SINGAPORE, June 17 — The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is appealing against the sentence imposed on PSA Singapore following a fatal workplace accident in 2017 that claimed the life of a worker during maintenance work at Keppel Terminal.

According to The Straits Times, the port operator had earlier been fined S$225,000 (RM714,250) after being convicted under the Workplace Safety and Health Act for failing to ensure the safety and health of its employees at work.

MOM filed its appeal on June 15, seeking a higher penalty. During earlier proceedings, the prosecution had pushed for a fine between S$300,000 and S$350,000.

In written submissions, MOM prosecutor Delvinder Singh described the incident as a “tragic and entirely preventable death”, arguing it occurred due to what he said were systemic safety failures by PSA.

PSA has also filed an appeal against both its conviction and sentence.

The fatal incident took place on September 20, 2017, when PSA technical specialist Lee Swee Loong, 29, instructed a colleague to operate a crane at varying speeds while he inspected its gearbox and hoist system for abnormal noises.

During the operation, the colleague noticed a black object fall from the trolley platform above the operator’s cabin and immediately stopped the crane.

Attempts to contact Lee via walkie-talkie were unsuccessful. When the colleague climbed up to the platform, he found Lee trapped between the rope drum and a nearby platform adjacent to the motor housing.

Lee was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy found he suffered injuries consistent with being crushed by rotating machinery.

Court documents showed PSA had failed to implement adequate safety controls to prevent workers from being exposed to rotating crane parts during maintenance.

It also did not establish proper safe work procedures for the specific crane configuration involved in the incident.

In court, the prosecution said the risk of harm was “reasonably foreseeable”, adding that workers regularly accessed a narrow, oil-stained 23cm platform that was essential for inspecting the machinery.

However, PSA did not introduce tailored procedures for the crane design, instead relying on generalised guidelines that covered multiple models.

The prosecution also noted that employees were often forced to improvise during maintenance due to gaps in safety protocols.

PSA vice-president Phinehas Tan testified that Lee was a careful worker with no prior safety breaches, a point highlighted by the prosecution as adding weight to the employer’s culpability.

PSA was convicted after a 33-day trial and sentenced on June 4.

In a statement to The Straits Times, the company said it had fully cooperated with investigators and expressed condolences to the victim’s family.

“Ensuring the safety, health and welfare of persons at work is fundamental to everything we do,” the company said, adding that workplace safety remains a priority across its operations.

“We deeply regret the incident and extend our sincere condolences to the family of our deceased colleague.”