REACH 520 - What are your views on the charges faced by NEA, Ng and Lee? How can we strengthen our workplace safety culture in Singapore to ensure that the workplace remains safe and accident free?

(SK)

27 Dec 2023 (10am - 7pm)

REACH

27/12/23, 9:49 am - +REACH: *Dear Contributors,*

Welcome back! 😊

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Thank you

Megan 😊

27/12/23, 9:57 am - +REACH: 📢 *Topic* 📢

On Tuesday (26 Dec), the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) charged two National Environmental Agency (NEA) employees under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, for their involvement in an incident that resulted in an explosion at Tuas Incineration Plant in 2021. The plant was decommissioned in 2022. Two NEA officers Mr Kwok Yeow Wai and Mr Wee Eng Leng were killed. Another officer Mr Low Yin Choon sustained injuries.The three men were in an electrical switch room when the explosion occurred.

Mr Ng Wah Yong, the former general manager of Tuas Incineration Plant; Mr Lee Yew Binn Christopher, the former divisional director of the waste infrastructure operation and management division of the NEA; and the NEA have been alleged to have failed to ensure the safety and health of its employees and failed to adequately implement control measures and establish safe work procedures. 

💬 *What are your views on the charges faced by NEA, Ng and Lee? How can we strengthen our workplace safety culture in Singapore to ensure that the workplace remains safe and accident free?*

According to court charges, NEA and Ng did not ensure that the permit-to-work system implemented for high-voltage switchgear racking works complied with electrical installation regulations and failed to adequately implement control measures and establish safe work procedures for high-voltage switchgear racking works. Lee was charged with approving the permit-to-work system although it did not comply with regulations.

In a Facebook post, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu extended condolences to the two NEA officers who lost their lives and said that a Ministerial Statement will be made at the January sitting of Parliament to address the incident and charges. 

The NEA said that it has cooperated fully with MOM on the incident investigation and will continue to strive for improvements in operational excellence, safety, and resilience.

👉https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/nea-and-its-two-employees-charged-over-tuas-incineration-plant-explosion-which-killed-2-men 

👉 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/nea-employees-charged-tuas-incineration-plant-explosion-2021-4010856

27/12/23, 9:59 am - ~ REACH Singapore changed the group description

27/12/23, 9:59 am - ~ REACH Singapore changed this group's settings to allow all members to send messages to this group

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27/12/23, 10:08 am - +Rama: Very surprised but gives clarity to own up.

27/12/23, 10:09 am - +Thank You: Haiz… my ex mixed developement condo can get TOP and CSC when the door for the bomb shelter was fix wrong side and cannot close as the staircase handrail block it!!! 

There are more others…….when we go seek MP help were told to bring to strata court, building surveyor, legal fees, Professional Engineer fees etc all incurred rolls to probably 200K !!!!   We are residential not “commercial”.  IN THE FIRST PLACE IF TOP/CSC was not issued then all of the above would not have happen

27/12/23, 10:13 am - +Rama: Somebody messed up and pass the buck to the residents!😳😞😖😡🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

27/12/23, 10:13 am - +Thank You: All these approval are step by step so government / MND should look into which area is the part be it needs clarity.

27/12/23, 10:13 am - +Rama: Easy to play musical chairs/ Tai Chi!

27/12/23, 10:14 am - +Thank You: Precisely, the mall themself was the developer if cannot get TOP they have to incur liabilities to pay residents for late possession of the unit.

27/12/23, 10:16 am - +Rama: Developer should be held liable as this occurred before handover to mcst/residents during TOP!?

27/12/23, 10:19 am - +Thank You: WORST, the whole development was not being surveyed!!!! Developer just submit the floor plan by themselves to BCA and got the shares proportion themselves higher and during AGM as they hold more than 50% of shares they have all the say/call hence no residents wanted to join the AGM as it is basically like “POINTLESS” after all these experiences all residents felt so UNFAIR

27/12/23, 10:21 am - +Thank You: Again MP said this have to bring to starts titles again another cost of $$$$$$.

This MP I know is a kind and nice guy Dr Faishal.

27/12/23, 10:26 am - +Thank You: Those people be it PE(Professional Engineer), surveyor or etc….have to take the responsibility if any of such incidents reported.

Common sense, if they have to take the responsibilities of the approval as they sign on the paper!!!  

Not to push all to residents or whoever who had know nothing about construction safety be it M&E or etc… 

Then all these will be minimised

27/12/23, 10:27 am - +Thank You: Singapore is a “LAW” country once TOP/CSC developer takes $$$$ that’s it bye they go.

