6-1-2024 (SINGAPORE) In a tragic incident that unfolded in the early hours of January 4, a construction worker lost his life after falling approximately 7.5 meters at the worksite of the upcoming Jurong Region Line (JRL). This marks the first reported fatal workplace accident of 2024.
The 27-year-old worker, hailing from Myanmar, fell over the edge of an unfinished platform he was installing around 2:30 a.m. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) reported that the accident occurred near Jurong West Street 75, the future location of the tentatively named Gek Poh JRL MRT station.
Following a call for assistance received at Block 749 Jurong West Street 73, adjacent to Jurong West Street 75, the Singapore Civil Defence Force responded. The injured worker, employed by Jiangxi Construction Development, was swiftly taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
MOM is conducting an investigation into the incident, with the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the project’s developer, actively assisting in the probe.
Expressing condolences, an LTA spokeswoman stated, “We share our deepest condolences with the family of the deceased worker and are working with our contractors to provide them with support and assistance,” emphasizing the seriousness with which safety incidents are viewed.
CES_SDC, a subsidiary of the construction and real estate conglomerate Chip Eng Seng Corp, serves as the occupier of the Jurong West Street 75 worksite and is the project’s primary contractor. Awarded a $226.6 million contract in 2020 by LTA, CES_SDC is responsible for designing and constructing the JRL stations in Gek Poh and Tawas, along with two viaducts totaling 1.3km.
Following the tragic incident on January 4, work at the Jurong West Street 75 construction site was halted, and a safety timeout was implemented across all LTA worksites. This temporary suspension of construction allows for the review of safety procedures and the completion of activities such as safety meetings with workers. The safety timeout remains in effect.
MOM emphasized that, as a general safety measure, workers should be equipped with safety harnesses and secured to anchor points when there is a risk of falling from a height.
This unfortunate incident on January 4 marks the second worker fatality at an LTA worksite in the past two months and the second linked to the construction of the JRL.
The completion of the first phase of Singapore’s seventh MRT line, including the Gek Poh and Tawas stations, is expected in 2027, a year later than originally scheduled due to pandemic-related delays. The 24km-long above-ground rail line is slated to open fully in 2029, extending the MRT network to the Jurong area and accommodating a projected daily ridership growth from 200,000 to over 500,000. This expansion aligns with the development of the Jurong Innovation District, Tengah town, and Jurong Lake District.
