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9 construction sites halted after fatalities due to safety failures in H2 2024: Zaqy Mohamad

During a Parliamentary session on 7 January, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad revealed that nine of the 14 construction sites with fatalities in the second half of 2024 were issued stop-work orders due to inadequate safety systems.

These sites were required to review their safety measures before resuming work.

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SINGAPORE: During Parliamentary sitting on 7 January, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad revealed that of the 14 construction sites where fatalities occurred in the second half of 2024, nine were issued with stop-work orders as their safety management systems were found to be inadequate, posing imminent danger to their workers.

These worksites were required to undertake measures such as reviewing their safety management systems before they could resume work. None of the 14 worksites had previously been issued with stop-work orders, he said.

He was responding to questions filed by MPs, who questioned about the effectiveness of the November 2024 Safety Time-Out in raising safety awareness, its impact on the rise in construction fatalities in H2 2024, and whether stricter measures such as external safety audits should be implemented at sites with fatalities.

Zaqy acknowledged concerns over the rise in fatalities but highlighted that Singapore’s construction sector performs better than many developed countries, such as Japan, although it still lags behind top performers like the Netherlands.

To address safety issues, Zaqy said MOM has ramped up enforcement with over 3,000 inspections in 2024, focusing on critical safety concerns such as working at heights and risks from falling objects. A Safety Time-Out was implemented in November 2024 to refresh workers’ safety awareness and reinforce adherence to safety protocols.

The Workplace Safety and Health Task Force, composed of MOM, BCA, WSH Council, and industry committees, has introduced various measures to improve safety standards.

New safety measures include the safety disqualification framework for public construction projects, which bars contractors with poor performance from bidding, and a requirement for construction sites with contracts above S$5 million to install video surveillance systems, he said.

External safety audits after serious incidents remain mandatory, even after the heightened safety period of 2022. To enhance leadership accountability, senior leaders in high-risk sectors, including construction, are required to attend the Top Executive WSH program.

Despite progress, Zaqy acknowledged that construction fatalities remain disproportionately high, urging companies and workers to improve safety standards, particularly during the time-pressured Chinese New Year period, with MOM’s enhanced enforcement efforts continuing during this period.

Workers’ Party MP Louis Chua asked if a workplace fatality would automatically trigger a disqualification period for public sector projects and inquired about MOM’s resources for investigating safety violations and ensuring corrective measures are implemented.

Zaqy confirmed that the merit point system for public sector projects has been strengthened, with firms accumulating 25 demerit points facing a three-month debarment.

Fatalities, serious violations, or even minor injuries can trigger demerit points, leading to disqualification from bidding for public contracts, which can significantly impact larger firms.

While the system works for larger companies, smaller SMEs, especially in sectors like renovation and facility management, may not be as affected due to their lesser reliance on public contracts.

Zaqy emphasised that MOM continues to focus on enforcement, monitoring, and proactive safety measures, particularly in sectors where safety concerns are often overlooked.

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