Singapore's workplace safety regulatory body will increase checks on forklift operations from July 10.

The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) occupational safety & health division said there were three fatal accidents involving forklifts in June alone, compared to four throughout 2005.

The latest incident, on June 22, killed a 30-year-old worker who was run over by a forklift while sleeping near a vehicle access road.

MOM investigations showed the forklift's handbrake was not functioning, the horn was damaged and the tyres worn out. The operator had worked for 12 hours before the incident.

In the earlier fatalities, one driver had had no formal forklift training. In the second incident, MOM preliminary investigations found no risk assessment had been conducted or safe work procedures implemented for forklift operations. There was no documentary proof the forklift operator was trained.

The MOM said it would take legal action against offenders who did not comply with regulations on safe use of forklifts.

For more information on the MOM's initiative, click here.