20-year-old worker killed in Tanjong Pagar towers demolition was walking outside worksite

The 20-year-old worker who was killed when a wall collapsed during demolition works at the Fuji Xerox Towers site on June 15 was walking along a pedestrian walkway outside the worksite, the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council said on Friday (June 23).

Mr Vinoth Kumar was pinned underneath rubble after the reinforced concrete wall segment of the second story collapsed.

His body was extricated from the rubble and he was pronounced dead at the scene, the WSH Council said.

"Demolition works are high-risk construction activities. A demolition method statement must be prepared by a professional engineer," it added.

The method statement, the council said, must ensure the stability of walls, ceilings, slabs, beams and all other adjacent structures are determined before and after the demolition.

The different designs and internal elements of each portion of the structure also have to be taken into account.

The WSH Council said companies should take measures to prevent similar accidents, such as conducting a pre-demolition survey to assess the structural stability of the building and its surroundings before demolition work begins.

Additional supports, such as shores, braces and ties, should be installed to prevent any structure or component from becoming unstable during the demolition.

Companies, the council added, should also establish a demolition plan laying out the demolition sequence and approach, taking into consideration the supports and condition of the building to be demolished.

Workers involved should be informed of the method statement and a safe sequence of work.

A permit-to-work system should also be put in place to ensure all safe working conditions are met.

Methods such as a top-down approach to hacking walls to reduce the risks of any large wall collapse should be adopted and any other demolition work should be carried out in a controlled manner which does not compromise the integrity of the remaining structure.

Activity-based risk assessments should also be carried out, while relevant risk controls and safe work procedures are to be implemented.

The WSH Council said that demolition work should be supervised to ensure it is carried out safely according to the method statement and supervisors should monitor the site for unsafe conditions or safety lapses.

Demolition contractors, consultant representatives and supervisory staff should also attend the demolition safety course conducted by the Singapore Contractors Association.

For more information on safe demolition practices, companies should refer to the Code of Practice for Demolition and WSH Council's Technical Advisory for Demolition.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.