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SINGAPORE: The Manpower Ministry (MOM) has ordered the contractor at the centre of Wednesday's manhole explosion, Ohin Construction, to stop work on unused sewage pipes at Jalan Tauge and at the accident site at MacPherson Road.
Six Thai nationals, aged 27 to 50, were working on abandoned pumping mains in the sewers when the explosion occurred. Two of the injured are in intensive care and four are in the burns ward at Singapore General Hospital.
Following the explosion, a busy stretch of MacPherson Road was closed to traffic. The manhole was backfilled with cement compound on Wednesday night. No flammable gases were detected on-site, and this allowed MacPherson Road to be reopened to traffic on Thursday morning.
MOM is investigating to determine the source of the flammable gas and ignition. It has also instructed the contractor to review its risk assessment and safe work procedures involving confined space work.
"Work can only resume when MOM is assured that Ohin Construction can carry out such work safely," said the deputy commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health Suresh Navaratnam.
Concerned, the Workplace Safety and Health Council sent out an email bulletin yesterday to industry stakeholders to remind them of safety measures.
These include checking and monitoring air quality for the presence of hazardous gases and the provision of adequate ventilation during work. An effective emergency response plan should also be established before the start of such work.
"The accident has underscored that such work ... can be potentially catastrophic if not managed well, as a single incident can hurt many workers who may not be able to evacuate fast enough from a small and confined area," said WSH Council chairman Lee Tzu Yang.
- TODAY/so
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