Workplace fatalities higher last year than pre-COVID year

The workplace fatality rate was 1.3 per 100,000 labourers.

The number of fatalities in the workplace increased in Singapore last year, results showed from the Workplace Safety and Health Report 2022 by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

In 2022, 46 workplace fatal injuries occurred. This was higher than the 37 fatalities in 2021.

Seven of the fatal injuries were due to work-related traffic accidents (WRTA).

Overall, this was equivalent to a fatal injury rate of 1.3 per 100,000 workers, higher than the 1.1 rate in 2021 and 2019 (pre-COVID-19).

Top industries that had the most incidents were construction, transportation and storage, and manufacturing.

Despite the increase in fatalities, the Singaporean government implemented the Heightened Safety Period (HSP) last 1 September 2022 to reduce workplace risks and injuries in the earlier months of the year.

Due to the HSP, the monthly average for fatalities fell from 4.5 per month to 2.5.

“The HSP measures have worked well to arrest the spate of workplace fatalities in 2022 and the construction sector has seen improvements in reducing workplace accidents.  However, the incidence of major injuries did not improve in some sectors such as manufacturing. I call on all employers and workers to remain vigilant,” Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad said.

He also emphasised the government’s goal to achieve a fatality rate of 1.0 per 100,000 workers by 2028.