SINGAPORE: A man who died aged 69 after falling from a condominium unit had stood on a window ledge to clean a spot on the exterior of the window, a coroner’s court heard on Tuesday (Aug 29).
Mr Richard Pang Yuk Kwei had been deployed with a team of cleaners from Home Cleanz Cleaning and Laundry Services to clean a vacated unit at Hilltops Condominium at 99 Cairnhill Circle on Nov 26, 2022, the court heard at the opening of the inquiry into his death.
Mr Pang was cleaning a bedroom with one of his subordinates when the woman said she could not reach a spot on the outside of a window.
The investigating officer on the case told the court that Mr Pang then used a stool and straddled the window, with one leg dangling out of the unit and the other on the stool in the room.
Mr Pang used an extendable mop to access the spot, but was unable to. He then handed the mop back to his colleague.
When she turned back to face him, she saw him standing with both feet on the window ledge, facing inwards into the room.
She shouted: “Uncle! Cannot like that!”
However, it was a matter of seconds before he fell backwards out of the unit.
Mr Pang was found bleeding from the head, after falling about 8m and making impact with a ledge before landing on the ground.
He was pronounced dead that same day and his cause of death was multiple injuries consistent with a fall from height.
A check of his medical records showed that he had been at various hospitals for other accidents, including a fractured heel and ribs after falling from a ladder in 2021.
Mr Pang was known to be very friendly with the staff, the court heard.
The investigating officer for the Manpower Ministry told the court that Mr Pang was found facing upwards without any safety harness on.
Mr Pang’s company had established safety and health measures, which were approved by its managing director. A risk assessment was also done before they started the cleaning.
Mr Pang had conducted in-house training for all the workers on safe work procedures, including the safe use of tools such as long poles, clothes, ladders, stools and water buckets.
He had also carried out a safety briefing for the workers before they started work that day, and had attended a course on working at height before.
The MOM investigating officer said that workers were trained not to extend their bodies beyond the window sill.
The court heard that Mr Pang’s wife had died a few months before him, in September 2022. No foul play was suspected in his case.
After his fatal fall, a stop-work order was issued against his company, which remains under the business surveillance programme.
A workplace safety and health bulletin issued in December 2022 said that workers should always adopt safe working positions.
When it comes to window cleaning, the bulletin said workers should avoid working at height where possible, and to use poles or clean windows from the inside.
If cleaning windows at a height cannot be avoided, workers should use suitable and proper access equipment.
Workers should also be provided with “personal fall-arrest systems with secured anchorage points” if they are working at height or if there is a risk of them falling.
The MOM said the ministry is contemplating actions against Mr Pang’s employer.
A verdict will be given at a later date.
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