SINGAPORE: As Singapore experiences increasingly unpredictable weather conditions, workplace safety consultants are calling for more safeguards to reduce the risks of working on gondolas.
These possible safeguards include the implementation of emergency drills and weather forecasting systems to warn workers of any unexpected weather changes ahead of time.
The call for action follows an incident on Jul 21, when two workers had to be rescued while carrying out routine facade resealant work on the 28th storey of Raffles City Tower.
The gondola they were on began tilting dangerously after the weather “suddenly changed”, said a Raffles City spokesperson.
The workers were subsequently taken to hospital and did not suffer any injuries.
According to Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regulations, gondolas must be equipped with a system to prevent them from detaching or being blown away from building facades during heavy rains or strong winds, said workplace safety and health executive Lucas Tay from Scatech Engineering.
“During our onsite training, regardless of how strong the wind is or how strong the rain is, we train them to … calmly just lower the gondola or raise the gondola, depending on the approved safe escape,” he added.
If deteriorating weather conditions are expected, workers are trained to make timely decisions to descend safely, said Mr Tay.
More than 70 per cent of Housing and Development Board flats comprise 10 storeys or more, which Mr Tay said is the typical height or more for its workers to perform their job on gondolas.
MOM also requires workers to undergo relevant courses. Workers are trained to operate each specific model of gondola that they use, while every gondola installed comes with its own set of checks.
"The professional engineer has to come and design and then calculate according to the user requirements. Then once it's designed, they approve it,” said Mr Tay.
“We actually have the authorised examiner to come down to check on the gondola itself, certifying that it is safe for use (and) registering this in the MOM website. After that, then users are able to use the gondola.”
A view of a lopsided gondola on the 15th floor of Block 199 Boon Lay Drive on May 11, 2023. Two workers on the gondola, which tilted after its supports failed, were taken to hospital. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
Mr David Ng, chairman of the civil and structural engineering technical committee at the Institute of Engineers, Singapore, noted that while Singapore is experiencing heavier storms, there are multiple safety measures in place to ensure the safety of gondola workers.
For example, there is both a cable system and a rope system in place, so that one can hold the gondola in place if the other system fails.
MOM also requires gondolas to be tested once every six months, Mr Ng pointed out.
“But of course, moving forward, I think we also still need to review whether there's any additional safety measures that we need to enhance … to cater for the upcoming climate change challenges that we are facing,” he added.
Consultant Shawal Mohamed stressed the importance of regular emergency drills for gondola workers.
The managing director of Fusion Safety Management’s Asia Hub noted that gondola users would have gone for training and been certified, but more can be done.
He added: “The developers or the principals may want to implement another layer of verification of competency to see, in real time, can the workers adapt to the equipment comfortably, confidently?
“And most importantly, how are they responding to the emergency protocols confidently?”
Weather forecasting can help as well, he noted.
In April, the authorities issued a set of guidelines to help employers better prepare for adverse weather patterns such as strong winds, heavy rain, lightning, heatwaves and haze.
Under the guidelines, employers are encouraged to assess the risks posed by such weather conditions, considering the specific nature of their business operations, and prepare a response plan.
The authorities said employers should maintain communication with contractors to ensure readiness – something Mr Shawal stressed as well.
“Sometimes, workers feel they are subdued. They say, they are afraid to even speak up for just a bit of a sound, or maybe there's a bit of lightning and potential thunder. Now, are they free enough to have the mechanism to inform their supervisors or other stakeholders?” he questioned.
“I think this is where we need to improve, because the workers may have seen similar traits the day before, two days before, but they take it as they will just punch through.”
This information will come in handy in figuring out if work can continue for that week, said Mr Shawal.
Another consultant said contractors should conduct regular third-party inspections on gondolas to protect workers, while workers should be trained in emergency rescue operations.
“Any contractors who want to do any high-risk activities, especially using gondolas – I do think that thorough inspection is very important, especially for façade work,” said Mr Ng Yao Ming, a workplace safety and health manager at Assure Safety.
MOM said that in 2024, it conducted more than 17,000 inspections, with a focus on higher-risk industries such as construction, manufacturing and marine.
