37 worksites slapped with stop work orders

Imagine the almost 2,000 violations discovered by the Ministry of Manpower in the first nine months of 2011.

MOM said it uncovered more than 1,800 work at height safety and health violations when inspectors from its Occupational Safety and Health Inspectorate visited close to 4,500 worksites across construction sites, shipyards and general factory premises this year.

In the first half of 2011 alone, according to MOM, 13 lives were lost due to Fall From Height accidents, compared to 9 lives for the same period in 2010.

Companies that fail to ensure workplace safety may be charged under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, which carries a maximum fine of $500,000. Individuals can also be charged for a maximum fine of $200,000 and/or 24 months jail term. MOM officers will also issue stop work orders in workplaces that present immediate danger to the workers.

The Ministry reported:

Safety Lapses uncovered
During MOM's recent inspections, common enforcement findings at most worksites included unsecured openings without proper barricades, lack of proper access to and from work areas and failure to provide adequate anchorage for use of fall protection equipment during work at height such as roof works.

An emerging trend of unsafe work on roofs and ladders
There has been an emerging trend of fatal falls involving workers doing roof maintenance work, replacement of skylight and removal or replacement of roofing materials in existing factory premises. In these fatal accidents, the contractors were found to be negligent and irresponsible with unsafe work procedures such as, unsafe access to roof areas and lack of proper fall protection equipment such as safety harness with anchorage. Fatalities involving ladders were mainly caused by unsafe use of the A-frame ladder in manufacturing works, warehousing operations and electrical works.

MOM warns 150 contractors on unsafe roof works
In order to curb this dangerous trend, MOM summoned 150 small roofing contractors to attend a WAH awareness and compliance session in August this year. Mostly from the construction industry, these contractors had been fined and issued notice of non-compliance by for unsafe WAH practices over the past 9 months. MOM will continue to monitor the safety standards of these contractors through inspections and surprise visits.

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