The number of fatality and permanent disablement in the workplace has gone up.
According to the latest WSH Statistics Report for January to June 2009 released by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council, the workplace fatality rate saw a slight increase from 1.4 deaths per 100,000 persons employed in the first half of 2008 to 1.5 in the first half of this year.
Three in 10 of the fatalities were involved in a fall from height (30%) while 20% were struck by falling
objects that include lifting activities with the use of cranes (20%). Another 20% involved workers killed by collapsed structures or equipment such as concrete slabs. Workers struck by moving vehicles (8%) and workers who tripped at work (8%) made up another 16% of the fatalities involved.
