A 27-year-old Indian national died after he was electrocuted while dismantling an electrical distribution board. This workplace accident happened on Thursday (15 October).
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said to Channel News Asia that the foreign worker was dismantling an electrical distribution board at 170 Still Road, which is where the Police National Service Department is located.
Following the accident, the man was rushed to the hospital but unfortunately he succumbed to his injuries.
“A 27-year-old Indian national was dismantling an electrical distribution board when he was electrocuted. The worker was conveyed to Changi General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries,” said MOM.
MOM added that it is investigating the incident. If that’s not all, the Ministry also revealed that the deceased’s employer is STIE Pte Ltd.
In April this year, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad said that Singapore recorded a total of 14 workplace fatalities from 1 January to 17 April this year, compared to nine at this period last year.
The decline in work activities due to COVID-19 pandemic, including the closure of non-essential workplaces during the circuit breaker, and allowing essential workers to work from home wherever possible, however, did not result in fewer accidents.
During the virtual launch of Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Campaign 2020, he said, “This worrying trend reinforces the need for employers and workers to make WSH a priority and press on with efforts to improve it even during this difficult time.”
However, according to the MOM, the country saw a low number of workplace fatalities in 2019, as it dropped to 39 compared with the 41 fatalities in 2018.
But, last year, there was a five per cent increase in non-fatal injuries, which is 629 cases while eight per cent increased in minor injuries, which is 13,111 cases.
