New initiatives to boost safety standards of crane operations

SINGAPORE — A database of crane operators’ experience level and work safety records will be available in several months’ time, as part of new initiatives aimed at shoring up safety standards in crane operations announced at an annual crane safety symposium today (Oct 7).

The database, which will be available from the middle of next year, will give companies a better idea of the pedigree of their crane operation vendors.

Another initiative to address the ageing profile of crane operators in Singapore is to require them to start going for health checks from a younger age — about 42 per cent of registered crane operators are at least 50 years old.

From April 1 next year, crane operators must start going for medical examinations biennially once they turn 50. Currently, crane operators aged 60 and above need to go for yearly check-ups.

In addition, crane operators who continue working after they turn 70 will also be made to undergo occupational therapist assessments on top of yearly health checks.

Speaking at the symposium, Minister of State (Manpower) Sam Tan said: “As crane operators have direct control over the crane’s movements, their health condition is critical to ensure crane safety. Medical conditions can affect the crane operator’s ability to perform his work safely.”

A third new initiative to improve competencies of operators of mini cranes — which lift loads not exceeding 5 tonnes — is to require them to attend a specialised training course for such machinery from Jan 1 next year. Currently, there is no differentiation in the requirements to operate such cranes, compared with larger cranes.

Mr Andy Peng Jiemin, senior supervisor of heavy lifting at Bok Seng Logistics, welcomed the new health screening requirement.

“As a crane operator myself, bringing the medical check-up earlier from 60 to 50 years old is good because we can know if we have any occupational illness or health problems, so that we can go for treatment earlier.”

The construction sector continues to fare poorly in workplace safety. In the first eight months this year, there were 17 dangerous crane-related occurrences, compared with nine such occurrences for the same period last year.

Two days ago, there were two accidents involving cranes.