2 workplace deaths in April: Technician pinned by forklift mast, worker falls 6m into lift shaft

SINGAPORE — Two workers died in separate workplace accidents last month, one pinned by a forklift mast and the other after falling into a lift shaft, the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council reported in an alert.

In the first incident on April 18, a worker fell into a newly constructed lift shaft and landed on the ground 6m below. In the second, a technician preparing to repair a forklift was pinned by the forklift's mast on April 28.  

Eleven workplace fatalities have been recorded so far this year, the Ministry of Manpower said at a briefing on Tuesday (May 23).

After the April 18 incident, the worker was taken to a hospital where he later died of his injuries, the WSH alert issued on Wednesday stated.

Investigations found that guard rails were in place around the exposed sides of the lift shaft, but the worker was not fitted with any fall arrest equipment or travel restraints at the time.

He was carrying out welding work on a piece of metal immediately next to the open lift shaft before his fall. The type of premises where the incident occurred was not stated.

“Workers are at risk of falling from height when working next to or inside a lift shaft,” the WSH alert stated.

The WSH Council, a statutory body under MOM, is urging companies engaged in such work activities to implement essential measures for fall prevention.

Companies should ensure that their WSH management system includes measures such as worker training, work supervision and the provision of personal protection equipment.

They should also ensure that checks are carried out by competent personnel and risk controls are confirmed as being effective before work at height is authorised.

For tasks inside or near lift shafts, they should deploy trained welders with work-at-height training and to strictly instructing workers against climbing over or through guard rails.

In the April 28 fatal incident, the technician was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics who were there after the forklift mast fell on the worker.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the mast’s locking pins had been removed without first ensuring that the mast was properly secured. The type of premises where the incident occurred is not known.

The WSH alert stated: “Workers involved in vehicular repair may be exposed to physical hazards when working with vehicle parts or engine components.”

The WSH Council said that all firms involved in vehicular repairs are strongly encouraged to prioritise worker safety and conduct a thorough assessment of their safety measures.

For example, employers should offer on-site supervision to ensure that workers are well-informed about potential hazards and strictly adhere to measures laid out in the safe work procedure, which means any procedure for carrying out work safely, and includes any procedure that is to be taken to protect the safety and health of persons in the event of an emergency.

This includes having safe work procedures for mast disassembly, such as steps to control the risk of forklift masts falling onto workers.

"To prevent the mast from toppling, it must be either properly secured or held in place before any locking pins are removed," the WSH alert stated.

Employers should also mark out the mast fall zone and ensure that no one is in that area before the mast locking pins are removed.

Under the WSH Act, first-time corporate offenders may be penalised with a fine of up to S$500,000, while individuals may be jailed for up to two years or fined up to S$200,000, or both.