SINGAPORE: Construction company Or Kim Peow (OKP) Contractors and five individuals were on Wednesday (May 30) charged for their role in last year's collapse of an incomplete PIE viaduct in Upper Changi.
The home-grown company, its executive director Or Toh Wat, professional engineer Robert Arianto Tjandra, project engineer Wong Kiew Hai, project director Allen Yee and accredited checker Leong Sow Hon were accused of several offences under the Building Control Act and the Workplace, Safety and Health Act.
AdvertisementChinese national Chen Yinchuan, 31, was killed in the July 14 incident while 10 others were hurt.
A multi-agency probe into the collapse found that corbels - brackets that help support beams - had given way. Cracks were also found in the areas supporting 11 other parts of the viaduct.
The charges faced by the company include failing to conduct an adequate risk assessment of the corbels when it became aware of cracks that appeared on them and failing to stop all works that were taking place on the viaduct section where fresh cracks had appeared. Or faced similar charges.
In addition, Or was also charged with carrying out unauthorised strengthening works without the approval of the Commissioner of Building Control.
AdvertisementAdvertisementTjandra, Wong and Yee were charged with "recklessly doing an act which endangered the safety of others".
OKP Contractors was awarded the project despite being assessed to have a “low performance score”, it was revealed in Parliament in August last year. Just days before the accident the contractor had been convicted over a separate fatality at another work site in 2015.
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