Must a falling-object incident be reported?
Often, yes, and possibly to two agencies. If a member of the public is injured by work activity and taken to hospital, the occupier must notify MOM as soon as reasonably practicable; a death also needs an incident report within 10 days. If an exterior feature of a building falls and injures someone or damages other property, the person responsible must notify BCA within 6 hours under the Building Control (Reportable Matters) Regulations 2025.
From the RRD Field Guide, checked against the sources cited in Preventing Falling Objects in Singapore: Worksites, Façades and Rope Access. General information, not advice for your project.
The fuller picture
In Singapore, preventing falling objects is a legal duty shared by the occupier, the employer and the principal. On worksites the occupier must provide adequate overhead protection, scaffolds need toe-boards of at least 90 mm and overlay nets, and debris must go down chutes, not over the edge. Breaches carry fines of up to S$50,000 and two years' jail. Owners must also keep exterior features securely fixed.
More questions on this topic
- Do the Work at Heights Regulations require toe-boards?
- Is tool tethering mandatory in Singapore?
- How big should an exclusion zone below work at height be?
- Who is liable if something falls from a building onto a passer-by?
- What are the latest MOM statistics on struck-by-falling-objects injuries?
- Does an MCST have duties when contractors work on the façade?
- What rope access rules help prevent falling objects?