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Sep 25, 2009
Firm fined $80K for mishap <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Elena Chong </td></tr> </tbody></table>
A SUBCONTRACTOR was fined $80,000 on Friday over a fatal accident in Marina Bay more than a year ago. Yeng Tong Construction pleaded guilty last week to illegally modifying an excavator that killed the company's director and injured another worker on July 23 last year. Mr Goh Lai Huat, 40, and Mr Tan Chin Tiong, 29, were assembling the Hitachi excavator when they were struck by the arm of the excavator. Mr Goh, who died of multiple injuries, was a director and minority shareholder. Mr Tan has since recovered from a hairline crack on his left ankle. A magistrate's court heard that Yeng Tong was engaged by Gammon Construction, the main contractor, to carry out excavation works at the worksite. Mr Goh and Mr Tan were installing the hydraulic pipes to the excavator's arm when it suddenly dropped on them, pinning Mr Goh's back and Mr Tan's left foot.
The company could have been fined up to $500,000. Ministry of Manpower's Senior Assistant Director (Investigations), Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate, Mr Tan Geok Leng, said the company blatantly disregarded workplace safety by making unauthorised modifications to an excavator used at the worksite. The company also proceeded to deploy the illegally modified excavator despite being told by the main contractor not to do so before a proper risk assessment was done. 'This tragic loss of life could have been avoided had the company discharged its responsibility to properly manage workplace risks in order to protect those at work. 'MOM reminds all stakeholders not to compromise safety by modifying equipment, especially heavy machinery, unless proper risk assessment has been carried out to mitigate any risks that might arise.'
Sep 25, 2009
Firm fined $80K for mishap <!--10 min-->
<!-- headline one : start --> <!-- headline one : end --> <!-- Author --> <!-- show image if available --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr></tr> <tr> </tr> <tr> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold">By Elena Chong </td></tr> </tbody></table>
A SUBCONTRACTOR was fined $80,000 on Friday over a fatal accident in Marina Bay more than a year ago. Yeng Tong Construction pleaded guilty last week to illegally modifying an excavator that killed the company's director and injured another worker on July 23 last year. Mr Goh Lai Huat, 40, and Mr Tan Chin Tiong, 29, were assembling the Hitachi excavator when they were struck by the arm of the excavator. Mr Goh, who died of multiple injuries, was a director and minority shareholder. Mr Tan has since recovered from a hairline crack on his left ankle. A magistrate's court heard that Yeng Tong was engaged by Gammon Construction, the main contractor, to carry out excavation works at the worksite. Mr Goh and Mr Tan were installing the hydraulic pipes to the excavator's arm when it suddenly dropped on them, pinning Mr Goh's back and Mr Tan's left foot.
The company could have been fined up to $500,000. Ministry of Manpower's Senior Assistant Director (Investigations), Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate, Mr Tan Geok Leng, said the company blatantly disregarded workplace safety by making unauthorised modifications to an excavator used at the worksite. The company also proceeded to deploy the illegally modified excavator despite being told by the main contractor not to do so before a proper risk assessment was done. 'This tragic loss of life could have been avoided had the company discharged its responsibility to properly manage workplace risks in order to protect those at work. 'MOM reminds all stakeholders not to compromise safety by modifying equipment, especially heavy machinery, unless proper risk assessment has been carried out to mitigate any risks that might arise.'
