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