In view of “Operation Skylark”, an enforcement operation that focuses mainly on the safety of crane operations in the construction and manufacturing sectors, 61 companies were fined by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for failure to maintain crane safety procedures.
The operation, which took place between July and September, uncovered 189 contraventions of the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act at workplaces inspected — most of which included the failure to maintain cranes in good working condition, failing to implement safe lifting plans and the use of either defective or unexamined lifting gears.
On the importance of safety with regards to crane operations, Deputy Director of MOM’s Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD) for engineering safety, Goh Heng Huat said, “The recent accidents are a stark reminder that poorly managed crane operations can lead to deaths. Companies must implement safe lifting plans and put in place a robust crane maintenance regime to ensure that crane operations are kept safe for our workers.”
Photo: yeowatzup
