Singapore: A 44-year-old machine operator from Bangladesh was found not guilty in Singapore of causing the death of an Indian worker in 2020, according to media reports.
Mr Uttom was charged with committing negligent acts leading to the death of Mr Karuppaiah Selvaraj and endangering the safety of workers, The Straits Times reported on Wednesday.
The court heard Uttom was operating a shear machine at the factory at 11 Shipyard Crescent on February 24, 2020, when the accident occurred.
On January 2, Uttum was sentenced to a release equivalent to not guilty, meaning he cannot be prosecuted again for the same crime.
Last year, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced in a media alert that it had imposed a S$240,000 fine on Kim Hock, a company that processes scrap metal for export overseas, over Karuppaiah’s death.
According to the ministry, Karuppaiah had been observing the shearing machine before the accident, and Uttom was operating it through a moving panel.
“When prompted to start the machine, Mr. Uttom accidentally pressed a button, which resulted in the machine door being pressed against the machine (by Mr. Karuppaiah),” MOM issued a warning in November 2023. It was mentioned in
Mr Karuppaia was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, but an MOM investigation found that Kim Hock had failed to establish appropriate safe working procedures to manage the risks posed to its employees. became.
The company also noted that it did not ensure that all employees performing maintenance work on the machines were provided with proper training and instructions in advance.