SINGAPORE — Failure to maintain cranes in good working condition and using defective lifting gear were among the top five violations uncovered by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) during a special two-month enforcement operation.

It comes as concerns remain that more needs to be done to reduce workplace injuries and fatalities.

Operation Goldcrest, which targeted unsafe lifting operations and crane operations, resulted in the MOM taking action against 79 companies.

The ministry said yesterday that between July 1 and Aug 31, a total of 80 worksites were inspected by the ministry’s Occupational Safety and Health Division and 194 crane-related contraventions of the Workplace Safety and Health Act were uncovered.

Of these violations, 98 resulted in composition fines totalling more than S$95,000.

The other contraventions saw 96 notices of non-compliance issued to companies to warn them against unsafe lifting practices.

Apart from failure to maintain cranes in good working condition as well as using defective lifting gear or lifting gear that had not been examined by an authorised examiner, other major violations uncovered during the operation were failure to establish and implement a proper lifting plan, failure to implement a proper permit-to-work system and no indication of the Safe Working Load and lifting machine number on the lifting machine.

While none of the companies involved were issued a stop-work order, the MOM said the number and types of violations remain a concern.

Mr Ho Siong Hin, the MOM’s commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health said the ministry will take stern action against errant companies and occupiers.

“Besides the safe deployment of cranes, crane owners and occupiers have the responsibility to ensure that their cranes and lifting operations do not endanger workers or the public ... All occupiers and crane owners ought to put in place robust maintenance regimes and safety systems so that we can put an end to unsafe lifting operations,” he added.

Statistics released by the Workplace Safety and Health Institute on Sept 10 showed that 30 workers had died due to workplace accidents from January to June — a 20 per cent jump from the same period last year.

The number of injuries at work also rose 14 per cent on-year to 6,314 cases.

The construction sector was again the most culpable, with more than half of the workplace deaths in the first half, or 17, occurring there.

The same period last year saw 11 deaths in the sector, which has been repeatedly criticised for its poor workplace safety record.