Originally posted by Redblood:
quoted from TODAY ...
IN THE final chapter of the Nicoll Highway trials, District Judge Valerie Thean on Friday fined Nishimatsu Construction Company's three senior executives for their acts of neglect which played a part in the tunnel collapse two years ago that claimed four lives.
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Project director Shun Sugawara was fined $120,000, while design manager Kazuo Shimada and project co-ordinator Paul Broome were fined $160,000 each. They could have been fined up to $200,000 each, jailed for up to a year, or both.
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District Judge Thean ruled that as project director, Sugawara had "the power to order a complete design review (and) to stop work" if the worksite was unsafe.
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But he had failed to note the warning signs in instrumentation readings because he was "(over-reliant) on his subordinates".
In the Hotel New World's collapse inquiry, it was found that BCD (Part of Ministry of National Development) has neglected in getting the original structural P.E. to check and verify the structural integrity and calculations of the pile foundations and superstructure of the collapse building. The pile grouping was found off-centre and certain alterations to the basement carpark was not sufficiently checked. The subsequent OTTV works gave the BCD another opportunity to check on loading of the superstructure but this was evidently not done. Whether the piles were sufficient to support the superstructure was non-conclusive in the commission of inquiry's report.
Arising from such past building and structural collapses and extensively publicized parliamentary commissions of Inquiry which was published in the book: Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the collapse of Hotel New World, one would have thought our world-class ministers and their civil servants in BCD would have taken care of future problems and implemented the necessary recommended changes to the procedures for checking and approval of structural works including temporary bracing and cofferdams around excavations in MRT works.
It is strange that despite the voluminous reports on the negligences of various parties and BCD as revealed in the Hotel New World inquiry, Minister Yeo Did not disclose to parliament why he had not followed the procedures set up by BCD as recommended by the Report of Hotel New World collapse's inquiry.
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Minister Yeo owed the public and parliament a thorough explanation why despite the earlier serious negligence BCD was still bypassing the checking procedures which was supposed to be done by a structural P.E. and a QP checker of higher experience. Was this procedure followed. Did BCD issue the approval to commence work and approval of the structural works.
There should have been an adequate cofferdam given all the past experiences with collapses of building due to the same type of excavations and presence of marine clay especially where the excavation is an 30-M deep open-cut as there is a great possibility of extensive subsidence in the surronding roads and bridges due to movement of extensive marine clay.
Such excavations in many areas around other MRT sites were seen to be causing serious subsidence and building cracks. There is no need for very extensive training in engineering to see the catastropic effect to the surrounding roads and bridges if the cofferdam was not built.
Was the cofferdam done? If only a certain smaller-scale shoring or diaphragm wall was done would it not be too flimsy. Why was this not determined by BCD was directed by the Parliament of Singapore after the report of the Hotel New World was passed through parliament? Was there a negligence or oversight on the part of minister and his senior civil servant in not applying the higher standards recommended in that report?
In fact common sense will tell anyone that when such temporary shoring was allowed in such a deep open-cut excavation over an extensive area with marine clay and dewatering likely to take place, the surrounding roads and structures might cave in. All the more because there was extensive presence of marine clay and possibility of serious dewatering, Minister Yeo and his senior civil servant should have applied the higher checking standards and passing of structural drawing by the supervisory BCD but clearly in this case everything was being pushed to the contractors to take the rap under contract. How about the engineer who committed suicide because of his fear about safety in that site prior to the final collapse. Was this case investigated as well.
The government has been upholding accountability and transparency in many of its tasks affecting controls of others and the citizens. When it comes to its own ministers and civil servants will the same standards of accountability and transparency be kept even if reported and recommended by the Commission of inquiry convened by the parliament?
She cited the example of the diaphragm wall that was found to have moved way beyond safe levels. And even though buckling sounds were heard from the holding structures at the worksite several times on the morning of the incident, the appropriate measures were not taken.
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The judge also held Sugawara responsible for the flawed monitoring of instrumentation at the worksite, thus compromising on safety.
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Shimada and Broome were ruled to be responsible for their "blind approval" of flawed designs which led to the collapse.
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Earlier, former Land Transport Authority (LTA) project director Ng Seng Yoong, 49, was fined $8,000 for failing to exercise due diligence which contributed to the collapse. He was the only LTA employee to face charges.
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Nishimatsu, the Japanese construction firm heading the project, had also been fined the maximum $200,000 under the Factories Act for failing to ensure the worksite was constructed soundly and maintained properly.
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The company released a statement late yesterday, saying it "respects the (court's) decision" and "expressed its sincere regrets to all for the inconveniences that they have faced".
Teo Xuanwei
[email protected]
was the above the real deal? i thought there was an LTA engineer that committed suicide or something like that? can someone refresh memories?
Citizens are very perplexed why after serious structural collapses in the past the ministers still cannot implement structural safety in design of buildings and MRT shoring and cofferdam works over extensive marine clay arears widely known to be prone to such dangers.