Mental well-being at workplaces

Being actively employed is generally good for the mental well being of a person. However, there are situations at work that can give rise to unhealthy levels of stress. With the present work-from-home arrangements due to Covid-19, it can cause additional stress to a persons mental well-being.

Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) and National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) have jointly issued an advisory on the mental well-being at workplaces. Click here for the advisory on mental well-being at the workplace.

Nearly 140 workplace safety breaches uncovered at waste recycling companies: MOM

Based on MOM facebook post and news releases, it carried out WSH enforcement operations targeting waste recycling plants. More than 30 companies were inspected which revealed more than 140 safety lapses.

More details can be found here

As employers, it is their duty to ensure the safety and well being of their employees. It could also lead to fires and damage to their properties. 

Workers stranded 20 storeys high on gondola rescued

This incident was reported on Asiaone. 2 workers were stranded in the Gondola they were working in as the gondola broke down, and was tilting on one side. SCDF officers arrived and rescued them.

Important point to note: the workers were putting on their safety harness and had their safety helmets on. The safety harness probably saved them from potential fall from height accident.

Also, they did not try to climb through the window on their own, but instead waited for rescue.

For more details of the accident,  refer to the news articles, on Asiaone

Learning Report (from MOM) - Fatal Accident Involving Failure of a Tower Crane

On 4 November 2019, the jib of a Luffing Jib Tower Crane failed during a lifting operation at a construction worksite along Tan Tock Seng Link, near central Singapore.

 
On the said morning, the Luffing Jib Tower Crane (“the TC”) was lifting a bundle of scaffolding material when the jib of the TC suddenly buckled. This resulted in the load and the hook block of the TC plummeting down to the ground. The accident resulted in one fatality and an injury to another worker.

MOM has published a Learning Report on the accident. The link to the report is here: Learning Report: Tower Crane Failure

Charged with Corruption to be Lenient in Supervision of Contractor Work

On 9 September 2020, two persons were charged in court for alleged corruption:

a)    Cheow Hock Mun, a 49-year-old male Malaysian, and a Health, Environment and  Safety Specialist at Chevron Singapore Pte Ltd

b)    Neo Gim Chwee, a 49-year-old male Singaporean, and a Project Manager at Hiap Seng Engineering Ltd (“HSE”)

Statement released by CPIB

Directors of Workplace Safety and Health Training Providers jailed for fraudulent practices

Two Directors of Workplace Safety and Health Training Providers were jailed for fraudulent practices under the Workplace Safety and Health Act in 2017. Mr. Sellachamy Somasundaran, Director of Maha Safety Training Centre Pte Ltd and Mr. Md Abu Zahin Mostafizur Rahman, Director of Pioneer Skill Training Centre Pte Ltd had both pleaded guilty to fraudulently issuing the “Building Construction Supervisor Safety (“BCSS”) course certificates/safety passes without conducting any lessons and assessments. In the first case, Mr. Sellachamny Somasundaran was charged with forging 20 BCSS course certificates/safety passes between September 2015 and December 2015 and had pleaded guilty to the charges. He was sentenced on 7 August 2017 to a jail sentence of 10 months. In the second case, Mr. Md Abu Zahin Mostafizur Rahman was charged with forging 14 BCSS course certificates/safety passes between October 2015 and December 2015 and had pleaded guilty to the charges. He was sentenced on 15 Sep 2017 to a jail sentence of 10 months.  The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) had since cancelled all the fraudulent BCSS records uploaded by the two Training Providers. The BCSS is a course for workers appointed to take on the construction supervisory role. The 34 hour course equips the workers with construction related knowledge on safety and health issues and how, as supervisors, they can help to implement the safety and health measures at the workplaces. MOM takes a very serious view of any breach to the Workplace Safety and Health Act as workplace safety and health issues directly affects worker’s lives, safety and health. Regular audits on the training providers are conducted to ensure full compliance and competency of the training providers. Anyone who is aware of any malpractice by any training provider can notify MOM immediately at www.mom.gov.sg/contact-us.

Source: WSH Bulletin by WSH Council, Singapore 

Common hazards in construction sites

1. Open sides of buildings

The most common hazard in the construction site is that open sides of buildings or structures are not sufficiently barricaded, if at all. This could potentially lead to fatalities. Even if it does not result in fatality, it will result in serious injury.

 

Worker at top level - no edge barricade; the worker was not even wearing safety harness.

 

Open sides during formwork erection

 

2. Unsafe work platform

 

It is very common to see workers using single metal deck as their work platform, especially during the erection of formwork. A single metal deck may not be strong enough to take the weight of the worker and may cave in. It is also possible that the worker may lose balance and fall down.

 

 

Makeshift work platform

 

3. Floor openings not properly covered

 

Another common hazard in construction sites is that the floor openings are not properly covered. Sometimes, a piece of plywood is placed over the opening, but it is not secured. It thus becomes easily dislocated and the floor opening becomes exposed. At other times, flimsy piece of plywood is used, which can give way under the weight of a person.

 

It is also common that openings for pipes are not covered - the thinking is that it is too small for someone to fall through. However, it must be remembered that the second biggest killer in worksites is being hit by falling object.

 

 

Can you see the floor opening? Just waiting for someone to step on it...

 

Opening on the floor for pipes, but anything could drop through them.

 

 4. Protruding objects on the floor

 

It is very common to find nails and rebars protruding from the floor. These pose tripping hazards and can have serious consequences.

One worker tripped and fell on the protruding rebar, missed the spine by a mere few centimetres. (See the blood in the drain)