Construction of MRT station in Pasir Ris halted after noise barrier panels wrecked
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has called for a safety time-out at the construction site of an MRT station in Pasir Ris, after a section of noise barrier panels came crashing down after being hit by machinery.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, an LTA spokesman said that the accident took place on Jan 16 at around 5pm where the upcoming Pasir Ris East station is being built.
The barrier was damaged by a grabber that had toppled over, said the spokesman. A grabber is a machinery with two or more jaws, that is used to pick up items.
He added that the broken panels have been removed from the scene, and a professional engineer has verified the remaining structure as safe.
A safety time-out is a planned event where companies take time off from their daily work routine to take stock of and review workplace safety and health systems and work processes.
In a Facebook post on Jan 18, Shin Min Daily News reported that the barriers are about four-stories high, and is erected just a few metres away from Block 208 Pasir Ris Street 21.
There were no injuries to workers, or damage done to the nearby HDB block as a result of the accident, said the LTA spokesman.
A noise balloon has been put up at the site to temporarily reduce noise pollution, while the barrier is being repaired, he added.
“LTA takes a serious view of safety incidents,” said the spokesman.
“Investigations into the incident are ongoing. We called a safety time-out to check that the site is in order before allowing (the) contractor to continue work.”
As part of the Cross Island Line, construction of Pasir Ris East station as well as eleven other stations, is expected to be complete by 2030.
The Straits Times has contacted the Ministry of Manpower for more information.
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