27/12/23, 10:31 am - +Thank You: If you have a friend whose a Snr lawyer then you’ll know many development was not being surveyed as in there are no authorities chop by surveyor on their floor plan.  The so call big players developer play this kind of game with residents so where the problem lies think 🤔

27/12/23, 10:36 am - +Thank You: It’s very sad to hear this what or which area is missing??? How long was this area set up before this incident happened.  Every year there is SCDF doing check and where is the safety manger???  SCDF did not notice any danger???

We also to complacent to relay on this person approve then should be ok I just approve due to busy schedule or etc the head of this plant belongs to who whom might hold certain power?!

27/12/23, 10:36 am - +Rama: Laws must be amended ASAP!

27/12/23, 10:36 am - +Rama: Things must change legally asap!

27/12/23, 10:37 am - +Rama: Any financial penalties for non compliance!?

27/12/23, 10:38 am - +Frankie Wee: Human error that how they fail their duty maintenance at fault system.

27/12/23, 10:38 am - +Rama: Which stat board or ministry is responsible for short coming!?

27/12/23, 10:44 am - +Frankie Wee: Everything technically has a law empower sue them. 

Accident 

Exploding 

Disposal chemical or acid 

And more.

27/12/23, 10:44 am - +Frankie Wee: Their responsibilities duty has ensure safety report.

27/12/23, 10:45 am - +Frankie Wee: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/sri-lanka-to-sue-singapore-shipping-company-for-marine-pollution

27/12/23, 12:22 pm - +REACH: *Dear Contributors*

We want to *HEAR MORE* from you! 

💬 *What are your views on the charges faced by NEA, Ng and Lee? How can we strengthen our workplace safety culture in Singapore to ensure that the workplace remains safe and accident free?*

Megan 😊

27/12/23, 12:53 pm - +KL: Maybe can look North south Corridor project ( around Marymount ) where the China railway 2 and 5  construction company can do wonder in a short time. Clean , safe and big project. Maybe it time we learn from them in term of only, how they work, safe and clean . Althought they often sneakily rush work to late 3 am or 4 am where I need to call NEA to check their noise in 2021 to 2022 and NEA also could not do anything. As national interest above all. Personally  I think the construction company is clean and safey is not bad from bysider point of view. Hope their cost is low, of course to learn but not asking anyone to use them too often yea. <This message was edited>

27/12/23, 1:02 pm - +Rama: Learn from the Chinese how they build temporary hospitals in a extremely short time and now temporary homes for victims of recent natural disasters.

27/12/23, 1:03 pm - +Thank You: https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=ea8bc1f2-ae27-4208-beb6-7ff88715f3ea

27/12/23, 1:03 pm - +KL: That one I not sure as I never see it with own eye. But I can see the NSC project for past few years when running around doing deliveries.. Alt sometime ponding occur at AMK library and AMk blk 20+ section not sure who doing the part of the projectNot promoting using Chinese company hope no one get that meaning but learn the good point. Of course some project not suitable . Will keep to next time when topic are in line. <This message was edited>

27/12/23, 1:05 pm - +Thank You: 1st was identify the caused and not repeat the same mistake.

27/12/23, 1:08 pm - +Thank You: What was the caused, who approved ? Why did they approved when it’s non compliance?  There are check every year by SCDF didn’t they notice anything wrong?  If yes, how they still can get the fire safety certificate?  If no, what’s missing.

27/12/23, 1:09 pm - +Thank You: We just cannot be too complacent

27/12/23, 1:11 pm - +Thank You: I’ve personally walked around with a surveyor form a building surveyor company and was told that BCA short of manpower basically all entities and the quality nowadays was faster and cheaper ways hence quality wise it dropped.

27/12/23, 1:18 pm - +Thank You: Domestic Water Storage Tank - Non Compliance Sampling Taps Requirement.  

This is one of the minor issue compared to the Bomb shelter door not able to close.

27/12/23, 1:20 pm - +Thank You: We changed all contractors that was brought in by the developer.  It was the the contractor whom we engaged by our own MCST who refused to do water tank cleaning as they notice the “Non Compliance”.

We need such people with integrity!

27/12/23, 1:20 pm - +Rama: Ownself cover ownself mentality!

27/12/23, 1:24 pm - +Thank You: Anyone bought The Linq @ Bukit Timah above beauty world mrt good luck as it’s the same developer BBR from ex condo 🙏

Well, what I can do was also to alert SCDF that the same developer on this project and the office said they would be more stringent on this project as it is also Mix Development!

Hopefully, she/he will remember or note it down and pass on to the next officer in the event he/she left SCDF.

27/12/23, 1:41 pm - +Thank You: A simple example was driving license “REVOKED” for speeding/hitting etc!

