Worker Hit by Suspended Load

Incident
A worker was pinned under the base of a water tank in a recent incident. He was working directly below the suspended base of the water tank, applying a layer of cement grout onto the floor slab to prepare for installation of the water tank. The suspended base dropped suddenly and fatally pinned the worker under it.

Recommendations
1. Risk assessment must be carried out before starting any work.

2. All persons involved in the work must be adequately trained to be competent for the job, as well as be aware of the risks and the safety precautions required on-site. It is important to engage trained and competent personnel to carry out the lifting operation. For example, the machine operator, lifting supervisor, rigger and signalman.

3. Prior to any lifting operation, the appointed lifting supervisor must ensure that there is a set of safe lifting procedure for the lifting operation. The lifting supervisor has to brief all crane operators, riggers and signalmen on the safe lifting procedure. It is also important to test the effectiveness of the communications plan and the communication means, such as the use of walkie-talkie before conducting the operation to ensure proper communication and coordination amongst workers when performing the task.

4. During the lifting operation, there must be constant and adequate supervision of the workers to ensure that works are being carried out in a safe manner. A lifting supervisor is to be present for the entire duration of the lifting operation. His duty includes ensuring the signallers maintain continuous visual contact with the crane operator.

5. At all times, the crane operator shall not lift a load above any person.

6. Do not allow any person from entering into the lifting zone where they may be hit by the falling load or objects.

7. Maintain sufficient clearance to minimize the potential hazard of collision between the load and people or other objects in a lifting operation.

8. Barricade the area to prevent unauthorized entry. Only the lifting supervisor, the signalman and the operator should be present within the lifting area.

(Reference: WSH Alert dated 24 March. Recommendations are not exhaustive. Control measures should be determined during disk assessment.)

WSH Alert – Workers Killed by Acid Burns

Incident
On 27 Feb 2009, a group of workers were pumping nitric acid (70% concentration) into a heat exchanger to remove some residual polymer (di-methylacetamide). During the process, a reaction occurred within the heat exchanger. The reaction most likely generated heat and gases and caused pressure to build up inside the tank. Consequently, the contents of the heat exchanger was forced out and toxic fumes were also emitted. The mixture splashed onto the workers, killing 4 and injuring another.

Recommendations*
1. It is important for the Management to show commitment and put in place an effective workplace safety and health management programme. Through this, operations within the organization would be guided through a safety policy, establishment of a safety management system and proper work procedures.
2. A risk assessment must be carried out before starting any work. This is especially important for new or unfamiliar work, operations or processes. Through the risk assessment, employers and workers can identify potential hazards and take appropriate actions to eliminate the hazards or reduce the risks involved. Control measures and safe work procedures must be established and implemented to ensure the safety and health of the workers involved.
3. All hazardous substances in the workplace should be placed under the control of a competent person who has the adequate knowledge of the properties of the substances used and their associated dangers. A course, such as the “Management of Hazardous Substances” conducted by the Singapore Environment Institute provides the necessary training and knowledge in handling such hazardous substances.
4. The National Environment Agency (NEA) requires that any person who wishes to purchase, store and/or use hazardous substances (such as nitric acid) that are regulated under the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations must obtain a hazardous substances permit. For more information on obtaining the permit, please refer to NEA’s website HERE.
5. In addition, under the Fire Safety (Petroleum and Flammable Materials) Regulations, if petroleum or flammable materials are imported, transported or stored beyond the stipulated exemption quantities, a Petroleum & Flammable Materials licence, issued by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), is required. For more information on obtaining the licence, please refer to SCDF’s website HERE.
6. When hazardous substances are used, handled or stored in the workplace, it is necessary to obtain the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) of the substances. The SDS provides key information on the properties of the substances and the hazards as well as the necessary precautionary measures. A copy of the SDS should also be made available to persons who are likely to come into contact with the substance.
7. For any work process that involves two or more substances coming into contact with each other, it is important to always check for the compatibility of their chemical properties. Incompatible chemicals can cause reactions that could result in adverse outcomes such as a fire and/or explosion. If in doubt, you should always refer to the SDS or clarify with the suppliers / manufacturers of the substances.
8. Whenever practicable, containers of the substances should be affixed with easy to understand labels that provide information of the hazards of the substances and the required precautionary measures.
9. A written emergency response plan should be established. Emergency response equipment should be kept on site and made readily available. Personnel responding to such emergencies should be properly trained on the emergency procedures and the use of equipment.

(From WSH Alert dated 5 March 2009)

Tuas acid spill: Fourth man dies

(Source: Wed, Mar 04, 2009The Straits Times)

A FOURTH worker has died of his injuries from a nitric acid spill which occurred last Friday at a factory in Tuas.

Mr Arumugam Mahadevan, 20, suffered about 70 per cent burns to his body and was in critical condition when he was taken to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH). He was in the burns unit for about four days before he finally succumbed to his injuries on Monday night.

The death toll from the spill at Chemic Industries makes it one of the worst industrial accidents in recent years. Prior to last week's incident, a flash fire that killed seven people on the Portuguese-registered oil tanker Almudaina on May 29, 2004 was probably the worst accident to have occurred.

3 workers dead, 2 others suffer burns from chemical spill in Tuas

(Source: Channel NewsAsia - Sunday, March 1)

SINGAPORE: Three workers have died after a chemical spill took place their work site in Tuas on Friday.
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Two died last night from chemical burns, while the third man succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning. Another worker is in critical condition at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) with 70 per cent burns to his body. A fifth worker is now in stable condition at SGH.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the incident when yellow fumes were seen coming from the first level of the building. The workers were conducting equipment maintenance works when the incident took place.
The Civil Defence Hazardous Materials team de—contaminated the workers before they were sent to the National University Hospital for treatment. They were later transferred to SGH.
The workplace was then cleared of the fumes using absorbents and water.

3 workers dead, 2 others suffer burns from chemical spill in Tuas

(Source: Channel NewsAsia - Sunday, March 1)

SINGAPORE: Three workers have died after a chemical spill took place their work site in Tuas on Friday.

Two died last night from chemical burns, while the third man succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning. Another worker is in critical condition at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) with 70 per cent burns to his body. A fifth worker is now in stable condition at SGH.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the incident when yellow fumes were seen coming from the first level of the building. The workers were conducting equipment maintenance works when the incident took place.
The Civil Defence Hazardous Materials team de—contaminated the workers before they were sent to the National University Hospital for treatment. They were later transferred to SGH.
The workplace was then cleared of the fumes using absorbents and water.

5 workers suffer chemical burns from chemical spill in Tuas

(Source: Yahoo News / Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, February 28)

SINGAPORE : Five workers suffered chemical burns when a chemical spill took place at their worksite in Tuas on Friday.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted to the incident when yellow fumes were seen coming from the first level of the building. The workers were conducting equipment maintenance works when the incident took place.
The Civil Defence Hazardous Materials team de—contaminated the workers before they were sent to the National University Hospital for treatment. The workplace was then cleared of the fumes using absorbents and water.