SMRT Trains and two men charged over fatal track accident
Lim Say Heng, middle, is currently out on bail. He is facing one charge of causing death by a negligent act. (Yahoo Singapore photo: Nigel Chin)
Singapore transport provider SMRT Trains Ltd was charged in the State Courts on Thursday (1 December) over the accident near Pasir Ris Station that caused the death of two trainees in March this year.
Two other men, Teo Wee Kiat, a director with SMRT and former employee Lim Say Heng were also charged in court on Thursday in relation to the incident. Lim was in charge of the work party assessing the train track during the incident.
SMRT Trains was charged under the Workplace Safety and Health Act for failing to take necessary measures to ensure the safety and heath of its employees at its workplace.
The two trainees, Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari and Nasrulhudin Najumudin were part of a team of 15 SMRT employees who were on the track to carry out maintenance works. The duo were killed by an oncoming train on 22 March 2016.
SMRT Trains facing a fine of up to S$500,000
SMRT’s Chief Technology Officer Ng Bor Kiat was in court on Thursday to receive the charge on behalf of the company. If found guilty, SMRT faces a fine of up to S$500,000. SMRT Trains will be back in court on 30 December for a pre-trial conference.
Meanwhile, Teo, 40, who, who was identified as the Director of Control Operations in the charge sheet, was charged under Section 48 (1) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act which states that “should an offence be committed by a corporate body, an officer of this body shall be guilty of the offence and be liable to be punished”.
Anyone found guilty under this Act shall be liable to a fine not more than S$200,000 or jail of up to two years, or both. Teo will be back in court on 30 December for a pre-trial conference.
According to the charge sheet, Lim was in charge of the work party accessing the train track on 22 March and had allegedly failed to ensure that the necessary safety measures were in place to make sure trains do not enter the train track while they were there.
Lim, 47, was charged for causing death by a negligent act under the Penal Code. If found guilty he may be jailed up to two years, a fine or both. Yahoo Singapore understands that Lim was sacked by SMRT in September together with the driver of the train.
He is currently out on S$15,000 bail and will be back for a pre-trial conference on 30 December.
In a press release, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said that investigations are still ongoing to determine if any other individuals may be liable for workplace safety lapses in connection with the incident.
– Additional reporting by Nigel Chin
