This article was updated on Jan. 31, 2020 at 5:01pm with the employer's statement.
A 26-year-old migrant worker was killed in yet another work place accident in Singapore on Jan. 25, 2020.
Fell through ceiling from fourth to third floor
The Indian national had been cleaning the walkway above the atrium ceiling on the fourth storey when he fell.
He then crashed through a false ceiling to land on the third storey, reported The New Paper.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told Mothership they were alerted to the incident at 1:20am.
The man was subsequently conveyed to Changi General Hospital via an SCDF ambulance.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) told TNP that the man succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
MOM revealed that the man had been employed under the firm Cleaning Express, while Capitaland Retail Management is the occupier of the mall.
Cleaning Express told Mothership that they are currently in touch with the man's family and are "extending all forms of assistance" during this period.
They said:
"We are currently investigating why he was working in an area that he has been briefed not to, in line with work and safety regulations, given the evident dangers involved. We are also giving our full and undivided cooperation to the respective authorities through the course of their investigations of this unprecedented incident."
MOM added that investigations are ongoing.
They have also ordered a stop to all cleaning works above the atrium in the meantime.
Incident follows workplace fatalities in end-2019
This is believed to be the fourth workplace fatality in 2020, TNP reported.
The end of 2019 also saw a number of workplace fatalities involving migrant workers in particular.
According to a Facebook post by Minister of State for Manpower and National Development Zaqy Mohamad, eight workers lost their lives while on the job in November 2019.
On Nov. 14, 2019, Zaqy also stated that fewer workers have died from falling from height since 2009.
The number declined from 24 in 2009, where it was the leading cause of workplace fatalities, to eight in 2018, The Straits Times reported.
This is reportedly due to government-introduced initiatives such as improved training, raising awareness among workers, more deterrence measures and increased enforcement actions.
Top photo by Sulaiman Daud