S’porean worker dies after glass doors topple on him
A 53-year-old Singaporean worker who was unloading a shipment of glass doors in an Alexandra warehouse with two other men died from his injuries after nine glass doors toppled on the three of them.
The man was taken to the National University Hospital together with another worker who was injured and is now in a stable condition. The third worker in the team was not injured.
The latest incident makes it the fourth workplace fatality, so far, in 2023.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said it has instructed AGL Facade Systems to stop all work activities and appoint a workplace safety and health auditor to review the firm’s work practices.
The firm has also been barred from hiring new migrant workers for three months, with its director required to personally account to MOM, and take direct responsibility for rectifications, the statement added.
MOM said the accident took place at 61, Alexandra Terrace Harbour Link Complex at about 2.15pm on Feb 2, when the men were unloading the glass doors from a shipping container.
MOM said glass sheets and panels in shipping containers should be bundled in upright positions within wooden crates when they are being transported. Forklifts or purpose-built telescopic handlers should be used for safe unloading, it added.
If the items need to be shifted manually, then a proper means of support, including props, braces, frames or restraint belts need to be provided to prevent other items within the container from toppling, the statement said.
MOM added that it was investigating the accident.
The Straits Times has contacted the building’s occupier PBT Engineering for more information.
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