Singapore has warned of a “lack of basic safety measures” after recording 15 construction fatalities in the second half of 2024, a threefold jump from the five recorded in the first half.
The surge took the total so far this year to 20, the highest figure since 2016.
According to data from the Ministry of Manpower, there were 18 fatalities in 2023, 14 in 2022, 13 in 2021, nine in 2020 (during the height of pandemic restrictions), 13 in 2019, 14 in 2018, and 12 in 2017.
2016 saw 24 deaths.
The ministry has warned of complacency in the industry.
“Many of these incidents were due to the lack of basic safety measures or non-compliance with established safety measures,” it said, reports the CNA news site.
“This points to a sense of complacency and a lack of ownership for workplace safety,” the ministry said, warning of heightened danger ahead of the winter holiday season.
“As we are in the festive season, some companies may be tempted to cut corners to meet project milestones. However, we must not put safety on the back burner,” said the ministry.
Three deaths in 12 days
The ministry is investigating three deaths that occurred within 12 days over late November and early December, all on different projects, CNA reports.
On 27 November, a 34-year-old Chinese national who was operating a boom lift died after he was crushed between the lift’s operating console and the underside of a building ledge.
On 4 December, a 21-year-old Myanmar national fell 10m through a skylight on the roof of a warehouse.
On 8 December, a 27-year-old Bangladeshi worker died of suspected electric shock while pulling cables into a distribution board within a riser room.
Safety time-out
Even before this spate of deaths, on 7 November the government urged construction firms to take a two-week “safety time-out” to review safety processes.
The ministry has stepped up enforcement efforts, with around 400 inspections in October and November resulting in fines totalling US$223,000 and 13 stop-work orders, CNA reports.
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