Much work needs to be done for construction sector safety: Manpower ministry

The government reported two deaths in construction in June.

Despite the heightened safety period (HSP) implementation, the construction sector was still top contributor to an absolute number of workplace fatalities and major injuries.

Senior Minister of State for Manpower, Zaqy Mohamad, Employment and Employability Institute, revealed this, adding that higher injury incidents occur from smaller construction sites, renovation work, addition and alteration involving small and medium enterprises.

The average monthly number of workplace fatalities for the sector was 1.0 between January and May while the HSP was in force.

However, Mohamad noted that construction showed the most improvement in high-risk sectors for fatality and major injury rates.

“Before the HSP, the average monthly number of workplace fatalities for the sector was 1.6 between January and August 2022. This fell to 0.7 during the HSP between September 2022 and May 2023,” Mohamad told attendees of the Singapore Contractors Association Ltd Annual Environment, Health & Safety Campaign 2023 Opening Ceremony.

Therefore, Mohamad said the commitment to vigilance for safety should not diminish just because the HSP ended.

He also announced that the Multi-Agency Workplace Safety Taskforce had earlier developed a set of sectoral and broad-based measures, also known as Safety Accountability, Focus and Empowerment measures.