Public Prosecutor v. Adam bin Mohamed Noor: Workplace Safety and Health Act Violation
In Public Prosecutor v. Adam bin Mohamed Noor, the High Court of Singapore allowed the appeal by the Public Prosecutor against the acquittal of Adam bin Mohamed Noor by the District Judge. Adam bin Mohamed Noor was charged under section 15(3A) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act for a negligent act that endangered the safety of workers, resulting in the death of Mr. Asogan s/o Suparamaniam, who was electrocuted during the decommissioning of a substation. The High Court found that the District Judge erred in acquitting the Accused and convicted Adam bin Mohamed Noor of the charge, sentencing him to ten months' imprisonment.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
General Division of the High Court1.2 Outcome
Appeal Allowed
1.3 Case Type
Criminal
1.4 Judgment Type
Grounds of Decision
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
Adam bin Mohamed Noor was convicted under the Workplace Safety and Health Act for negligence leading to a worker's electrocution during substation decommissioning.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Prosecutor | Appellant | Government Agency | Appeal Allowed | Won | Gregory Gan of Attorney-General’s Chambers A M Mohamed Riasudeen of Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Adam bin Mohamed Noor | Respondent | Individual | Convicted | Lost |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Vincent Hoong | Judge | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Gregory Gan | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| A M Mohamed Riasudeen | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Mumtaj Banu d/o Abdul Kalam Azad | Abdul Rahman Law Corporation |
| Yamuna d/o Balakrishnan | Abdul Rahman Law Corporation |
4. Facts
- The Accused was a technical officer at SP PowerGrid Ltd.
- The Accused supervised electrical works relating to the decommissioning of a substation.
- The Deceased was electrocuted while decommissioning an electrical cable.
- The Accused was charged with doing a negligent act at work.
- The Accused allowed workers to carry out electrical works unsupervised.
- The Incident Cable became re-energized while the Deceased was handling it.
- SPPG pleaded guilty to a charge under s 12(2) read with s 20 and punishable under s 50(b) of the WSHA.
5. Formal Citations
- Public Prosecutor v Adam bin Mohamed Noor, , [2024] SGHC 25
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Electrocution incident occurred at Kranji No 5 substation | |
| SPPG pleaded guilty to a charge under s 12(2) read with s 20 and punishable under s 50(b) of the WSHA | |
| Hearing date | |
| Hearing date | |
| Judgment date |
7. Legal Issues
- Negligence
- Outcome: The court found that the Accused was negligent in his duties, leading to the electrocution and death of the Deceased.
- Category: Substantive
8. Remedies Sought
- Conviction
- Imprisonment
9. Cause of Actions
- Negligence
- Violation of Workplace Safety and Health Act
10. Practice Areas
- Criminal Law
- Workplace Safety
- Negligence
11. Industries
- Energy
- Construction
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mao Xuezhong v Public Prosecutor | High Court | Yes | [2020] 5 SLR 580 | Singapore | Cited for the sentencing framework for offences under s 15(3A) of the WSHA |
| Public Prosecutor v Wee Teong Boo and other appeal and another matter | Court of Appeal | No | [2020] 2 SLR 533 | Singapore | Cited regarding the prejudice to the Accused in framing an amended charge |
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Workplace Safety and Health Act (Cap 354A, 2009 Rev Ed) | Singapore |
| Workplace Safety and Health Act s 15(3A) | Singapore |
| Workplace Safety and Health Act s 5(1) | Singapore |
| Workplace Safety and Health Act s 12(2) | Singapore |
| Workplace Safety and Health Act s 20 | Singapore |
| Workplace Safety and Health Act s 50(b) | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Decommissioning
- Electrocution
- Substation
- Workplace Safety and Health Act
- Negligence
- Electrical Works
- De-energised
- Re-energised
- LV Board
- OG Box
15.2 Keywords
- Workplace Safety and Health Act
- Electrocution
- Negligence
- Substation
- SP PowerGrid
- Decommissioning
- Singapore
- Criminal Law
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Workplace Safety and Health Act | 90 |
| Statutory offences | 80 |
| Criminal Law | 75 |
| Sentencing | 70 |
| Criminal Procedure | 70 |
| Appeals | 65 |
| Work Injury Compensation | 60 |
16. Subjects
- Workplace Safety
- Criminal Law
- Occupational Health
- Electrical Safety