The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) urged employers in the manufacturing sector to take steps to improve workplace safety and health, such as by conducting regular risk assessments and implementing appropriate safety measures. Workers should also be properly trained on safety procedures.
The manufacturing sector saw the highest number of workplace fatalities and major injuries in the first half of 2023, according to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
Food manufacturing was the top contributing sub-sector for such injuries, with 18 cases. Metalworking had the highest number of cases, with 38.
The ministry said the top causes of workplace injuries in food manufacturing were machinery incidents, slips, trips and falls, and exposure to extreme temperatures.
MOM conducted more than 450 inspections in the sub-sector in the first half of 2023 and uncovered 1,045 incidents that flouted workplace safety and health regulations.
Penalties issued included one stop-work order, 21 composition fines amounting to $31,300, and 1,021 non-compliance notices.
“Basic safety measures such as guarded machine openings, safe routes for access and egress to work areas, and guard rails to prevent falls were not properly implemented,” said Mr. Sebastian Tan, MOM’s director of occupational safety and health inspectorate. “The lack of such measures posed the risk of serious injuries to workers.”
