SINGAPORE — In spite of the authorities’ recent scrutiny of slumping workplace safety records, more fatalities and injuries were reported in the first half of this year compared with the same period last year.

Statistics released by the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Institute yesterday showed that 30 workers died from workplace accidents from January to June, which was a 20 per cent jump. In the same period, 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. In comparison, there were 11 deaths in the sector in the same period last year.

The sector had been repeatedly red-flagged for its poor workplace safety record by various stakeholders including Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in May. He had said regulatory penalties and legislative framework for workplace safety were being reviewed.

In response to queries, the Ministry of Manpower said it has enhanced its Business Under Surveillance programme by broadening the entry criteria and tightening the exit criteria for businesses. It is also currently reviewing the Demerit Points System and enforcement has been stepped up.

The most common cause of death was falls (nine cases), followed by being struck by moving objects (four) and getting caught in or between objects (three).

Other sectors also saw an increase in fatalities. The manufacturing and marine industries were responsible for two and three cases, respectively, compared with one each last year. Numbers had also doubled for the logistics and transport sub-sector this year, with six fatalities.

Apart from a higher number of fatal injuries, the institute’s report also showed a sharp increase in cases of minor injuries from 5,249 to 6,005 this year. The number of major injury cases crept upwards slightly from 273 to 279.

The manufacturing sector remained the highest contributor of minor injuries, making up nearly one-quarter of all cases. The construction sector also recorded a 29 per cent increase, from 1,045 cases in the first half of last year to 1,346 this year. Most of the injuries — both major and minor — resulted from slips, trips and falls.

Commenting on the figures, the MOM’s WSH Commissioner, Mr Ho Siong Hin, said: “Employers have no excuse for compromising on workplace safety and health. These injuries and illnesses could and should have been prevented. Tough action will be taken against companies and individuals who are found to have flouted the law,” he added.

Chairman of the WSH Council Lee Tzu Yang added: “Despite having put in place various processes and systems, our workplace safety and health performance for the first half of this year has not improved. Clearly, this is not good enough if we want to achieve our vision for 2018.”

Singapore’s target is to have fewer than 1.8 fatalities per 100,000 employees by 2018. Overall workplace fatalities have fallen from four per 100,000 employees in 2005, to 2.1 per 100,000 employees last year, “but the rate of improvement has slowed and we are at risk of plateauing or even slipping back”, said Mr Tharman at the launch of this year’s National Workplace Safety and Health campaign in May.