Oral Answer to PQ on High-risk construction activities

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1992 OF 2023 FOR THE SITTING ON OR AFTER 04 JUL 2023
QUESTION NO. 4736 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Mr Yip Hon Weng

To ask the Minister for Manpower given the recent fatal accident at a demolition site (a) whether there will be additional safety measures for demolition works and additional penalties for infringements given the inherent danger for such construction works; and (b) what are the current penalties aimed at making the leadership of construction contractors accountable in preventing accidents and deaths from happening.

Answer:

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) shares the Member’s concerns over the recent fatal incident at a demolition site at Tanjong Pagar on 15 June. MOM is investigating the incident and had issued a full Stop Work Order to the occupier of the worksite.

2 There is an Approved Code of Practice – Singapore Standards SS 557 – that sets out standards of practices for the safe demolition of buildings and structures. As investigations are ongoing, we will review if additional measures are required beyond those in SS 557, after the investigations have concluded.

3 All occupiers and employers have the duty to provide a safe work environment for workers. Penalties under the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act are calibrated based on the culpability of the offender and the severity of harm. Higher risk activities such as demolition works require greater extent of risk assessment and preventive measures. Hence, incidents involving such higher risk activities would generally attract more severe penalties, if the individual and/or company failed to demonstrate that reasonable steps had been taken to minimise the risk.

4 The Multi-Agency Workplace Safety Taskforce (MAST) had also earlier announced a set of Safety Accountability, Focus and Empowerment (SAFE) measures to strengthen WSH ownership across the entire ecosystem at the sectoral, company and worker levels. Chief Executives (CEs) will be required to personally account to MOM for serious WSH lapses following incidents, as was the case for the Tanjong Pagar incident. CEs and Board Directors of all companies in higher-risk industries are also required to attend a new Top Executive WSH Programme. This programme aims to focus their attention on how to meet their WSH responsibilities and develop their company’s WSH capabilities.

5 We are saddened that there was a loss of life. Every worker deserves a safe and healthy work environment. All of us, corporate senior leadership, industry associations, union leaders and workers, must continue to play our part to uplift WSH and prevent workplace incidents from happening.