With such punishment then in near future all approving officers till PE level will be more CAUTIOUS if they want to approved anything.

27/12/23, 1:45 pm - +Thank You: Just like how MOH zip up 99% of all medical trained doctors/specialists if they were to share the truth about COVID JAB was only use for “EMERGENCY” use with a deadline as the jab research the mice either injured/died hence it did not passed.

You know it is not easy to be a doctor and to get your license “revoked” all kept quiet!!! Haiz

27/12/23, 1:59 pm - +REACH: 📢 *Topic* 📢

27/12/23, 2:05 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. It is important to ensure a safe workplace - as workers are working to earn a living by contributing their brain and efforts to the company - and not risk their lives and subject injuries.

2. Hence conforming to work safety is extremely important.

3. Managers, supervisors, safety officers and workers all the way down - must ensure workers conform to workplace safety - contribute to the company and at the end of everyday - safely go home.

4. I believe work safety are mostly common sense - and when realise something is not within the safety norm - workers should stop work and raise the alerts - so that safety officers, supervisors and manager - should immediately review the situation and take preventive and remedial actions.

27/12/23, 2:20 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. It is difficult to propose and assess how to improve the workplace safety inside an electrical switchroom in a Tuas incineration plant - because only those trained specialists can know what are the safety measures that need to look out for.

2. I have never enter an electriclal switchroom - hence cannot comment how to make it safe from electrocution and worst, in this case explosion.

Wonder how come electrical switchroom can explode..... very strange, scary too.

3. But I do work in a datacentre - where there are many LAN switches, routers, servers and telecommunication equipment - plus many electrical switches and plugs.

4. Common sense tell me to be careful in carrying heavy IT equipment, mount and secure equipment, configure IT equipment and handle electrical devices and plugs with care.

5. Don't touch live wires, wear proper attire with safety shoes etc.

6. As long as be careful, workplace should be a safe place to work.

27/12/23, 2:25 pm - +Samuel: Besides these two, the head of NEA should likewise face the music and humbly resigned because this preventable tragic event (WSH) happened  under his/her watch and charge.

27/12/23, 2:35 pm - +Rama: I wonder if this will become a ownself check ownself scenario just like  TCJ/I type saga!?

27/12/23, 2:35 pm - +Thank You: I’ve entered a switch room that requires LEW of level 9, for safety not anyone can go in and everyone who enter have to sign in/out.

By questioning why was the approval given from each different entities and levels the answer will help to prevent future mistake.

27/12/23, 2:37 pm - +Rama: Possibly

27/12/23, 2:56 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. An analogy - accountability; direct line of responsibility.

2. Example a general come out with battle orders for his 3 brigades.

Eg. No soldiers should enter and fight in a tunnel - but to find the tunnel entrance, send in robots with explosive and blow it up.

This is the general accountability to ensure the battle are fought according to his battle orders and ensure the safety of his soldiers.

3. His 3 brigades commanders are supposed to carry out his battle orders.

4. Supposed 2 brigade commanders carry out the general order but 1 brigade commander in the haste to win the battle send in the troops into the tunnel to chase the enemies instead if waiting for the robot units - got booby trap or ambush and some soldiers got killed.

Do we think is the general fault or brigade commander's fault - as the brigade commander has the direct line of responsibility. <This message was edited>

27/12/23, 3:06 pm - +Rama: Brigade commander at fault!

27/12/23, 3:08 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

1. Then it is thus important to establish if nea head do the right thing by establishing all safety measures - for all incineration plants - just like what that general do.

If yes, the nea head - accountability is clear   and above board.

2. Next establish if those incineration plant managers, supervisors, safety officers and workers carry out the safety measures establish by the nea head.

If no, safety measures are breach - then plant managers - line of responsibility is not properly carried out.

Then plant line of responsibility is accountable for failing to comply with safety measures.

3. It is important to ensure that accountability and responsibilities are clear and transparent - so that there is no witch hunt.

4. Else Singapore will be losing top talents to helm important portfolio.

And talents are difficult to come by especially in a small country like Singapore.

27/12/23, 3:11 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

Cannot be that anything happens in the country - the head at fault.

Anything happens in a company - CEO at fault.

Fire the head, fire the CEO.

Cannot be a child commit an offense in school - the father mother fault & must be punished.

Then wonder will there be any government head, CEO or parents left - if witch hunt is the modus operandi?

27/12/23, 3:59 pm - +REACH: 📢 *Topic* 📢

27/12/23, 4:25 pm - +Thank You: CEO(HEAD), have to answer for it otherwise why are they paid so much.  As a PSG, I’ve volunteered and experienced 4 different primary schools and was amazed by the SL(School Leaders) of Xishan Primary as she cares for all and after she steps in there was a tremendous change!!!!

