Their fine amounts to $153k, says the Ministry of Manpower
.jpg)
Three directors were convicted last week for housing foreign workers in overcrowded premises linked to a fatal fire incident, according to the Ministry of Manpower.
They face a total fine of $153,000 and are charged under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA). MOM has also barred them from employing foreign workers.
The three employers – Ong Lai Kar, director at Essential Clean and Care, Ong Huay Chew, director at Seng Foo Building Construction, and Koh Kok Seng, director at Bestway Cleaning Services – had housed their foreign workers at a shop house since August 2014.
A fire broke out in the early morning of 6 December 2014, resulting in the death of four workers, with several others injured.
While the cause of the fire was electrical in origin, MOM’s investigations revealed that there were 22 foreign workers residing in the shophouse, which exceeded the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s occupancy cap at the time of eight persons.
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower (work passes) regulations, employers are required to provide accommodation that comply with the statutory requirements for their foreign workers.
MOM took action against the employers for housing the workers in overcrowded premises.
MOM has also prosecuted Ong for abetting the other two employers to house their foreign workers in the overcrowded shophouse.
“Lives have been lost. Employers are legally obliged to exercise a duty of care towards their workers, and this duty cannot be simply delegated to others,” said Jeanette Har, Director of Well-Being at MOM’s Foreign Manpower Management Division.
“Employers who fail to ensure that their workers are housed in safe and proper accommodation that meets statutory requirements will be firmly taken to task.”
The relevant authorities have also taken action under the Planning Act and Fire Safety Act against the master tenant, property owner and other involved parties of the affected unit. Their cases are currently ongoing in court.
If convicted, the master tenant, property owner and other involved parties face a maximum fine of $200,000 under the Planning Act, and a fine of up to $200,000 or a jail term of up to two years or both under the Fire Safety Act
