A 23-year-old construction worker died on May 14 after a temporary concrete slab fell on him at a Cross Island MRT Line construction site at 250A Turf Club Road, Singapore [1, 2]. The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. while an excavator was removing concrete under a concrete deck. The worker was guiding the excavator operator at the time, serving as a banksman responsible for monitoring hazards and controlling access during hacking works [1, 2].
Paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force pronounced the worker dead at the scene [1, 2]. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has ruled out foul play in its preliminary investigations [1, 2]. The Land Transport Authority confirmed the incident took place at the CR14 worksite for the upcoming Turf City station on Turf Club Road and is supporting the investigation [2].
The deceased’s role was to guide the excavator operator and keep a lookout to prevent others from entering the work zone, the Land Transport Authority said. "We are working with the contractors to provide support and assistance to the family," it added [2]. The worker was employed by Koh Kock Leong Construction.
Following the incident, MOM instructed the occupier, STECS-Obayashi CR203 Joint Venture, to stop all excavation work at the site [1, 2]. MOM emphasized safety measures requiring hacking and removal of temporary concrete sections to be done in a controlled manner with strict exclusion zones. "As a general safety measure, the hacking and removal of any temporary concrete section must be conducted in a controlled manner and exclusion zones must be strictly enforced," MOM said [1]. It also cautioned that banksmen must avoid positioning themselves within potential danger zones, adding, "while banksmen safeguard others by monitoring hazards and controlling access, they must also ensure that they do not position themselves within potential collapse zones" [2].
MOM acknowledged the incident publicly on May 17 and said investigations are ongoing [1].