How the subordinate behaves it will boils down to how the leader/mgmt guidance!

It is not easy that’s why they are being paid the amount to hold the “Responsibility” 

I was utterly disappointed when 1 of the minister said on news that the people below know what to do hence they just sign and approved!!!

The top leaders have to be aware and know what the people below them are doing.

5 stars hotel have a certain standard hence we paid so much more whereas experience different 4 stars hotel and how the staffs behave tells you how well they are being treated and mange.

27/12/23, 4:31 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

CEO or head has to answer - that is correct.

That's why it will be brought up to the parliament to establish - where went wrong.

But no witch hunt yet - without establishing where the problem lies. <This message was edited>

27/12/23, 4:32 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

If the subordinate(s) indeed fail to carry out the due diligence - then the subordinate (s) will have to answer for it.

27/12/23, 4:34 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

Eg. If a child misbehave in school, punishment need to be administered on the child - to ensure the child mend his/her ways.

But the child parents will also be informed to ensure the parents will be more attentive to ensure the child learn the lesson and make amend.

27/12/23, 4:34 pm - +Rama: With the superior for not exercising due diligence

27/12/23, 4:35 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

If the superior is at fault for not doing due diligence - then the superior is responsible.

27/12/23, 4:35 pm - +Rama: Yes

27/12/23, 5:50 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

The purpose of parliamentary proceedings is to ascertain:-

1. Are the system adequate and fit for purpose.

2. Are safety measures adequate.

3. Are procedures adhere to.

4. Are there any human faults along the line of command.

Only after establishing where the fault lies can the following be done:-

1. Whether additional measures are necessary - be it beefing up the system, introduce additional safety measures or tighten the procedure.

2. If 1. is adequate, then is it human faults or failure to comply with the procedures.

3. Only then guilt is appropriately establish, punishment appropriately administered and procedures put in place to ensure no repetition of such workplace safety incidents.

27/12/23, 5:57 pm - +Thank You: For example the president election, Tharman was not supposed to hold any other appointment however it went through as they thought no one would

Knows or they Govt themselves overlook.

After election, a new law constitution was made that President can hold other appointments to the benefit of country so this is a VERY OBVIOUS mistake or UNFAIRNESS done Haiz we were all talking about it and find it bias!

There was supposed to be another candidate Founder of Harvey Norman was it George the govt reject his application as his 5Mil was not solely 1 entity as it’s combine so this ERROR BIAS was speechless

27/12/23, 5:59 pm - +Rama: The electorate has been played wholesale!

27/12/23, 6:04 pm - +REACH: 📢 *Topic* 📢

27/12/23, 6:08 pm - +Bhavani: Hi when it comes to teenagers, even girl teenagers, it can be impossible to get them to correct their ways if they don't care to listen, especially kids whose severe respiratory issues affect their mental health and cause them to suffer from ADHD and obsessive compulsive disorder, so they are extremely stubborn and refuse to obey due to their conditions. Such teenagers are extremely difficult to handle as they keep arguing non-stop and absolutely refuse to obey at all

27/12/23, 6:09 pm - +Rama: Agree

27/12/23, 6:09 pm - +Bhavani: Only the parents of such teenagers can understand how painful it is to face disobeying teenagers

27/12/23, 6:10 pm - +Rama: Sometimes it's the upbringing

27/12/23, 6:10 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

That's why is it right to punish the parents when the child misbehave - as collective punishment?

27/12/23, 6:11 pm - +Bhavani: Yes it's very unfair to punish parents when the teenagers due to their conditions disobey

27/12/23, 6:11 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

Or if child commit crime - got jail, parents must also go to jail because parents give birth to him.

Thus does it sounds right?

27/12/23, 6:12 pm - +Rama: Counselling is needed

27/12/23, 6:14 pm - +Bhavani: I have tried sending my teenager to school counselling and online family service centre counselling. Nothing has helped at all. She behaves well at school but disobeys at home.

27/12/23, 6:15 pm - +Bhavani: if the child commits a crime, only the child must be punished, certainly not the parents if they have tried their best to raise the child right

27/12/23, 6:16 pm - +Bhavani: For example, she does not sleep on time and always keeps using the phone

27/12/23, 6:16 pm - ☸️  Danny 心: 

This is the message I am trying to drive.

Else it becomes a witch hunt.

