21-11-2023 (SINGAPORE) In a tragic incident last February, a 34-year-old worker lost his life after his head got caught and crushed in a cardboard processing machine. The state coroner, Adam Nakhoda, has now officially ruled the worker’s death as a work-related misadventure, citing the bypassing of a critical safety feature on the machine.
The deceased, identified as Sun Zaitao, worked as a production fitter for AMB Packaging, a company specializing in manufacturing paper and cardboard containers. Sun was operating the Tai Yi TGF High-Speed Flexo Printer Slotter Rotary Die-Cutter Inline with Folder Gluer machine when the incident occurred.
The machine, purchased in May 2019, had a safety feature: a viewing window that needed to remain open for safe operation. If closed, the machine would automatically cut electrical supply. However, investigations revealed that the interlocking guard of the window had been tampered with, allowing the machine to operate without interruption.
On February 11, 2022, CCTV footage captured Sun leaning into the machine while it was in use, likely attempting to clear cardboard waste. His head was then caught by the moving collection mechanism, and he became trapped between the mechanism and stationary metal pieces, leading to his tragic death.
After the incident, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) discovered that the interlocking guard had been tampered with, forcing the window to remain open during operation. This bypass allowed workers to remove waste without stopping the machine, violating critical safety protocols.
In response to the incident, AMB Packaging received a stop-work order and reinstated the interlocking guard. The Workplace Health and Safety Council (WSH Council) issued an alert recommending safety measures, including installing machine guards, safety devices, and audio-visual warning systems at machine hazard zones.
Coroner Adam Nakhoda emphasized the avoidable nature of the tragedy, stating that the safety feature was designed to protect workers from touching moving machinery components. He urged stakeholders operating similar machines to follow safety recommendations to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
