Crane spins out of control, killing worker
An inquiry into the death of a construction worker, who had fallen 19 storeys, was held on Thursday (May 21).
Mr Liu Debao, 40, was hit by a pre-cast bathroom unit after the tower crane carrying it apparently spun out of control.
It knocked him off the unfinished building in Sengkang in January last year.
Mr Larry Wong, an investigation officer from the Ministry of Manpower, told the court today that further investigations revealed the China-built crane — the Guohong QTZ250 — may have a possible design flaw.
A loose wiring connection could have caused the crane to swing at maximum speed, even though the controller joystick was barely moved, he said.
The only way to stop it was to hit the emergency stop button, he added.
This prompted State Coroner Marvin Bay to call for an advisory to be sent to those using this particular crane model.
Read the full report in our print edition on May 22.
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