Worker dies of head injuries after 3am accident at Tuas site, man arrested for negligence

SINGAPORE – A 46-year-old Chinese worker died in hospital from serious head injuries after being hit by falling steel bars at a Tuas construction site.

The accident occurred at 3.05am on October 18 at the Tuas Water Reclamation Plant workplace, the national water agency PUB said in response to queries.

His death is the second reported workplace fatality in a week.

A 35-year-old man was arrested for negligence causing death, police said.

Police and the Singapore Civil Defense Force said they were informed of the incident at 3.15am.

PUB said the heavy steel bars, usually used to strengthen concrete, became loose and fell from a height.

“He was transferred unconscious to the intensive care unit of the National University Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at around 10.20am today,” the report said.

The victim worked for Heng Tai Construction – a subcontractor of Sinohydro Corporation – and a safety timeout has been imposed at the construction site, during which safety procedures involving steel bars will be reviewed, PUB said.

The location operates in shifts 24 hours a day, six days a week, according to PUB.

PUB is also in contact with the contractors to provide assistance to the dead man’s family.

“We are cooperating fully with authorities in investigations and hope the public understands that we cannot provide any further information at this time,” PUB added.

The first half of 2024 saw an increase in workplace deaths, despite a decrease in injuries, compared to the same period in 2023.

In the first half of 2024, 19 workers died on the job, up from 14 deaths in 2023, the Ministry of Labor (MOM) said on October 9.

There were five deaths in the construction sector.

Vehicle incidents and falls from height were the leading causes of death, accounting for more than half or 11 of the 19 fatalities, MOM added.

The last reported workplace death occurred on October 11, when a worker was killed after being struck by a precast concrete slab – used to build drains – lifted by an excavator.

The Straits Times has contacted the Ministry of Manpower for more information.