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These possible safeguards include the implementation of emergency drills and weather forecasting systems to warn workers of any unexpected weather changes ahead of time.
The call for action follows an incident on Jul 21, when two workers had to be rescued while carrying out routine facade resealant work on the 28th storey of Raffles City Tower.
The gondola they were on began tilting dangerously after the weather “suddenly changed”, said a Raffles City spokesperson.
The workers were subsequently taken to hospital and did not suffer any injuries.
MOM REGULATIONS
According to Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regulations, gondolas must be equipped with a system to prevent them from detaching or being blown away from building facades during heavy rains or strong winds, said workplace safety and health executive Lucas Tay from Scatech Engineering.
“During our onsite training, regardless of how strong the wind is or how strong the rain is, we train them to … calmly just lower the gondola or raise the gondola, depending on the approved safe escape,” he added.
If deteriorating weather conditions are expected, workers are trained to make timely decisions to descend safely, said Mr Tay.
More than 70 per cent of Housing and Development Board flats comprise 10 storeys or more, which Mr Tay said is the typical height or more for its workers to perform their job on gondolas.
MOM also requires workers to undergo relevant courses. Workers are trained to operate each specific model of gondola that they use, while every gondola installed comes with its own set of checks.
"The professional engineer has to come and design and then calculate according to the user requirements. Then once it's designed, they approve it,” said Mr Tay.
“We actually have the authorised examiner to come down to check on the gondola itself, certifying that it is safe for use (and) registering this in the MOM website. After that, then users are able to use the gondola.”
A view of a lopsided gondola on the 15th floor of Block 199 Boon Lay Drive on May 11, 2023. Two workers on the gondola, which tilted after its supports failed, were taken to hospital. (Photo: CNA/Syamil Sapari)
Mr David Ng, chairman of the civil and structural engineering technical committee at the Institute of Engineers, Singapore, noted that while Singapore is experiencing heavier storms, there are multiple safety measures in place to ensure the safety of gondola workers.
For example, there is both a cable system and a rope system in place, so that one can hold the gondola in place if the other system fails.
MOM also requires gondolas to be tested once every six months, Mr Ng pointed out.
“But of course, moving forward, I think we also still need to review whether there's any additional safety measures that we need to enhance … to cater for the upcoming climate change challenges that we are facing,” he added.
Related:
EMERGENCY DRILLS, FORECASTING
Consultant Shawal Mohamed stressed the importance of regular emergency drills for gondola workers.
The managing director of Fusion Safety Management’s Asia Hub noted that gondola users would have gone for training and been certified, but more can be done.
He added: “The developers or the principals may want to implement another layer of verification of competency to see, in real time, can the workers adapt to the equipment comfortably, confidently?
“And most importantly, how are they responding to the emergency protocols confidently?”
Weather forecasting can help as well, he noted.
In April, the authorities issued a set of guidelines to help employers better prepare for adverse weather patterns such as strong winds, heavy rain, lightning, heatwaves and haze.
Under the guidelines, employers are encouraged to assess the risks posed by such weather conditions, considering the specific nature of their business operations, and prepare a response plan.
Related:
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
The authorities said employers should maintain communication with contractors to ensure readiness – something Mr Shawal stressed as well.
“Sometimes, workers feel they are subdued. They say, they are afraid to even speak up for just a bit of a sound, or maybe there's a bit of lightning and potential thunder. Now, are they free enough to have the mechanism to inform their supervisors or other stakeholders?” he questioned.
“I think this is where we need to improve, because the workers may have seen similar traits the day before, two days before, but they take it as they will just punch through.”
This information will come in handy in figuring out if work can continue for that week, said Mr Shawal.
Another consultant said contractors should conduct regular third-party inspections on gondolas to protect workers, while workers should be trained in emergency rescue operations.
“Any contractors who want to do any high-risk activities, especially using gondolas – I do think that thorough inspection is very important, especially for façade work,” said Mr Ng Yao Ming, a workplace safety and health manager at Assure Safety.
MOM said that in 2024, it conducted more than 17,000 inspections, with a focus on higher-risk industries such as construction, manufacturing and marine.
Continue reading...