Worker died after being crushed by crane, 27th workplace death this year
SINGAPORE — A migrant worker from India was killed after being crushed between a mobile crane and its counterweights.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a media statement that the accident occurred on Wednesday (22 June) at 10.15am in 1 Mandai Quarry Road, the location of the Home Team Tactical Centre, where officers from the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Civil Defence Force undergo joint training.
"A 32-year-old Indian worker was retrieving two shackles from a toolbox underneath the chassis of a mobile crane, when the crane turned clockwise. His chest was crushed between the crane counterweights and the crane undercarriage," the ministry added.
Police were alerted at 10.20am, and the worker was unconscious when taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where he died.
The worker was employed by Hwa Yang Engineering, CNA reported. The occupier of the site is China Construction (South Pacific) Development Company (CCDC) and the developer of the site is the Singapore Police Force, according to MOM.
The migrant worker is the second worker to die in an accident at a CCDC work site this year, the ST report added. In February, a 49-year-old worker employed by the company died after the forklift he was driving toppled sideways and he was thrown out of the vehicle.
MOM said that, as a general safety measure, physical barricades and warning signs should be put up when cranes are in operation, and all persons should be reminded to stay clear of such danger areas.
It has instructed CCDC to stop all lifting works at the site while investigations are ongoing. The police said they do not suspect foul play.
The death takes the total number of workplace fatalities in Singapore this year to 27. For the whole of 2021, there were 37 workplace deaths reported.
The recent surge in fatalities prompted a call last month for employers here to implement a safety time-out.
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