Source: Government of Singapore
Singapore, 18 November 2025 – The National Environment Agency (NEA) has pleaded guilty to a charge under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, in relation to an explosion that took place at the Tuas Incineration Plant (TIP) on 23 September 2021.
2 The incident claimed the lives of two NEA officers and injured another officer. NEA deeply regrets the loss of our two long-serving NEA officers. Even after four years, their absence continues to be deeply felt, and their contributions will be remembered. We are thankful that the officer who suffered injuries has since recovered and returned to work. The three officers were the most senior and experienced members of the Electrical Maintenance Branch of TIP at the time and had nearly 120 years of experience in electrical maintenance work between them. TIP has since been decommissioned and is undergoing demolition.
3 NEA takes responsibility for the shortcomings cited in the charge, in relation to our Permit-to-Work system, control measures, and safe work procedures for high voltage work at TIP at the time of the incident. We accept the fine imposed by the Court. Legal proceedings are still ongoing for two NEA officers in relation to this case. We will work with the Ministry to study the Court’s findings and assess how they should be reflected on personnel matters as appropriate, after the cases have concluded.
4 Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) is and will always remain our top priority at NEA. The incident is a poignant reminder that we can and must continue to do better to keep our staff and stakeholders safe. Beyond addressing the shortcomings cited in the charge, NEA has taken steps to strengthen workplace safety practices and culture at our waste management facilities and across the organisation.
5 To strengthen safety at all our waste management facilities, NEA is advised by a Waste Management Facility External Advisory Panel (EAP) comprising senior industry leaders who have experience managing large facilities and operations. NEA has also set up a dedicated unit to drive safety and continuous improvement, as well as appointed an external consultant to benchmark and recommend further improvements to safety systems and processes at our waste management facilities. Over the past few years, NEA has introduced various initiatives to strengthen safety capabilities, training, and culture at these facilities, working alongside our union leaders and contractors.
6 At the organisational level, the NEA Board was restructured in 2023 to include a dedicated Risk Committee to oversee and manage key enterprise risks, including workplace safety which is a top priority for the organisation. The NEA Board also includes members with experience in workplace safety and health. NEA set up a dedicated WSH division in 2024 to drive stronger WSH practices and culture at all levels, and NEA obtained bizSAFE level 4 certification this year.
7 NEA is committed to continually improve WSH in all aspects of the organisation to safeguard the safety and well-being of all our staff and stakeholders, and to prevent such an incident from happening again. NEA regrets that we had fallen short of the high standards we set for ourselves and the expectations of the public. We will strive to put in our utmost efforts to do better in the future.
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