04

WORKPLACE INJURIES AND FATALITIES ROSE IN FIRST HALF OF 2014

02

XX WORLD CONGRESS ON SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK 2014

07

CRAWLER CRANE SAFETY

DECEMBER 2014

S A F E T Y + H E A L T H I N V O L V E S E V E R Y O N E

The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH)Council was established on 1 April 2008 to raise the workplace safety and health standards in Singapore. The Council comprises 18 leaders from the major industry sectors, the Government, unions and professionals from the legal, insurance and academic fields. The Council’s key thrusts are to build industry capabilities to better manage WSH, to promote safety and health at work, to recognise companies with good WSH records and to set acceptable WSH practices. There are seven industry committees focusing on the areas of construction and landscaping, healthcare, logistics and transport, marine works, chemical, metalworking, manufacturing and hospitality and entertainment. Three functional committees have also been formed to identify, champion and implement initiatives in the areas of engagement and outreach, workplace health and industry capability building.

SHINE is a quarterly newsletter on workplace safety and health issues.

For contributions, feedback or more information, please e-mail

WSHC_SHINE@wshc.sg

PUBLISHERWorkplace Safety and Health Council

ADDRESS1500 Bendemeer Road,

#04-01 MOM Services CentreSingapore 339946

No part of this publication may be

reproduced or transmitted in any form or

by any means without the prior written

permission of the publisher.

Singapore to Host the XXI World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in 2017 Singapore shared its vision for sustainable prevention

and the Vision Zero movement at the XX World Congress

on Safety and Health at Work. Held from 24 to 27 August

2014 in Frankfurt, Germany, this Congress marks the

20th time that the event has been held.

Over the course of the Congress, industry and government representatives from Singapore participated in various talks and presentations on safety and health, as well as the judging panel for poster exhibitions and a cinema showcase. A booth showcasing Singapore and its achievements in occupational safety and health (OSH) was also set up. The International Media Festival on Prevention 2014 also took place as part of the World Congress. Three Singapore films were shortlisted, with the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council’s TV commercial, “This Could Be You” winning the coveted International Media Award under the Film category alongside five other winning entries.

Speaking at the closing ceremony on 27 August 2014, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (SPS) for Manpower and Education, Mr Hawazi Daipi reaffirmed the importance of embarking on the Vision Zero movement. Vision Zero requires the adoption of a mindset that all injuries and ill-health arising from work are preventable. For it to succeed, a paradigm shift is required at every level of an organisation. Rather than finding fault, far more can be achieved with preventive measures in safety and health. He stressed that this can only be achieved with everyone’s cooperation.

The Singapore Experience

SPS highlighted that Singapore takes OSH seriously to ensure that workers return home safely every day. Instilling safety and health consciousness and practices is important and requires strong commitment by the government, employers and workers.

He noted that the economic cost of work-related injury and illness was equivalent to 3.2% of Singapore’s GDP in 2011, according to a study by the Singapore’s WSH Institute. SPS added that good safety and health management makes business sense as it reduces costs, increases productivity and enhances corporate reputation.

While Singapore has made encouraging progress in safety and health over the past decade, it is committed to further build on its success.

Next stop: Singapore 2017

In closing, SPS announced that the next World Congress on Safety and Health at Work will be held in Singapore in 2017. The Congress, which

will be hosted in Southeast Asia for the first time, will focus on the shift towards Vision Zero.

He then invited the delegates to meet again in Singapore to share insights with one another and work towards taking concrete actions to realise Vision Zero globally.

The World Congress on Safety and Health at Work is an international platform for policymakers, employers, union representatives, OSH experts and practitioners to discuss and brainstorm ideas on safety and health.

About the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work

Close to 4,000 participants from over 140 countries attended the XX World Congress on Safety and Health at Work. Participants include representatives from the German Social Accident Insurance; International Social Security Association (ISSA) and International Labour Organization (ILO). Working with the ILO and ISSA, it aims to develop programmes and initiatives to improve safety and health in workplaces across the globe.

The next Congress will be held at the Marina Bay Sands – Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore from 3 to 6 September 2017.

For more information, visit www.safety2017singapore.com

Participants at the XX World Congress on Safety and Health at Work.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary (Education and Manpower), Mr Hawazi Daipi giving his closing speech. Group photo of the Singapore delegation at the XX World Congress on Safety and Health at Work.

