Underwater World hit with $105,000 fine over safety lapses
Underwater World Singapore (UWS) was fined $105,000 yesterday over lapses in safety measures that investigators found after a stingray fatally stung one of its divers in 2016.
Among other things, the now defunct Sentosa attraction had failed to provide adequate recovery procedures in emergencies during diving operations.
It had also failed to implement a system to document checks on diving equipment before use.
UWS, which was owned by Haw Par Leisure and ceased operating in June 2016, had been convicted of an offence under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
UWS admitted in a district court in January that it had failed to take necessary measures to ensure its workers' safety.
The court, however, heard that the lapses had not resulted in Mr Chan Kum Weng's death. The 62-year-old had been working for UWS for 25 years.
The attraction appointed him to plan and execute the capturing of marine animals before and after it shut down.
Mr Chan and his colleagues were trying to catch a leopard ray at around 2.30pm on Oct 4, 2016, when it suddenly attacked him.
A venomous barb on its tail pierced his chest. Mr Chan was taken to Singapore General Hospital, where he died at around 3.30pm that day.
The cause was a "penetrating injury to the chest by a stingray barb".
On March 1, 2017, then State Coroner Marvin Bay found Mr Chan's death to be a tragic misadventure.
Following the tragedy, investigations revealed UWS did not document the safe work procedures for capture of marine animals.
Ministry of Manpower prosecutor Mohd Rizal had earlier said: "The said activity was mainly undertaken by (Mr Chan) and he would plan and execute the capturing works, which included briefing on the capturing methods he had devised, the allocation of manpower required, equipment needed and the foreseeable risks and precautions to take during capturing.
"Investigations further revealed that no standby diver was appointed in the case of an emergency... Should a diver encounter an emergency situation, such as loss of consciousness, it would not be picked up by the buddy diver immediately as there was no line of sight or any form of lifeline provided."
For committing the offence, UWS could have been fined up to $500,000.
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
