NATIONALITY OF WORKERS IN ACCIDENTS

NATIONALITY OF WORKERS IN ACCIDENTS: 7.

Ms Audrey Wong Wai Yen asked the Minister for Manpower whether he will

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provide a breakdown by nationality of workers who have been injured or killed in workplace accidents in the past three years.

Mr Hawazi Daipi (for the Minister for Manpower): Sir, from 2007 to 2009, the number of workplace fatalities stood at 63, 67 and 70 respectively. Meanwhile, the number of non-fatal workplace injuries stood at 10,000, 11,000 and 10,800 respectively. Information on the breakdown by nationality of workers involved in workplace accidents is not available.

Given that the construction and marine sectors account for the majority of workplace fatalities and the predominantly foreign workforce in these two sectors, the majority of workplace fatalities consequently involve foreign workers.

We are working closely with industry to address the safety challenges in these two sectors. Some of the specific initiatives underway include sectoral plans to improve the safety performance of these two sectors. Industry taskforces on Work at Heights (WAH) and crane operations, which target risky work activities common in both sectors (construction and marine) have also made recommendations to enhance safety management.

Mdm Halimah Yacob: Sir, I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary what is the average time taken to process claims by injured workers or their dependants.

Mr Hawazi Daipi: Sir, I do not have the information here. For injured workers making claims under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA), we allow them about one year to stabilise their injury. This is to check whether the injury is permanent or not, and whether they can claim compensation under WICA. But I do not have specific data here on the

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length of time taken to conclude investigation on claim for injury compensation.