Company Fined $230,000 for Unsafe Work Practices that Led to Fire at Hazardous Waste Treatment Facility in Tuas

1. ECO Special Waste Management Pte Ltd (“ECO SWM”) was fined $230,000 on 20 August for an offence under section 12(1) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act, for failing to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of its employees at its hazardous waste treatment facility at 23 Tuas View Circuit.
   
   Case Summary
   
2. On 23 February 2017 at 6.10am, a worker from ECO SWM was discharging recovered liquid Hexane from a product tank into a plastic Intermediate Bulk Container¹ (IBC) through a flexible metallic hose, when a flash fire broke out.  Attempts by nearby workers to extinguish the flash fire failed, and the localised flash fire quickly spread into a site-wide fire due to the presence of other flammable solvents. 
   
   
3. All workers were safely evacuated from the affected premises, and the fire was brought under control by the Singapore Civil Defence Force at 11.00am. While no worker was injured, the hazardous waste treatment facility was badly damaged.
   
   MOM’s Investigation Findings
   
4. Investigations by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed that ECO SWM failed to conduct a risk assessment to ascertain the suitability of storing highly flammable liquid Hexane in plastic IBCs. The IBC used by the ECO SWM was not suitable as it could not dissipate the electrostatic charges generated during the discharging of Hexane, which ignited the flammable Hexane vapour- air mixture that resulted in the fire. 
   
   
5. The company also failed to ensure that its workers adhered to safe operating procedures for dealing with hazardous products. Hexane and another flammable liquid, Xylene, were spilled onto the floor during previous work processes, and were not cleaned up immediately by the workers. The spilled liquids formed flammable vapours in the area, which fuelled the spread of the fire. 
   
   Unsafe Work Practices Endanger Safety of Workers 
   
6. Er. Go Heng Huat (吴膺发), MOM’s Director of the Major Hazards Department, said: “Companies in hazardous waste treatment business must ensure that a comprehensive risk assessment of their work processes is conducted and all necessary risk control measures are implemented. They also have the duty to ensure that workers understand and adhere to safe operating procedures at all times. MOM will not hesitate to prosecute companies that disregard hazards at the workplaces and contravene safety regulations.”