2 STRATEGIC STRIDES 3STRATEGIC STRIDES

4

CONSTRUCTION REMAINS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN

The construction sector accounted for most (57%) workplace fatalities and remains a cause for concern. 17 fatalities occurred in the first half of 2014, up from 11 last year. The three traditionally higher risk sectors (construction, marine and manufacturing) accounted for 73% of workplace fatalities. Fatalities in the logistics and transport sub-sector doubled to six cases in the first half of 2014 (see Figure 2).

FALLS REMAIN LEADING CAUSE OF FATALITIES

Falls, struck by moving objects, caught in/between objects and crane-related accidents were the most common causes of workplace fatalities. Falls was the leading incident type with nine cases. There were four cases of struck by moving objects and three fatal crane-related incidents in the first half of 2014 (see Figure 3).

To view the WSH Statistics Report Jan - Jun 2014 in full, visit www.wshc.sg/wshstatistics

73%

Marine ManufacturingConstruction

27%

Other sectors include transportation and storage, cleaning

and landscape maintenance activities, etc.

According to the latest statistical report from the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Institute, workplace injuries and fatalities rose in the first half of 2014, increasing by 14% and 20% respectively as compared to the same period in 2013.

30 workers lost their lives at their workplaces in the first half of 2014, up from 25 during the same period last year. Major injuries also edged up to 279, from 273 in 2013.

There were four fatalities due to work-related traffic accidents in the first half of 2014, compared to 11 in 2013. Occupational disease cases also dropped by 11% (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Number of workplace injuries and work-related traffic injuries and occupational diseases, 2013 and 2014p.

(2014P : 2014 figures are preliminary)

Figure 2: Breakdown of fatalities by sectors.

2014p 2013 2013

Workplace Injuries 6,314 5,547 11,901

Fatal Injuries 30 25 59

Major Injuries 279 273 589

Minor Injuries 6,005 5,249 11,253

Work-related Traffic Injuries

253 - -

Fatal Injuries 4 11 14

Major Injuries 25 - -

Minor Injuries 224 - -

Occupational Diseases 423 474 887

As at end of June

IN FIRST HALF OF 2014

Overall Workplace Injuries Improve WSH Standardsand Fatalities Rose

MAJOR AND MINOR INJURIES MAINLY DUE TO SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS

The three traditionally higher risk sectors accounted for 54% of major injuries, with construction registering an increase from 71 cases in the first half of 2013 to 84 over the same period in 2014. Non-traditional sectors* also saw more major injuries, from 38 to 50 cases over the same period in 2014.

Minor injuries increased to 6,005 in the first half of 2014, up from 5,249. The manufacturing sector remained the highest contributor (23%) of minor injuries while the construction sector recorded a 29% increase – from 1,045 cases in the first half of 2013 to 1,346 over the same period in 2014. Slips, trips and falls, which contributed the bulk of both major (30%) and minor (23%) injuries in the first half of 2014, remained as the top incident type.

DECREASE IN FATAL INJURIES ARISING FROM WORK-RELATED TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

Work-related traffic fatalities in the transportation and storage sector dropped from four to two, but remained as the main contributor of work-related traffic fatalities. Out of four work-related traffic fatalities in the first half of 2014, motorcycles were the most common vehicle involved.

The construction sector has seen a poor workplace safety and health (WSH) record in the first half of 2014, with 17 fatalities as compared to 11 during the same period in 2013. During the Singapore Contractors Association Ltd’s (SCAL) campaign targeted at the construction sector on 3 July 2014, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (SPS) for Education and Manpower, Mr Hawazi Daipi called for greater industry ownership of WSH outcomes.

SPS Calls For Proactive Approach To

At the event, SPS highlighted that eight workers lost their lives in January 2014 alone and expressed his concern on the possibility of a higher fatality and major injury rate in 2014 as compared to 2013. He emphasised how accidents can be easily avoided if companies had put in place basic preventive measures or if safety procedures had been followed.

Findings from enforcement operation

SPS also shared findings from “Operation Peacock” – an enforcement operation carried out by inspectors from the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Occupational Safety and Health Division which covered worksites in landed properties. The Operation, which was conducted in April 2014, found 280 WSH violations related to work at heights, scaffolding and electrical lapses on 144 worksites of 127 companies.

Fines totalling over $110,000 were issued to errant companies as a result. The Ministry of Manpower also issued four stop-work orders, with three lasting more than 20 days. SPS then reiterated MOM’s plans to enhance the deterrence framework and take tougher action against irresponsible stakeholders who continue to put workers at risk.

New help initiatives

SPS also shared WSH initiatives to help industry build up its WSH capabilities. MOM, WSH Council and relevant associations will be organising a series of Work at Heights Clinics while the Safety Compliance Assistance Visits have been doubled to 1,600 visits and extended to other companies beyond the construction sector.

