Updated: 12/06/2012 07:54

SCDF not activated during rig accident as Sembcorp Marine could handle situation

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Sembcorp Marine has said that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was not activated when a rig accident happened at Jurong Shipyard on Monday as the company was able to handle the situation.

So only its Company Emergency Response Team was activated.

SembCorp said its criterion for SCDF activation is when there is a major fire.

For this particular rig, the last evacuation drill was carried

out in August this year.

SembCorp said it also conducts yearly joint exercises on fire and rescue operations with SCDF.

When the incident happened at 10.30am on Monday, the evacuation took about 20 minutes and another 25 minutes for head count.

All in, the entire evacuation took less than an hour - including the search for men overboard.

The accident saw 89 workers injured.

Currently, three workers are still being warded for minor injuries.