Singapore: A 32-year-old Indian national died after the boom of a lorry crane fell on him at the construction site of a new executive condominium in Singapore, a media report said.
Last week, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were alerted to an accident at the construction site of Copen Grand EC in Tengah, a town located within the western region of Singapore, Channel News Asia reported.
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower, the Indian national and his co-worker were unloading steel bars from a lorry crane when the boom of the lorry crane suddenly fell, striking and pinning the victim against the lorry bed.
Paramedics pronounced him dead on the spot.
Adding that further investigations are on, police said they have arrested a 45-year-old man for allegedly causing the Indian’s death due to negligence.
The deceased worker was an employee from Woh Hup.
“We are saddened by the unfortunate incident that happened and are fully cooperating with the relevant authorities on their investigation,” a company spokesperson told Channel News Asia.
The spokesperson added that the company has contacted the Indian’s family and is providing support.
Last month, a 41-year-old Indian national died after he fell into the sea off Jurong Island in Singapore. The accident took place when the man was doing scaffolding work.
Earlier in June, a 32-year-old Indian worker died after he was crushed between parts of a mobile crane at a construction site.
In the first half of 2022, slips, trips, and falls were found to be the leading cause of workplace injuries in Singapore, with 44 workplace fatalities recorded in 2022 to date — the highest death toll recorded over the last four years, Channel News Asia reported. There were 10 deaths in the month of April alone.
In 2021, 37 workplace fatalities were reported, followed by 30 in 2020, and 39 in 2019.
Following the rise in fatalities, the Ministry of Manpower had announced in September that companies would be required to conduct a mandatory safety time-out, failing which they would be debarred from employing new foreign employees for a month.