SPS then urged a proactive approach towards better WSH outcomes. He said, “Each and every one of us is responsible for safety and health, and the slightest slip-up in WSH could mean dire consequences for our worker, our company and the people around us. We need to come together, work together and move together to improve our WSH standards and achieve excellence.”

About the SCAL campaign

Close to 300 participants from the construction industry witnessed the launch of the Construction Safety, Health and Security Campaign held at the Employment and Employability Institute. Organised by SCAL, the campaign is a joint effort with various government bodies and professional institutions to raise WSH standards through sharing of good practices and latest WSH issues.

To find out more, visit www.wshc.sg/newsroom

• SCAL – Rally your members to work together towards the common goal of improving WSH standards.

• Employers – Promote WSH throughout the entire supply chain – from workers to subcontractors – and influence them to adhere to good WSH practices.

SPS’ ACTION CALL TO STAKEHOLDERS• Employees – Avoid being at risk just to save time or for

convenience. Be vigilant for your personal safety and health as well as that of your co-workers.

• Developers – Address WSH risks before construction begins and factor in WSH performance when selecting your contractors.

*Non-tradional sectors include water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, wholesale and retail trade and logistics and transport.

Figure 3: Top four incident types for fatalities.

FallsStruck by

moving objectsCaught in/

between objects Crane-related

2013 7 07 2Jan - Jun

2014 9 34 3Jan - Jun

4 STRATEGIC STRIDES 5EVENTS

Is Here Again!

Annual bizSAFE Convention

The

CRAWLER CRANE SAFETY Find out more at www.workwise.sg/betterworkplaces

Wire ropesnapped

Load strikesbuilding structure

WHAT ACCIDENTS CAN POOR CRANE SAFETY LEAD TO?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE COMMON CRANE SAFETY LAPSES ARE?

All lifting operations involving cranes must be planned carefully, and carried out according to the Lifting Plan. The factors to consider include:

MACHINE MATERIAL MEDIUMMAN METHODSelection of appropriate

crane – Is the crane capacity sufficient?

Competency, roles and responsibilities of personnel

involved in the lifting operation.

The load that is intended to be lifted (e.g. weight, dimension,

centre of gravity).

Planning and procedures for the lifting operation, such as the development

and implementation of the lifting plan,safe work procedures and permit to lift.

The environment in which the lifting operation is to be carried out, including the stability of the crane.

Did you know? Crane operations are not a “one-man operation”. A lifting team comprises a group of trained personnel who are appointed to make sure the lifting operation is safe.

Tilted crane Bent or buckled crane boomDamaged or

kinked wires

Damaged lifting hook safety latches

Failure to deploysignallers and riggers

Defective safetydevices

Unauthorisedmodifications

Failure to properly develop a Lifting Plan

Crane positionedon uneven or unstable ground

Themed “A safer and healthier workplace for everyone”, the bizSAFE Convention 2015 will feature speakers sharing their insights on the importance of workplace safety and health (WSH) for business success. Business owners, employers and employees will also be able to learn how they can leverage on the bizSAFE programme to build their WSH capabilities.

Held for the 7th year, the event will include complimentary bizSAFE Level 1 workshops and site visits. Equipment suppliers and safety solutions providers will also be present to showcase the latest WSH products and services.

Date: Thursday, 5 February 2015Venue: Max Atria @ Singapore ExpoTime: 9:00am to 4:00pm

Register online at www.wshc.sg For more information on bizSAFE, visit www.wshc.sg/bizsafe

Raising Standards and QualitySINGAPORE CRANE FAIR 2014:

Close to 2,000 participants attended the inaugural Singapore Crane Fair from 28 to 30 September 2014. This was the first time that the industry and key stakeholders such as the Singapore Crane Association, Singapore Contractors Association Ltd, Building and Construction Authority, Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the International Cranes and Specialized Transport have collaborated to organise the Crane Fair – comprising a crane carnival, symposium and conference – to reach out to different stakeholders on recent developments and good practices in the crane industry.

Day 1: Crane Carnival Singapore

The 3-day Fair opened with the Crane Carnival, which saw over 1,500 crane industry workers and their families, and potential employees learn more about the crane industry. Held at the Institute of Technical Education College Central, the event featured hands-on workshops, competitions and massive crane displays that showcased the professionalism of the workforce.

