SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS
21 December 2018
Track Accident near Joo Koon MRT Station on 12 December 2018
Singapore, 21 December 2018
Track Accident near Joo Koon MRT Station on 12 December 2018
1. An accident occurred on the eastbound track near Joo Koon MRT station, early Wednesday morning (12 Dec’18) before service hours. This happened when a six-member maintenance team was preparing the maintenance train to return to the depot after completing track tamping work(1).
2. The team was conducting a brake test on the maintenance train that comprises one locomotive(2) on each side of a track tamping machine. The brake test is a necessary procedure to ensure that the locomotives and the track tamping machine are properly coupled and that the brakes are functioning before moving back to the depot. This test involves limited movement of the maintenance train.
3. Meanwhile, one of the staff was on the track to inspect for oil leaks from the maintenance train. An oil spill on the track affects the safety of train operations in the day.
4. The brake test was stopped immediately when one of the team members spotted the injured staff lying on the track. The rest of the team went forward to provide first aid to the injured staff whose right foot had been rolled over by the maintenance train. SCDF was activated and the injured staff was sent to the hospital where the lower part of his right leg was amputated. The injured staff is currently in a stable condition.
5. SMRT takes a serious view of this workplace accident. We are assisting the Ministry of Manpower’s Occupational Safety and Health Division in their investigation.
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(1) Track tamping is to ensure that the train tracks have a firm foundation to rest on.
(2) Locomotives are the prime engines to pull the whole maintenance train.