SINGAPORE: Summit Gas Systems SGS has been fined S $270,000 under the Section 20 Workplace Safety and Health Act after a fatal fire at its workplace on June 21, 2019 left an employee dead, according to a press release on Monday by the Ministry of Manpower MOM.
MOM highlighted the four cases as they highlighted some worrying observations saying shortcuts were taken, and there was a lack of proper work procedures and risk assessments.
The fire at SGS in the year 2019 was caused by the failure to adhere to these regulations, which resulted in the death of a Chinese national.
The incident took place at a conveyor belt and carousel unit in a large shed of cylinders filled with Liquefied Petroleum Gas LPG Wei Xiaoyong, who was stationed at the beginning of the conveyor belt when an LPG cylinder fell and hit a pipe structure.
The spill led to a fire and while two other workers managed to escape, Mr Wei died at the scene from his injuries.
An investigation by MOM found that SGS did not ensure an emergency escape route was free from obstruction, did not control the risk of cylinders falling and hitting other structures, and did not provide an emergency stop button at the cylinder filling shed.
SGS did not provide employees with flame retardant clothing and failed to ensure employees received adequate information to carry out their work, according to the ministry.
Ellen Teo Soak Hoon, the firm's director, was fined S $50,000 under the section 11 c Workplace Safety and Health Act on November 30 because she didn't exercise all the diligence necessary to prevent these offences.