When Pest Control Meets a Lorry: A Near‑Death Explosion
Workplace safety has suddenly become a headline topic after recent statistics show that nine months of fatal accidents alone outnumber last year’s totals. One incident that has caught everyone’s eye involves a pest exterminator who almost walked into a disaster.
Meet Mohd Alem: The “Almost‑Dead” Exterminator
Mohd Alem, a local pest control expert, grabbed the spotlight in a Facebook post on Tuesday, October 4th. He explained that an accident on August 19th forced him into emergency surgery after a lorry crashed into him while he was fogging a building.
“I lost a vertebra—just a tiny bone—that’s what the doctors say, and I almost died right on the operating table,” he recounted in Malay.
Inside the CCTV Replay
- Location: An industrial building on Woodlands Avenue 10.
- Time: 40‑second clip captures the chaos.
- What happened: While spraying fog near a car‑park gantry, classic smoke clouds erupted everywhere.
- Fatal flaw: He kept stripping back along the same path as an oncoming lorry that surged forward once the gantry lifted, colliding hard with him.
- The consequence: Alem was ripped sideways, landing with his back against the truck.
Thanks to the Internet, but the blame is still a mystery
In the comments, Alem thanked those wishing him well and admitted he couldn’t tell who was at fault. Some commenters shared their own theories.
- “All parties are wrong.” – one netizen offered a balanced view.
- Alem replied: “The driver should have stopped if there was zero visibility.”
What a whirlwind of a day for a pest control job! Still, it’s a stark reminder that even routine tasks can turn disastrous. Stay safe, folks.
Workplace Woes: Mosquito Misconceptions, Fatal Falls, and a Call for Safety
Late last week, a cheeky (and slightly ignorant) netizen quipped in Malay that “mosquitos were at fault” for a recent incident – a comment that pulled everyone’s attention to the fact that when someone’s life is lost on the job, we’re supposed to look at the hard truth, not the pest control.
August Accident – The 19th Incident
Picture this: August 19, 10:30 a.m., the police got the call. A 50‑year‑old pedestrian had taken a nasty tumble but managed to be rushed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital still conscious – a silver lining in a dark story.
Our ever‑curious reporters at AsiaOne reached out to Alem for more details, but as yet, the full scoop remains under wraps.
The Numbers that Matter – A Grim Reality for Workers
- 28 workers lost their lives in the first half of 2023, a bump of five more than the same period in 2021.
- Falls from heights and vehicular mishaps account for half of those deaths.
Case in Point: A Bangladeshi Worker and The Keppel Shipyard Tragedy
On August 22, the Keppel Shipyard in Tuas saw a chilling episode: a shore crane collapses, and a Bangladeshi worker is plunged into the sea. Not only did he meet a tragic end, but four colleagues were also injured.
SCDF’s compassion shone when, two days later, they managed to bring the 38‑year‑old’s body out of the water after a diligent search operation.
Another Tragedy – The Kranji Tow Truck Driver
A tow truck driver met an untimely demise on August 3. He was caught between a bus and a pillar at a private transport interchange in Kranji – a stark reminder that machinery and careless placement can be deadly.
Government Response – The Ministry of Manpower’s Safety Surge
Considering the uptick in workplace fatalities, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has rolled out a heightened safety period, extending from September 1 to February 28 next year. This six‑month run‑of‑the‑mill safety diligence aims to tighten the reins on workplace standards and reduce the death toll.
As a closing thought, when we read about accidents on job sites, let’s not blame mosquitoes or other cartoonish culprits. Instead, let’s focus on the real fixes: stronger safety protocols, better oversight, and a culture that never takes complacency for granted.