Guest-of-honour, Chairman of the WSH Council-led National Crane Safety Taskforce, Mr Mohamed Abdul Akbar highlighted key findings and recommendations from a study on past crawler cranes incidents. The study found that machine failures were the main contributing factor of crawler crane-related incidents; and were mostly due to the breakdown of load bearing crane components and malfunctioning safety devices caused by poor maintenance. Other contributing factors include poor implementation of lifting plans, unsafe manoeuvres of cranes, irresponsible crane operators, and lifting loads that exceed the safe working load.

Day 2: Crane Safety Symposium

The second day of the Fair was held at the Suntec City Convention Centre where more than 400 participants attended the Crane Safety Symposium. Organised by the WSH Council and MOM, the Symposium opened with a dialogue session with three CEOs from the industry who shared their experiences in working with lifting machines and conducting lifting operations.

Speakers from MOM also shared findings from “Operation Goldcrest” – an enforcement operation conducted in July and August 2014 targeting unsafe lifting practices and crane operations in the construction sector. Following the operation, 79 firms were fined or issued non-compliance notices for crane-related safety violations.

CEOs pledge their commitment to WSH

Mr Akbar also shared that there were three crane-related fatalities from January to June this year, compared to zero over the same period in 2013. He emphasised that strong collaboration among all stakeholders, including the government and industry, is necessary to improve WSH outcomes.

At the event, 13 CEOs of crane companies also pledged to uphold WSH as a core value in their organisation and be committed to the safety, health and wellbeing of their workers.

Mr Akbar then called for all stakeholders to take necessary measures to ensure that workers go home safe and healthy each day. Everyone has a role to play, he added, and urged a concerted drive towards zero crane-related accidents.

Day 3: International Cranes and Transport Asia Pacific Conference

The Crane Fair concluded with the International Cranes and Transport Asia Pacific Conference where topics, such as the latest industry practices, training, WSH regulations, were discussed at length. Close to 200 local and overseas delegates attended this conference organised by the International Cranes and Specialized Transport and KHL Group at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel.

Keynote speaker, Chief Asia Economist at IHS, Mr Rajiv Biswas, shared the economic outlook of the international arena for the upcoming years. Mr Akbar also shared insights on Singapore’s crane safety landscape and WSH efforts by the industry.

For more information on the Crane Fair, visit www.wshc.sg/newsroom

77EVENTS6 EVENTS

STUDENTS LEARN WSH ISSUES THROUGH VISIT

Forklift Driving Skills Competition Highlights Importance of Safety

To educate and instil workplace safety and health (WSH) values in the young, the WSH Council has engaged various tertiary institutions since 2011 as part of the Pre-Employment Training (PET) initiative.

Under the PET initiative, the WSH Council recently hosted 25 students from the Temasek Polytechnic (TP)’s Business School on 12 September 2014. The students were under the Structured Human Resource

ABOUT THE PET INITIATIVEThe Pre-Employment Training (PET) initiative allows students from institutes of higher learning (IHLs) to gain knowledge and practical skills in the industry through platforms such as classroom-based learning and industrial attachments. The WSH Council supports this initiative by engaging students on WSH issues through forums and learning sessions. Since the launch of the initiative in 2011, the WSH Council has engaged six national universities*, five polytechnics, Institute of Technical Education and Ministry of Education.

Internship Programme developed by TP and the Singapore National Employers Federation to help TP students majoring in Diploma in Business gain insights into Singapore’s human resources issues and practices.

During the visit, the students were introduced to the WSH Council’s programmes such as bizSAFE and CultureSAFE. They also took part in fun-filled and interactive activities highlighting the importance of WSH. These include playing charades using safety slogans, solving safety puzzles, testing their knowledge on the contents of a first aid kit, and spotting work hazards in various photographs.

The lessons learnt and ideas shared during the visit provided students with a better understanding on safety and health issues that will help prepare them when they start work in future.

1ST Mr Ryan Teow Kai Meng (ITE College East)

2ND Mr Arunkumar Prasanth Kumar (Sankyu Singapore Ltd)

3RD Mr Lim Kean Kie (Dawn Shipping & Transport Co Pte Ltd)

WINNERS

Students from the ITE’s Logistics for International Trade course and forklift operators from logistics companies competed against each other to win the top prize. Families, friends, management and staff from ITE College East and representatives from the industry and Workplace Safety and Health Council were also there to lend their support to the participants.

Aside from theoretical assessment, participants had to demonstrate their practical skills in manoeuvring the forklifts safely with speed and accuracy during the challenges. The crowd went into a frenzy when two teams representing ITE College East and industry were tasked to stack loads onto a 4-tiered high rack. After a high-spirited 2-hour competition, Mr Ryan Teow Kai Meng from ITE College East emerged as the winner.

