SINGAPORE — The National Environment Agency (NEA) and two of its officers have been charged under the Workplace Safety and Health Act in connection with a localised explosion that occurred at the Tuas Incineration Plant two years ago.

The incident on Sept 23, 2021 left two NEA officers dead and another worker with serious injuries.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Attorney-General's Chamber (AGC) said on Tuesday (Dec 26) that NEA is alleged to have failed to take several measures to ensure the safety and health of its employees.

This includes adequately implementing control measures, establishing safe work procedures for high voltage switchgear racking works, and ensuring that the system implemented for high voltage switchgear racking works complied with prevailing regulations.

Two NEA officers, Ng Wah Yong and Christopher Lee Yew Binn, have also had charges brought against them.

Ng was the general manager of the incineration plant at the time, while Lee was NEA's divisional director of its waste infrastructure operations and management division. 

Both have since been redeployed to non-operational roles pending the outcome of the proceedings, NEA said.

The incineration plant, which the agency operated, was decommissioned in 2022.

Under the law, employers who breach their duty to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of its employees can be fined up to S$500,000.

A person found guilty of committing a negligent act which endangers the safety and health of others can be fined up to S$30,000 or jailed for up to two years, or both.

NEA said in a media release on Tuesday that it “will study the charge with our legal counsel”. 

It added that it is “fully committed to promoting workplace safety and health throughout our organisation” and “will continue to strive for improvements in operational excellence, safety, and resilience”.

NEA also said that it has cooperated fully with MOM during investigations into the incident. 

“As the matter is now before the court, we are unable to comment further,” it added.

Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, will be making a ministerial statement on the incident and the charges at the next parliamentary sitting, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. 

WHAT HAPPENED

At about 12pm on Sept 23 in 2021, the Tuas Incineration Plant’s control room was unable to remotely switch off an industrial fan.

Three officers of the NEA were sent to troubleshoot the fault. They were in an electrical switch room when an explosion occurred. One worker was pronounced dead at the scene, while another died three days later.

A third worker was taken to the hospital for burn injuries and was subsequently discharged.