Bangladeshi worker dies at Raffles Place construction site after ground beneath him gives way
Ang Qing
The Straits Times
January 27, 2025
A Bangladeshi worker died on Jan 25 at a construction site in Raffles Place after the ground beneath him gave way.
The 31-year-old had been involved in lifting works when the incident happened at about 2.30pm, causing him to fall into the collapsed soil, a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesman told The Straits Times.
The rigger and signalman, an employee of Nardev Builders, was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.
MOM said it is investigating the incident, which occurred at the site where Clifford Centre once stood.
The site at 24 Raffles Place is being developed by S.L. Properties, a subsidiary of Singapore Land Group (SingLand).
A SingLand spokesperson said the group is deeply saddened by the incident.
"Together with our main contractor Woh Hup, we will be in touch with the grieving family to offer our deepest condolences and provide support during this difficult time," the spokesperson said.
A Woh Hup spokesperson said the worker was under the charge of a sub-subcontractor, and he was assisting with the installation of a rebar cage when the incident took place.
In May 2022, SingLand, which owned Clifford Centre, announced plans to redevelop the 999-year leasehold site into a bigger office and retail space.
MOM said it has ordered Woh Hup to stop substructure construction works.
The ministry said: "As a general safety measure, the ground near excavations must be assessed and sufficiently reinforced to mitigate risks of ground collapse.
"In view of the recent wet weather, contractors are also reminded to reassess the work environment, especially after a heavy downpour, to ensure it remains safe for workers."
In a Jan 2 incident, a 29-year-old construction worker was killed after he was struck in the chest by the hose of a concrete pump truck at a worksite in Tengah.
Since early 2024, the authorities have introduced several measures to improve workplace safety in the construction sector, including placing greater emphasis on safety when evaluating construction tenders called from April.
In the first half of 2024, 19 workers died in work-related accidents, up from 14 in the same period in 2023.
Of the 14 construction sites where workers died in the second half of 2024, nine were found to have had inadequate safety management systems.
ST has contacted the worker's employer and Woh Hup for comment.
- Additional reporting by Samuel Devaraj
Additional reporting by Samuel Devaraj
