• A coroner’s inquiry was held over the death of Koh Kok Heng, who in February fell through the attic of a semi-detached house undergoing alteration work
• A Ministry of Manpower investigation officer testified that Koh and his workers did not wear safety harnesses
• The firm, JMS Construction, also did not have a permit to work that day

SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is considering taking action against construction firm JMS Construction after its director died in a worksite accident at a semi-detached house around Dunearn Road in February.

An investigation officer from MOM did not specify what action the ministry was considering against JMS Construction, the occupier of the site, during a coroner’s inquiry on Monday (Oct 4) over the death of Koh Kok Heng.

Koh, one of the firm’s two directors, had fallen through a floor opening in the attic of the two-storey house and landed on a staircase about 4.7m below.

MOM’s senior investigation officer Ng Chee Hwee testified in court that JMS Construction had identified a fall from height as a potential hazard, but Koh and his workers had failed to wear safety harnesses. 

The construction firm also did not have a permit to work on the day of the accident, Mr Ng said.

Koh, a permanent resident originally from Malaysia, was pronounced dead on Feb 10 at 12.45pm at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Novena, about an hour after the accident. 

The company had been carrying out alteration work in the house at 38 University Walk. 

This included adding a new attic to the residential unit.

An autopsy determined that the cause of Koh’s death was a head injury consistent with one sustained from a fall from height, the court heard on Monday. 

Koh’s wife and son were in the courtroom on Monday.

WHAT HAPPENED

Mr Ng said that at about 11.20am on the day of the accident, Koh instructed some of his workers to carry out welding and housekeeping work in the attic, which had gaps in the floor covered with plywood.

Noticing that one of the gaps was not fully covered, Koh told one of his workers to get more materials from the ground floor to cover it up. 

Moments later, workers heard a loud thud and found that Koh had fallen leg first through the gap in the floor, Mr Ng said.

He landed in a seated position on a flight of stairs with blood flowing out of his ears, nose and mouth. 

He was also bleeding profusely from the back of his head, the court heard.

A piece of plywood, which had been covering the hole in the floor of the attic, was found “resting” on Koh’s head, said Mr Ng. 

His workers performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him. 

When paramedics arrived, Koh was not breathing and had no pulse. He was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he was declared dead.

MOM later ordered JMS Construction to stop all work at the site. 

A police investigation officer told the court that none of the six other workers present at the site had seen how Koh had fallen. 

Based on MOM’s investigation, Koh could have either stepped on the plywood or tried to adjust the plywood when he lost balance and fell.

Mr Ng added that JMS Construction had done a risk assessment of the work at the site. 

Yet, it did not roll out all the safety precautions needed.

Although there were safety harnesses available at the site, neither Koh nor his workers had worn them while working in the attic.

There was also no safety net installed to catch any person or material that fell from a height, Mr Ng said.

State Coroner Adam Nakhoda adjourned the hearing for findings to be delivered next month.