They had no training - but submitted the cards 30 to 40 times over four months
Two construction workers in Singapore have been jailed for using forged safety cards at worksites where they had no training to work.
The District Court convicted both men on October 29, 2026, after finding each had knowingly submitted a fake certification card to a main contractor to perform hazardous work - one in confined spaces, the other as a rigger and signalman.
Both were employed by WLK Engineering Pte Ltd and deployed to projects sub-contracted through Sam Lain Equipment Services Pte Ltd.
The first worker was assigned to a gas pipe laying project at Jurong Pier Road between June and September 2021. The role required a Perform Work in Confined Space Operation card. He did not have one - because he had never done the training. His supervisor handed him a forged card bearing the name of an accredited training provider, and he used it. In a statement to the Ministry of Manpower, he admitted submitting the card to the worksite attendant 30 to 40 times across four months.
The second worker was deployed to pipe laying along Mountbatten Road from October 2020 to January 2021. He needed a rigger and signalman card. Same story: no training, no legitimate card. The same supervisor gave him a forged one. He signed off as a rigger and signalman on multiple occasions. The training provider named on his card confirmed it had never even offered a course by that title.
At trial, both tried to walk back their earlier admissions. Both claimed the supervisor handled all the paperwork and never personally submitted the cards. Both said they only realised the cards were forged after attending legitimate courses later.
The court called those defences “afterthoughts” designed to shift blame to the supervisor - who left Singapore in February 2022 and never returned.
Under Singapore’s Workplace Safety and Health Act, employers and principal contractors must ensure workers hold valid safety certifications before assigning them to hazardous roles. Specific regulations require completed training before anyone can be appointed to confined space work or rigging and signalling duties.
The court found no one was actually hurt, but the potential harm was high. Untrained workers in confined spaces face oxygen deficiency, toxic atmosphere, fire and explosion risks. Untrained riggers and signalmen put entire lifting teams at risk.
On culpability, both workers sat at the lower end. They had not procured the forged cards themselves and acted out of fear of losing their work permits - not greed. Still, jail time was warranted.
Each received seven days’ imprisonment. The prosecution had sought 10 to 14 days. The defence asked for a S$5,000 fine instead.
Both are appealing and remain on bail.
For HR teams overseeing contractor workforces in construction and heavy industry, the duty to verify safety credentials sits with the employer and the principal - not the worker. When that check fails, the compliance gap starts further up the chain than the courtroom.
The decision is subject to appeal. No final appellate ruling has been made.
