Of the 14 construction sites where workers died in the second half of 2024, nine were found to have had inadequate safety management systems, posing an imminent danger to those working there.
As a result, these sites were ordered to stop work, and were allowed to resume only after undertaking remedial measures, such as reviewing their safety systems, said Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad.
Giving these details in Parliament on Jan 7 in response to questions from five MPs about what was described as a worrying rise in fatal accidents here, Mr Zaqy called for the construction sector to step up on safety.
He also urged greater vigilance as the Chinese New Year period approaches and firms face time pressure to complete their projects.
At the same time, he asked for time to be given to the industry to respond to the suite of measures that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) rolled out in 2024 to reduce the number of worker deaths and injuries here.
These measures include requiring video surveillance systems to be installed at larger project sites, and placing more weight on safety considerations during public construction tender evaluations.
"I assure members that we are doing all we can," Mr Zaqy said.
This story is from the January 08, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 08, 2025 edition of The Straits Times.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Victoria!
Ein Hofwagen und seine bewegte Geschichte A Court Carriage and its Colourful History
Disney's LinaBell Wins Hearts in China
Each week, whenever she has time off from her marketing job, Ms Ida Jia can be found at Shanghai Disneyland, queueing for hours to spend a few minutes with LinaBell, a fluffy pink fox character with big blue eyes.
Missing actor found near Myanmar border
A Chinese actor who went missing near Thailand's border with Myanmar has been found, the Thai authorities said, as they sought to contain the fallout of the incident on the nation's vital tourism industry.
TV Networks Drop Smap's Masahiro Nakai Over Sex-Crime Allegations
Major TV networks have distanced themselves from one of Japan's biggest 1990s boy band stars, after media reports said he paid a woman a large settlement related to alleged sexual misconduct.
Girls' Generation's Taeyeon to perform in Singapore
South Korean singer Taeyeon, a member of K-pop girl group Girls' Generation, has a new concert tour for 2025, which will make a stop in Singapore.
American Millionaire's Blueprint for Longevity
Bryan Johnson, subject of the documentary Don't Die: The Man Who Wants To Live Forever, says Singaporean Chuando Tan's agelessness shows what biology is capable of
The Substance director not surprised by Demi Moore's late-career comeback
Demi Moore's Golden Globe Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy win for The Substance has, almost overnight, transformed the 1990s megastar into a seemingly unlikely favourite for the Oscars.
Better Man and Count Of Monte Cristo are electrifying tales
Britpop superstar Robbie Williams is a walking, talking, singing chimpanzee in an autobiography of his childhood through his three decades in the music industry, breaking away from the 1990s boy band Take That for solo success.
TV adaptation honours Gabriel Garcia Marquez's magic
This first eight-episode season landed on Netflix in mid-December, with a puzzling lack of marketing.
In Stranger Eyes, the voyeur becomes the viewed
Film-maker Yeo Siew Hua asks heavy questions with a light touch in the crime story
