TREE-PRUNING CRANE ACCIDENTS

TREE-PRUNING CRANE ACCIDENTS

45.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Manpower in light of the recent accident between a tree-pruning crane and a double-decker bus at Chai Chee Street (a) what steps are being taken to prevent such accidents from recurring; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider the pruning of trees after the operating hours of public buses, when there is lesser road traffic.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: The recent accident involving an SBS Transit bus and a lorry crane along Chai Chee Street, which left one commuter dead and eight others injured, was indeed a tragic one.

In light of the accident, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), with the relevant agencies, has reviewed the adequacy of safety procedures for roadside works, as well as the training and competency framework for lorry crane operators.

Our review has affirmed that on road traffic control for road works, there are already extensive legislation and guidelines under the Street Works (Works on Public Street) Regulations enforced by the Land Transport Authority. To supplement these regulations, LTA also promulgated a Code of Practice for Traffic Control at Work Zones. In 2008, the Workplace Safety and Health Council also issued Guidelines on Landscape and Horticulture Works, specific to the sector. With respect to roadside works, the Guidelines reiterate LTA's regulatory requirements. While the case is still being investigated, joint inspections and operations by MOM and LTA indicate that compliance of these guidelines is not at the level we expect it to be. Areas that require closer attention include adequate demarcation of the worksite and a proper traffic control plan. MOM and LTA will continue to conduct ground enforcement and work with the industry to raise the level of compliance.

Secondly, in the area of crane operations, this is regulated under the Workplace Safety and Health Act. It is the employer's duty to ensure that only trained and competent personnel are allowed to operate lorry cranes. Recognising that crane operations constitute a significant workplace safety risk, MOM has been working with the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council's National Crane Safety Taskforce since July 2009, to enhance the safety standards involving all lorry crane-related activities. Arising from the work of the taskforce, MOM is working towards mandatory training for all lorry crane operators and is considering the possibility of introducing a licensing scheme for these operators. MOM and the WSH Council will consult the industry on this matter.

In response to earlier suggestions to prune trees after bus operating hours (between 1.00 am and 5.00 am), NParks had previously conducted a trial. It was found to be unsuitable as there is reduced visibility at night, which makes it difficult for workers to identify branches which need pruning. Artificial lighting, which casts deep shadows on the underside of the trees, makes pruning work within the tree crown difficult and unsafe. Additional pruning is still needed during the day to prune the outstanding branches missed during the night. Night-time pruning also disturbs the peace and quiet in residential and hotel areas, with noise generated by chainsaws and brightness from intense lighting.

Instead of night-time pruning, it is more practical to ensure that tree pruning contractors adhere to safety requirements at all times, and that the operators are well-trained to handle the equipment. For example, NParks, which procures tree pruning

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services from private contractors, requires these contractors to comply with LTA's Code of Practice for Traffic Control at Work Zones on safety procedures for works carried out on public streets as part of its contractual agreement.

My Ministry will continue to work with the relevant Government agencies such as Ministry of National Development (MND) and Ministry of Transport (MOT) to improve safety in tree pruning works along public roads.