Despite the pair not speaking the same language, a supervisor from India at a construction firm forged a close friendship with a colleague from China only to see him die at work.
The 44-year-old heavy vehicle driver was crushed to death between his truck and a stationary concrete mixer truck at a worksite near the Singapore Zoo in Mandai on March 9.
When Ms Durga Arivan, senior psychotherapist and manager of psychotherapy and counselling services at local charity HealthServe, saw the supervisor six days later, he was still trembling.
She said: "The bond was so rich, they called each other 'brother'. So the impact was definitely bad." She added that during a group counselling session, the supervisor found healing as he wept with other colleagues.
In 2023, 36 workers died at work.
Although this was a record low for Singapore's workplace fatality rate, what is often unseen are the scores of traumatised workers affected by their colleagues' deaths. Mr Michael Lim, director of the Migrant Workers' Segment at the National Trades Union Congress, who oversees the Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC), said: "Beyond just feeling the loss of a fellow brother, sometimes it's also about fears for their own safety and a stigma of doing certain tasks that may result in the same accident."
When part of the Fuji Xerox Towers building in Tanjong Pagar collapsed during demolition works on June 15, 2023, killing Indian worker Vinoth Kumar, the MWC referred about 10 of the worker's colleagues and relatives for counselling.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 06, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der May 06, 2024-Ausgabe von The Straits Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
THE NEW BERNABEU A REAL PROBLEM
Locals and neighbourhood residents hate noise from concerts and construction work
Japan seek to beat the heat and Saudi Arabia
HONG KONG - Japan face second-placed Saudi Arabia in Group C of Asia's third round of World Cup qualifiers in Jeddah on Oct 10, looking to continue their prolific start as top-of-the-table clashes take centre stage across the continent.
Police investigating Spanish pair over protests in S'pore
A Spanish man and woman in their 30s are assisting the police with investigations after photos appeared on social media of the man holding a banner in various parts of Singapore to protest against Singaporean business magnate Peter Lim, who owns Spanish top-tier football club Valencia.
FROM SAUDI SPLURGE TO SPENDING SLUMP
Football transfer outlay drops in 2024 as officials assess the commercial returns
Future looks bright for America's Cup: Ainslie
BARCELONA - Sailing has a great opportunity to develop as a sport if the America's Cup can involve more frequent events and evolve the boats now being raced, according to British skipper Ben Ainslie.
Sport can be 'solution multiplier' for climate
LONDON – Sports clubs and organisations must raise their game and become leaders in the battle to prevent catastrophic climate change, Sport England chairman Chris Boardman said on Oct 8.
SINNER TO BE GIVEN NO QUARTER
Medvedev vows to put up a better fight against world No. 1 in Shanghai last eight
Ryder Cup captains won't exclude LIV Golf players
NEW YORK - Ryder Cup captains Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald said on Oct 8 that they will not shy away from including LIV Golf players in their respective teams for the 2025 biennial showdown between the United States and Europe.
MISTY SWIFT EARNS EVEN MORE FANS AT TRIALS
Ex-Kranji runner No More Delay also struts his stuff at hit-outs
MediShield Life can be made more effective. Its review holds the key
We must incentivise outpatient treatment and accept that, in some cases, personalised medicine can save lives.