SINGAPORE – The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is appealing against PSA Singapore’s sentence over a 2017 workplace incident which saw one of its employees killed while performing maintenance work at Keppel Terminal.
The port operator had paid a $225,000 fine, following its conviction in court on March 16 under the Workplace Safety and Health Act for failing to ensure the safety and health of its employees at work.
MOM, which investigates industrial accidents, filed its appeal on June 15 against the sentence. In earlier proceedings, MOM prosecutor Delvinder Singh had argued for a fine of between $300,000 and $350,000.
In a written address on sentencing, Singh said: “This tragic and entirely preventable death occurred because PSA systematically failed in its fundamental duty as an employer to ensure the safety and health of its employees at work.”
Meanwhile, the port operator has also filed an appeal against its conviction and sentencing.
The incident occurred on Sept 20, 2017.
At around 10am that day, PSA technical specialist Lee Swee Loong, 29, instructed his colleague, Mohammad Iqbal Buang, to operate and move a crane at varying speeds while Lee observed the gearbox and hoist system to identify the cause of abnormal noises.
While doing so, Iqbal saw a black object drop from the trolley platform, which was located above the operator’s cabin. Sensing something was wrong, Iqbal immediately stopped and turned off the crane.
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