A migrant worker died in an accident when an excavator attachment fell on him, on the afternoon of 22 April 2021. The victim, a 37-year-old Bangladeshi worker and an operator were using an excavator which was fitted with concrete breaker attachment when they were involved in the hacking of a precast concrete panel. The operator was operating the excavator to lift some steel frames when the concrete breaker attachment suddenly came off and fell on the worker who was unrigging the lifting gears from the excavator arm.
The victim was then conveyed to Changi General Hospital (CGH), where he succumbed to his injuries. The company that employed the worker (Right Construction) has been instructed to stop operating excavators at the construction site.
Risk control measures at worksite:
• Ensure at all times that the lifting appliances, lifting machine and lifting gear are operated within the respective Safe Working Loads (SWL).
• Constantly review the design of the excavator operator cabin controls- to ensure that the coupler mechanism cannot be accidentally activated.
• Use only excavator certified as a lifting machine for lifting operation.
• Allow only authorised and trained personnel to operate the excavator.
