Rope Access Worker Dies After 18m Fall Near Padang
A 43-year-old freelance rope access worker fell to his death from a steel tower near the Padang after his safety rope failed. The case has prompted renewed concerns over workplace safety standards in Singapore, just days after another fatal accident.
- A 43-year-old rope access worker died after his safety rope failed on 30 May near the Padang.
- MOM investigating cause of rope failure and worksite safety compliance.
- Worker was employed by Showtec International; company assisting family.
- Recent months saw several other fatal workplace accidents, including at Yishun, Joo Chiat, Tuas South, and Raffles Place.
- Workplace deaths in Singapore rose to 43 in 2024, with construction sector hardest hit.
SINGAPORE: A 43-year-old Singaporean man died on 30 May 2025 after falling from an 18m-high steel tower at a worksite near the Padang.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) confirmed that the man, a freelance industrial rope access worker, was performing abseiling work along Connaught Drive when his single anchorage rope gave way. He was taken to Singapore General Hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
MOM has launched an investigation into the rope failure and the worksite’s safety compliance. The ministry reminded companies that personnel descending tall steel towers must use appropriate fall protection systems, such as secondary independent lifelines and other suitable safety devices.
The worker was engaged by Showtec International, which described him as a rigger. The company said it is assisting his family. Riggers, according to the National Youth Council’s Discover On My Way website, are responsible for lifting equipment operations and ensuring the upkeep of such systems.
The fatality has once again cast a spotlight on workplace safety in high-risk sectors. Between February and April 2025, MOM carried out inspections at about 550 worksites. These checks led to 13 stop-work orders and more than S$375,000 in fines for safety breaches, many involving work at height.
But serious accidents have continued to occur in recent months. On 23 May, a 29-year-old Bangladeshi worker was struck and killed by a reversing tipper truck at a Housing Board site in Yishun. A 61-year-old man was arrested for causing death by rash act.
In March, a 66-year-old traffic controller died after being hit by a road roller at an SP Group site in Joo Chiat, and the operator was arrested for causing death by negligent act.
On 26 February, a 44-year-old Bangladeshi worker, Tanvir Hasan Khan, died in Tuas South when a steel beam struck his head while repairing a cargo lift.
Earlier, on 25 January, a 31-year-old Bangladeshi rigger and signalman was killed at a Raffles Place redevelopment site after falling into collapsed soil during lifting operations.
In March, MOM reported that workplace deaths rose to 43 in 2024, up from 36 in 2023. Construction, transport and storage, and marine sectors accounted for 80 per cent of the fatalities, with construction alone recording 20 deaths. Vehicular accidents were the leading cause, followed by suffocation, drowning, and structural collapses.
The workplace fatality rate climbed to 1.2 per 100,000 workers in 2024, reversing a previous downward trend.