27/12/23, 6:17 pm - +Bhavani: She says she has homework online

27/12/23, 6:18 pm - +Bhavani: I can't believe she spends so many hours doing homework online but I think she is telling the truth because she has good grades

27/12/23, 6:19 pm - +Bhavani: But grades are not enough character is much more important

27/12/23, 6:20 pm - +Bhavani: Obeying parents in simple matters like going to sleep early is extremely important, otherwise they will end up with multiple health conditions

27/12/23, 6:21 pm - +Bhavani: My child gets aggressive, angry and shouts the next day if she does not sleep early, yet disobeys me and sleeps late every night

27/12/23, 6:22 pm - +Bhavani: I can't blame her also because all the homework is given online

27/12/23, 6:23 pm - +Bhavani: She spends hours doing homework online till late at night and this is also a reason for her to sleep late.

27/12/23, 6:25 pm - +Bhavani: I have been suffering the whole sec 1 year trying to get her to sleep on time but to no avail

27/12/23, 6:26 pm - +Bhavani: It has become a nightmare for me

27/12/23, 6:27 pm - +Rama: But you have perseverance

27/12/23, 6:28 pm - +Bhavani: I try to have perseverance, but with my multiple serious medical conditions, it is a real ordeal

27/12/23, 6:37 pm - +Thank You: I learnt that children is a mirror of the parent.  TBH it’s is not easy, it’s all about discipline and more……I went through various counselling like EMCC that charge $180/hr it depends….

We’re not in each individual shoe hence can’t compare the father who killed the twins was under tremendous stress w/o any help Haiz 🙏

27/12/23, 6:38 pm - +Thank You: True LHL and LHY are child of LKY. have different POV well the spouse plus a part

27/12/23, 6:38 pm - +Thank You: Plays*

27/12/23, 6:48 pm - +REACH: *Dear Contributors,*

⏰ We will be closing the chat in *15 minutes* ⏰

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Goodnight!

Megan 😊

27/12/23, 6:49 pm - +Smiley face: Parenting 2.0?

Make yourself and your spouse the BFF of your kids! One way to bond and another means to build trust, forever?

27/12/23, 6:58 pm - +Smiley face: Continuation: Part 3/9

(Accelerating Performances & Pitfalls: Jung, Maslow, Da Vinci, Deming, Einstein, Galileo, Moore and more?)

December 27, 2023

"Universal Concepts: Ignorance, Innocence, Arrogance"

"Kill a chicken with a machete, use a cannon to shoot a bird."

(杀鸡用牛刀，大炮射小鸟)

What does the meaning of this sentence, the deeper concept, what does it mean if we look at it the other way around?

(reversal & repetitive)

How can so many things go right, go completely wrong, or failed and lives lost at a critical moment in a situation and the circumstances, both known and unknown?

"Rise & Fall & Rise? If you believes in history repeating itself, if you believes in the power of geography and humanity and if you believes in the natural path of balance; you are in a conscious state of an infinite being! The rising of a civilisation and the falling of another civilisation replaced the former with the latter is an evolution of the realm of reality regardless of ideology, individuality, cultures, history, politics, economics and environments."

- - anonymity 

In order to attain credit or merit, you need to be successful in your endeavour, your job or your abilities in risk taking. All of these examples are quantifiable success that is measured by the quantum of contributions to society whether is in monetary or non monetary means. What other angle can we redefine success and failure, it's a mirror effect?

People see people learned, people loves to compare with others!

Let's talk indepth on failure itself. What constituents failure or failed? Why failures are never a celebration whereas the champion of tangibles are always the hero of the day? What is the price (tag) and the target to change the mindsets of people to be fearless of failures and acknowledge these mistakes or missteps and retry to correct what have gone wrong from the beginning of a process or a person's life and the ways he or she organised and take responsibilities regardless of good or bad times and cumulatively turning into a big disaster that can be too late to salvage or to save lives. 

How will society rewards these failed attempts through forgiveness and looking through the victims' eyes and the eyes of the people who failed multiple times? There are limitations to forgiveness, compassion, and chances. 

In 1934/35 the Long March and followed by the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), the former campaign did not work, millions of lives lost and it failed in misery all for the sake of equality, power & politics, poverty, and control of a population of 480 millions given the circumstances and situations of China after a prolonged civil war between the Nationalists, the Communists and factions and warlords. It was not an easy task to balance many existential contestations of needs and wants that led its people to the birth of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949. Proudly, the present day modern China with over 1.4 billions people.

            - - in progress - -

27/12/23, 7:01 pm - +REACH: *Dear Contributors,*

We will be closing the chat for today.

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Goodnight!

Megan 😊

27/12/23, 7:03 pm - ~ REACH Singapore changed this group's settings to allow only admins to send messages to this group

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