BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRIES (Steps to reduce accidents)

Encik Abbas Abu Amin asked the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour what steps are being taken to reduce the number of accidents in the building construction and shipbuilding industries which showed an increase during the year 1982.

The Minister of State for Labour (Dr Wong Kwei Cheong) (for the Minister for Communications and Minister for Labour): Mr Speaker, Sir, the accident statistics (Cols. 433 - 434) for the construction and shipbuilding and repairing industries for 1981 and 1982 are as follows: statistics - ACCIDENT STATISTICS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY (Cols. 433 - 434)

In the construction industry, the number of accidents increased from 1,073 in 1981 to 1,460 in 1982, an increase of 36%. The number of deaths increased from 28 in 1981 to 49 in 1982, an increase of 75%.

In the shipbuilding and repairing industry, there were 1,274 accidents in 1982. This is only six cases more than the number in 1981. The number of fatal accidents has however fallen dramatically from 24 in 1981 to nine in 1982, a decrease of 62%.

The construction and shipbuilding and repairing industries are two of the most hazardous industries. Not surprisingly, our citizens shun employment in these two industries. We, therefore, have to import large numbers of foreign workers for our construction sites and shipyards.

The safety situation in the shipbuilding and repairing industry has improved. Although the safety record in the construction industry appeared to have worsened, it may not be so if we take into account the fact that there was a great increase in volume of construction from 1981 to 1982.

Nevertheless, we must continue to improve the safety record if we are to attract our citizens to work in these two industries.

My Ministry has a two-pronged approach to improve safety in the construction industry. These are the education of workers and contractors and enforcement action against violation of safety rules.

We have established an Advisory Committee for the Construction Industry. The responsibility of the Committee is to identify problem areas in the construction industry, particularly with regard to safety. Once a safety problem is identified, the Ministry of Labour and NPB will map out an education programme to educate workers and supervisors on safety. The programme will include training and distribution of safety pamphlets.

The NPB has started a mass safety orientation course to educate construction workers on basic safety knowledge. Each course lasts three to four hours. Unfortunately, the response to the course has not been encouraging. We may have to require contractors to send all their workers in batches to attend the course as a condition for the issue of work permits to their foreign workers.

Despite education, there will be some contractors who cut corners on safety precautions. My Ministry has stepped up routine and surprise inspections on worksites. Those who commit minor offences are fined. Those who commit more serious offences are charged in court. More intense enforcement action is taken against contractors who have bad safety records. In such cases, factory inspectors will issue Stop Work Orders if the construction sites are grossly unsafe. Work can only resume after remedial action is taken.

As a further deterrent, my Ministry will not extend or grant work permits to workers of contractors who persistently flout safety rules. We may even revoke work permits of existing workers of such contractors.

In the long run, safety in the construction industry must be improved through strategic changes, such as the use of metal scaffolding, mechanization and better construction methods. These will require more skilled workers. They will also provide for a safer working environment. Skilled workers should also be more safety conscious, and commit less errors which can lead to tragic accidents.

In the shipbuilding and repairing industry, my Ministry has introduced accident prevention systems which must be followed by shipyards to prevent accidents such as fire, explosion, electrocution and other.serious accidents. My Ministry has a continuing programme of inspecting all shipyards. The larger shipyards are inspected as often as once a week. These inspections are to ensure that the shipyards conscientiously adhere to the accident prevention systems. We also render assistance to shipyards to help them improve safety measures.

Hitherto, my Ministry only enforced safety measures for ships docked in shipyards. Recently, the accident prevention programme was extended to cover oil tankers in the harbour in which tank cleaning work is carried out. It was recognized that tank cleaning is extremely hazardous if safety precautions, such as proper ventilation, are not taken.

My Ministry, in conjunction with the Singapore Association of Shipbuilders and Repairers, also has a safety education scheme for workers in the shipbuilding and repairing industry. Under the scheme, all shipyard workers have to undergo a one-day safety instruction course at NPB. After that, they will be issued with a safety permit. All contractors' workers are required to have safety permits before they are allowed to work in shipyards.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister of State has said that deaths in the construction industry have risen dramatically last year; I think he said about 75%. Would he be able to say, first, what percentage of this number was due to the fault of the contractors, the employers of labour, and, secondly, how many contractors or employers have been prosecuted in court for the deaths.

Dr Wong Kwei Cheong: Mr Speaker, Sir, from our records in the Ministry, many of the accidents in the construction industry have been due to the carelessness of the workers. For the exact statistics, if the hon. Member will write to the Ministry, we will be happy to supply them.