Tuesday, November 2, 2010

WARNING! Danger for Bus Passengers at the Singapore CIQ

Thousands of bus passengers use the Woodlands CIQ on the way to Johor.
This is what happened to one passenger yesterday.
I was on my way back to JB and had disembarked from the Johor-Singapore Express at about 11:15am.
There is a wide covered walkway for bus passengers leading to the escalators for Immigration clearance. Across the walkway is a small drain maybe 35mm deep and 60mm wide and this is covered with a perforated metal grating in sections about 70cm long just resting on the drain.
Yesterday I stepped on a cover, most likely at the end and the section lifted slightly causing an elderly lady to trip. I had already stepped off the cover but I heard the sound and just saw her falling forward.
Luckily she managed to use her arm to prevent her head from striking the ground but her spectacles flew off.
A few fellow passengers helped her get on her feet and fortunately she was not badly hurt and her specs were not damaged in the fall. I am sure she is feeling sore today. The plucky lady reassured us she was OK and thanked us for helping her and I apologised to her for the accident.
A duty policeman was approached and told of the incident. He advised that the danger of the gratings had already been reported and advised me to write an official complaint.
I would have expected that the officer in charge of public safety would have taken some safety measures to prevent a recurrence.
There are 2 ways to do this:
1.Remove the small drain completely with a small gradient on the floor to prevent ponding. This is the safest solution.
2.Secure each of the gratings with 2 conceaed/recessed rawl bolts.

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