie-rods were left in place to temporarily secure
the panel before instructing the deceased to work on the panel.
For failing to take adequate safety measures for the dismantling of formwork, Wai Fong and the supervisor were
fined $70,000 and $800 respectively under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
Case Brief: On 17 December 2008, during formwork
erection, a worker stood on top of the formwork while
operating a chain block to lift the formwork. At the
material time of the accident, one of the wire ropes
rigging which secured the formwork to the lifting hook
of the chain block slipped, causing the formwork and the
worker, to drop about 3m to the concrete slab below.
The worker was taken to the hospital but subsequently
succumbed to his injuries the next day.
The Accused: Yangzijiang International (S) Pte Ltd
Employer fined for failure to ensure workplace safety
Investigation revealed the chain block was suspended
from an automatic climbing formwork system. This
manner of suspending the chain block had been used
without incident on previous occasions. However, on the
day of the accident, the automatic climbing formwork
system was at a height that was higher than usual. Hence,
the lifting chain of the chain block was not long enough.
The deceased improvised on the work method by connecting an uncertified wire rope to the original rigging, in
order to lengthen the entire lifting chain. During its lifting, one end of the uncertified wire rope slipped out of its
end wire clip, resulting in the accident.
Investigations revealed that Yangzijiang failed to conduct a risk assessment and establish safe work procedures
for the method it devised in using the automatic climbing formwork system to suspend the formwork for the
construction of the wall. Without such measures in place, there is a risk of workers bypassing or improvising from
the original work procedures. Yangzijiang also failed to ensure that there was effective work supervision in place
and no further instructions were given to the worker on how to perform the work, given that there was a known
change to the usual work method. In addition, Yangzijiang failed to ensure that the chain block’s lifting chain was
long enough or that workers could still perform their work from the single lift access scaffold provided.
For failing to take adequate safety measures for the construction work, Yangzijiang was fined $80,000 under
the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
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SNAPPING
for Safety!
Snap@MOM is a free and user-friendly mobile application offered by Ministry of Manpower
(MOM) to encourage industry and community ownership in managing workplace safety
and health. Using prevalent mobile phone technology platforms such as iOS and Android,
members of the public or the workforce can take photographs of both unsafe and
commendable work practices and conditions. The users can then use in-built GPS feature on
the mobile device to identify the workplace location and send the photograph with a short
description to the workplace occupier for follow-up. As of 31 May 2013, over 6,800 users
have downloaded the app and sent over 1,600 photographs of unsafe acts or best practices.