Worker Falls 9 Metres From Scaffolding at Singapore MRT Construction Site — and Dies

On 13 November 2025, a construction supervisor fell approximately 9 metres while descending scaffolding at a Jurong Region Line (JRL) MRT worksite near Block 202 Pandan Gardens. He was rushed to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. It was not the first such tragedy at this project — and it will not be the last, unless the industry changes how it manages work at height.

Falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities in Singapore’s construction sector. In 2024, workplace deaths rose to 43 — up from 36 in 2023 — with the construction sector recording 20 fatalities alone, according to the Ministry of Manpower’s Workplace Safety and Health National Statistics Report 2024. These are not abstract statistics. They are fathers, husbands, and sons who left for work one morning and never came home.

The Incident

At approximately 5:30 PM on Thursday, 13 November 2025, a worker employed by a sub-contractor working under the main contractor for the Jurong Region Line MRT project was descending scaffolding at the construction site. He lost his footing and fell approximately 9 metres to the ground below.

Emergency services were called, and the worker was transported to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) immediately issued a stop-work order for the affected worksite and requested a safety pause for all at-height work activities across every LTA project in Singapore.

This was tragically not an isolated incident at the JRL project. In January 2024, a worker fell approximately 7.5 metres from an unfinished platform at another JRL MRT station worksite near Jurong West Street 75. He also died from his injuries. The Ministry of Manpower launched investigations into both incidents.

The Investigation

Following the November 2025 incident, the Ministry of Manpower launched a full investigation. LTA stated it was working with the contractors and assisting with the Ministry of Manpower’s investigation. A safety pause was requested for all at-height work activities across every LTA project in Singapore to assess adherence to safety protocols.

The Ministry of Manpower emphasised a critical requirement: workers performing height work must maintain “100% tie-off” — meaning safety harnesses must be fastened to separate, secure anchor points at all times when working at elevation.

In a broader context, the Ministry of Manpower conducted over 3,000 inspections across the construction sector in 2024, focusing on working at height, vehicular safety, and struck-by-falling-objects incidents. The government also instituted a Safety Time-Out from 8 to 22 November 2024, requiring all construction firms to pause and refresh workplace safety and health practices.

What Went Wrong

While the full investigation findings have not been publicly released at the time of writing, falls from height at construction sites in Singapore consistently trace back to a common set of failures:

1. Inadequate or missing risk assessment for height work. A proper risk assessment would identify scaffolding descent as a high-risk activity and require specific controls — such as internal ladders, rest platforms, and mandatory harness anchor points at every level.
2. Failure to enforce 100% tie-off. The Ministry of Manpower’s own guidance requires workers to remain connected to a secure anchor point at all times when working at height. “100% tie-off” means using a dual-lanyard system so the worker is never unclipped, even while transitioning between anchor points.
3. Sub-contracting layers diluting safety accountability. Multiple layers of sub-contracting can dilute safety oversight, training standards, and accountability. Each additional layer between the main contractor and the worker on the scaffold increases the risk that safety protocols are not effectively communicated or enforced.
4. Insufficient scaffolding inspection. Scaffolding must be inspected by a competent person before each shift and after any modification. Loose fittings, missing guardrails, or damaged platforms can turn a routine descent into a fatal fall.
5. Lack of Professional Engineer (PE) endorsement for temporary structures. Complex scaffolding arrangements at major infrastructure projects require PE endorsement to verify structural integrity and safe design.

The Cost

The human cost is immeasurable — a family lost a loved one, a community lost a colleague. But the financial and operational consequences are also severe:

• Stop-work orders halt all site activities. For a major infrastructure project like the Jurong Region Line, even a few days of stoppage can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in project delays.
• Fines under the Workplace Safety and Health Act were increased from 1 June 2024. The maximum fine for safety breaches resulting in death, serious injury, or dangerous occurrence is now SGD $50,000 for a first offence — up from $20,000 previously.
• Employers can face fines up to SGD $500,000 and imprisonment of up to 2 years for failing to ensure the safety of their employees under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
• Repeat offenders face even stiffer penalties — up to SGD $1,000,000 in fines and 2 years’ imprisonment.
• Reputational damage follows companies involved in fatal accidents, affecting their ability to win future government tenders and private contracts.

Lessons Learned: Preventing Falls From Height

The following recommendations are general industry best practices for educational purposes only. Every workplace is different — consult a qualified safety professional before implementing changes specific to your situation.

Every fall from height is preventable. Here are the practical steps every construction company and worksite manager must take:

1. Conduct a thorough risk assessment before any height work begins. Identify every task that involves working above 2 metres, assess the risks, and implement controls ranked by the hierarchy of controls — elimination first, then engineering controls, then administrative controls, then personal protective equipment.
2. Enforce 100% tie-off without exception. Provide dual-lanyard fall arrest systems and ensure every worker knows how to use them. Inspect harnesses before every shift.
3. Engage a Professional Engineer (PE) for scaffolding design and endorsement. For complex scaffolding — especially on major projects — PE endorsement verifies the structure can safely bear the intended loads and provides a documented chain of accountability.
4. Implement a rigorous scaffolding inspection regime. A competent person must inspect scaffolding before first use, after any modification, after adverse weather, and at regular intervals. Tag systems (green for safe, red for unsafe) make the status immediately visible to every worker.
5. Ensure safety accountability at every sub-contracting level. Main contractors must audit sub-contractors’ safety management systems, training records, and equipment. Safety cannot be outsourced along with the work.
6. Train every worker — not just supervisors. Workers must understand the hazards, know how to use their equipment, and feel empowered to stop work if conditions are unsafe.

Recommended Best Practices

Industry best practices for preventing falls from height in construction go beyond minimum regulatory compliance. Organisations committed to protecting their workers should consider the following:

• Risk assessment — Conduct comprehensive workplace risk assessments that comply with the Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations. Risk assessments should identify height work hazards, evaluate the likelihood and severity of falls, and recommend specific, practical controls.
• PE endorsement — Engage Professional Engineers to provide endorsement for scaffolding designs, lifting plans, and temporary structures. PE endorsement is not just a regulatory box to tick — it is an independent verification that scaffolding is safe for workers.
• Safety training — Invest in practical, hands-on safety training that goes beyond theory. Programmes should cover working at height, fall prevention, harness usage, and scaffolding safety.
• Safety audits — Conduct regular safety audits to identify gaps in your safety management system before they lead to incidents. Audit against the Workplace Safety and Health Act requirements and industry best practices.

For ongoing awareness and knowledge building, Sage Shield Academy offers online courses covering workplace safety fundamentals, risk assessment methodology, and safety management systems. Note: Sage Shield Academy courses are for awareness and knowledge purposes only and do not constitute WSQ or ATO-issued certification.

If your company needs help with risk assessments, safety audits, or fall prevention planning, Sage Shield Safety Consultants is one provider that offers these services across Singapore’s construction sector.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Ministry of Manpower — Oral Answer to PQ on Construction Fatalities in Second Half of 2024 (January 2025)
2. Ministry of Manpower — Workplace Safety and Health Report 2024 (March 2025)
3. Ministry of Manpower — Workplace Safety and Health National Statistics 2024
4. Ministry of Manpower — WSH Act: Liabilities and Penalties
5. Singapore Statutes Online — Workplace Safety and Health (Amendment of Penalties) Regulations 2024
6. Singapore Statutes Online — Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional or legal advice. Every workplace is different — consult a qualified safety professional for advice specific to your situation.