Singapore firm denies responsibility, faces higher fine

An engineering company in Singapore has seen its punishment increased after appealing against a conviction for a fatal workplace accident.

Sterling Engineering faces a fine of $330,000 – up from the initial $280,000 sentenced by the state courts last year – under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.

One of its workers was killed in 2014 during the installation of a steel sliding gate at a worksite. It was shown that Sterling had failed to carry out the necessary measures to ensure the safety of its employees.

The company appealed against the sentence, asserting that the design of the gate was not under their control. Its design was blamed as the main cause of the accident.

The judge, however, maintained his stand that it is the company’s responsibility to ensure workplace safety, and that they have failed to meet the standards necessary for risk assessment and safety measures during the installation process.

"As the installer of the gate, the employer has a duty to identify all safety risks, including design-related ones, and implement the appropriate control measures to address these risks,” said Sebastian Tan, MOM's director of occupational safety and health inspectorate.

“The company did neither and a worker needlessly lost his life. MOM will not hesitate to take such errant companies to task."

According to the Straits Times, the court dismissed the appeal and ruled in favour of the prosecution, who had filed an appeal to increase the amount.