SINGAPORE: A traffic controller has died after a work-related accident involving a road roller in Joo Chiat on Monday (Mar 3).
The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the incident on Monday at about 4pm at 175 Carpmael Road.
The 66-year-old man was crossing a newly paved road when he was run over by the reversing road roller, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in response to CNA’s queries on Tuesday.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic.
The operator of the road roller – a 39-year-old man – was arrested for causing death by negligent act, police said.
The traffic controller was employed by Silver Star Safety, according to MOM, which also identified SP Powergrid Limited as the project developer and Mo Guan Construction Engineering as the occupier managing the works.
“As a general safety measure, machine operators must be competent and vigilant at all times,” said MOM.
“Workers assigned to road traffic management roles (such as road traffic controllers, marshallers etc.), must wear high-visibility attire, be positioned at safe and conspicuous locations, and maintain awareness of their surroundings.
“The traffic controllers should also coordinate with the machine operators to ensure the safety of public or other workers as well as themselves.”
The authorities are investigating the incident.
There were 19 workplace fatalities in the first six months of 2024, up from the 14 cases over the same period the previous year.
