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Two men – a 69-year-old Singaporean condominium cleaner and a 41-year-old Indian national – died after they were involved in separate accidents at their respective workplaces.
Two separate accidents
According to the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) press release on Nov. 29, the accidents happened separately on Nov. 25 and 26.
41-year-old Indian national
A MOM spokesperson said the Indian national was conducting scaffolding works at Singapore Refining Company Private Limited at 1 Merlimau Road when he fell into the sea off Jurong Island at around 11am on Nov. 25.
His body was retrieved on the same day.
MOM is investigating the accident, and has issued a stop work order to the employer to stop scaffolding operations at the piers.
He was employed by Plant General Services Pte Ltd, and the occupier is Singapore Refining Company Pte Ltd
The MOM spokesperson said workers working near the sea or large water bodies should be protected by adequate fall protection measures, as well as a response plan for emergencies as a general safety measure.
69-year-old Singaporean condominium cleaner
The deceased 69-year-old Singaporean worker was carrying out cleaning services at a vacated unit in Hilltops Condominium at 99 Cairnhill Circle at around 6pm on Nov. 26.
He was cleaning the external window panes when he fell from a height of about 9m and landed on the ground below.
He was not wearing personal fall protection equipment.
Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
The MOM spokesperson said window cleaning should be carried out from within a room or place where there is no risk of falling.
If not, cleaners must then be effectively protected by fall restraining or fall arresting equipment.
The manpower ministry is investigating the accident and has instructed the employer, Home Cleanz Cleaning & Laundry Services, to stop all work-at-height activities.
42 workplace fatalities in 2022
This brings the total tally of workplace fatalities in 2022 to 42, where 28 of the deaths took place in the first half of the year alone.
The number of fatalities in 2022 so far has surpassed 2021's figure, where there were a total of 37 workplace fatal injuries, according to MOM.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called out the spate of workplace deaths in Singapore during the first half of the year in a Facebook post on May 9, saying that it was far too many, and not acceptable.
He also stressed on the need to "put this right" and called on everyone involved to take "safety at the workplace seriously".
"Lives are at stake. We have a responsibility to keep all our workers safe, whether they are local or foreign. Let us ensure a safe workplace for all, so that all our workers can return home safely to their families."
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Top image from Google Maps by Jeffrey Poh and Muhammad Firdaus