Worker crushed in fatal workplace accident did not follow colleague's instructions: Coroner

Straits Times

19-05-2025

Mr Ponraman Eazhumalai died in an accident on Dec 2 at the worksite for the upcoming Tengah integrated rail and bus depot. PHOTO: COURTESY OF PONRAMAN EAZHUMALAI'S FAMILY
SINGAPORE - A foreign worker who died after his chest was crushed by the machinery on a truck had not heeded his colleague's instructions regarding work processes, according to a coroner's inquiry.
His colleague, who was operating the truck then and was responsible for the workers' safety, had also not noticed Mr Ponraman Eazhumalai, 23, before he was crushed.
On May 16, Coroner Brenda Chua released her findings into the death of Indian national Mr Eazhumalai, who suffered a fatal injury on Dec 2, 2023 at a worksite along Jurong Road.
Mr Eazhumalai was an assistant pump operator at TMC Concrete Pumping Services, while his colleague, Mr Vellaisamy Saravana Kumar was a concrete pump truck operator.
They had completed their concrete casting work at about 10.50pm that night, and were preparing to retract the machinery on the truck when the accident happened.
While Mr Vellaisamy was operating the truck's control panel, he instructed Mr Eazhumalai not to remove the stabilising plates placed below the vehicle's machinery.
But when Mr Vellaisamy closed the rear right outrigger, Mr Eazhumalai collected the stabilising plate beneath it and was caught between the machinery and the truck.
When Mr Eazhumalai shouted, Mr Vellaisamy turned around and saw what had happened. He immediately opened the rear right outrigger to release Mr Eazhumalai, who walked forward and collapsed.
Whilst he was conscious and did not seem to have any severe visible injuries, he had difficulty breathing.
He was rushed to Farrer Park Hospital with a severe chest crush injury and was bleeding in both lungs. He died in hospital about 18 hours later.
During the inquiry, the company's operations manager said Mr Eazhumalai was supposed to only collect the plates after all the outriggers were retracted.
The company's safe work processes also state that the operator of the truck must also be responsible for safety in the working area when the machine is in use.
The procedure requires the operator to look at the outrigger while closing it to ensure no one is standing between the machinery and the truck.
But Mr Vellaisamy had not looked at the machinery or noticed Mr Eazhumalai, though the latter was within his visual field and wearing a bright yellow reflective vest.
At the time of the inquiry, MOM was considering taking enforcement actions against the parties involved.
However, court documents did not state exactly which parties these were.
Responding to the deceased's family members' concerns about why he was not sent to a hospital nearer the worksite, Judge Chua said he was brought to the hospital in a conscious and responsive state.
As he had survived for several hours after various medical procedures, the judge said it did not appear the longer time taken to travel to the hospital had significantly contributed to his death.
The inquiry also revealed that Mr Eazhumalai had been hit by a vehicle outside a dormitory in a separate incident on Aug 9 the same year, about three months before his death.
In that incident, he was thrown against the vehicle's windscreen and suffered abrasions on his body. He was discharged the next day with no complaints of headaches or giddiness.
Judge Chua found there was no evidence of foul play in Mr Eazhumalai's death, which was due to a work-related accident.
Christine Tan is a journalist at The Straits Times reporting on crime, justice and social issues in Singapore.
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