Court finds SMRT Trains liable for fatal workplace safety lapses that caused a 30-year-old officer’s death.
SMRT Trains has been fined S$240,000 for workplace safety breaches linked to the 2020 death of a technical officer at Bishan Depot. The company pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable safety measures as required under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
On March 23, 2020, Muhammad Afiq Senawi, 30, was operating a hydraulic press machine (HPM) when a misalignment triggered a catastrophic failure. A spacer rod weighing almost 3kg was propelled from the machine due to internal pressure buildup, striking Mr Afiq in the face and chest. Despite emergency aid and hospitalisation, he succumbed to his injuries at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Court documents revealed that the accident occurred because an old component was not removed before the machine was activated. The rod was not secured, breaching basic machine safety protocols.
Pressure Gauge Omission Played Key Role
The Ministry of Manpower investigation found that SMRT Trains failed to reinstall a pressure gauge, a safety feature explicitly required in the HPM’s operation manual. The gauge had been dismantled for calibration in 2018 but never reinstalled.
Without the gauge, Mr Afiq had no visibility of abnormal pressure levels during the machine’s operation. Prosecutor Kimberly Boo emphasized that this omission deprived operators of critical insight into mechanical stress buildup—contributing directly to the accident.
SMRT’s Past Safety Record Questioned
Though SMRT’s defence called the incident an “extreme scenario” and highlighted the company’s low injury rates and a 20-year safety record with the machine, the court reviewed five prior convictions for safety breaches between 2010 and 2020.
These included the 2016 rail accident that killed two workers and a 2018 incident that led to a worker’s leg amputation. In both cases, SMRT was fined S$400,000 and S$230,000 respectively. Judge Ong Hian Sun noted the pattern of offences, warranting a firm response.
The court further found that SMRT failed to limit the pressure settings on the machine, exposing workers to unnecessary force. It also did not ensure proper interlocking of machine components, which increased the likelihood of parts becoming dislodged during use.
Despite having internal records documenting the damaged pressure gauge and its removal, the engineering maintenance team failed to follow up, leaving a critical safety hazard unaddressed for over two years.
Tragic Aftermath and Wider Safety Concerns
Mr Afiq had reportedly planned to get married in 2020. His death was later ruled an “unfortunate misadventure” by the coroner. However, another fatal SMRT depot incident occurred in 2021, when a 43-year-old technician was crushed by a bus at Ang Mo Kio Depot.
These incidents point to systemic issues in operational safety that industry experts say must be addressed through better safety protocols and engineering controls, especially in high-risk maintenance environments.
The S$240,000 fine against SMRT Trains reflects Singapore’s stance on employer accountability in workplace safety. As the country continues to uphold rigorous safety standards, this case underscores the critical need for proactive maintenance, enforcement of safety measures, and accountability at all levels—to ensure such tragedies are not repeated.
Sources: Must Share News (2025), The Straits Times (2025)
Keywords: SMRT Safety Violation, Bishan Depot Death, Hydraulic Machine Failure, Court Fine Singapore, Workplace Accident