At the 1-day event, attendees also learnt about forklift safety and safe handling of materials through the games booths and exhibits on display. They also had the opportunity to observe up close various material handling equipment (e.g., automated stacker and pallet truck) and manoeuvre remote-operated forklifts.

On 7 August 2014, a crowd gathered at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College East, Logistics

Training Centre to cheer 10 participants at the annual ITE-Linde Forklift Safe Driving Skills Competition.

The event, co-sponsored by Linde Material Handling Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (Linde) and organised by the Logistics department in the College East’s School of Business and Services, aims to raise awareness of safe operation and use of forklifts and in the logistics sector. It also allows students to gain industry exposure through their interactions with various industry stakeholders.

Hospitality and Entertainment Industries WSH Challenge 2014 Concludes on a High NoteOn 2 September 2014, 23 teams raced to complete a series of safety and health challenges common in the hospitality and entertainment industries (H&EI) in the safest and fastest way possible.

Teams from various companies and institutes of higher learning participated in the 2nd H&EI Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Challenge – an annual event focused at raising awareness on WSH issues in the H&EI.

Held at Clarke Quay, the part “Running Man” and part “Scavenger Hunt”-style race saw participants put their WSH skills to the test in various H&EI- themed challenges. These include using breathalysers correctly, handling workplace violence and assembling a first aid kit. Teams also had the opportunity to earn bonus points if they took pictures with the elusive game master who wore personal protective equipment.

After an exciting morning, Sentosa Development Corporation came out top, followed by Marina Bay Sands and The American Club in second and third place respectively.

The event was flagged off by Chairman of the WSH Council H&EI Committee and CEO of Park Hotel Group, Mr Allen Law. In his opening address, Mr Law reminded participants of the challenges the H&EI face and emphasised the importance of WSH.

“We need to cope with a fast-paced working environment and sometimes irregular hours to ensure high level of service standards. And in the rush to provide prompt and good services, there may be a tendency to overlook important safety and health issues. Whether it is a kitchen’s preparation during the peak dinner shift or cleaning the floors, the risks of having an injury or accident are real concerns”, he said.

Highlighting the importance of teamwork in ensuring good WSH outcomes, Mr Law urged everyone to look out for one another, by identifying unsafe conditions and encouraging safe work behaviour.

More than 200 supporters and participants gathered at Shanghai Dolly for the closing ceremony. Industry partners such as Singapore Civil Defence Force and prize sponsors including Resorts World Singapore, Marina Bay Sands and Sentosa Development Corporation also lent their support to the event. Participating venues included Shanghai Dolly, Katrina Holdings, Playhouse, The Bungy Bar and Tomo Izakaya.

Visiting Professor Shares Insights on Global Burden of DiseasesAs part of the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Institute’s mission to enhance WSH through knowledge, innovations and solutions, the Institute recently hosted a visit by Professor Tim Driscoll from the School of Public Health, University of Sydney.

Professor Driscoll leads the expert working group on occupational risk factors in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study commissioned by the World Health Organization and led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Based on findings from the study, he shared that occupational risk factors were responsible for nearly 1 million deaths worldwide in 2010. Occupational injury was also ranked the 5th leading cause of death among the 15 to 49 year-old age group.

Professor Driscoll also introduced the concept of disability adjusted life year (DALY) – a measure of overall disease burden, expressed as the number of years lost due to ill-health, disability or early death. Globally, an estimated 65 million DALYs are attributable to occupational risk factors such as occupational noise, cancer causing agents, dusts, fumes, vapours and so on. The WSH Institute also took the opportunity to discuss with several agencies on ways to better estimate Singapore’s burden of work-related diseases. The discussions concluded with the proposed formation of a working group to further refine the estimates.

As part of the visit, Professor Driscoll delivered a presentation to more than 165 health professionals, policy-makers and safety officers at the inaugural WSH Institute Visiting Expert Series forum on 16 October 2014. The presentation titled “The Global Burden of Disease: Everything you wanted to know but afraid to ask”, was well received.

The visit has helped deepen the WSH Institute’s understanding of different perspectives and methodologies used in calculating the GBD due to work. The knowledge and experience gained will also chart the way forward in bringing better WSH outcomes for Singapore.

* Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, Singapore Institute of Management University, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore Management University and Singapore University of Technology and Design

For more information on WSH issues in the H&EI, visit www.wshc.sg/newsroom

For more information on the presentation by Professor Driscoll, visit www.wsh-institute.sg

8 9EVENTS 99EVENTS

Case brief: On 20 February 2011, a worker was dismantling formwork at a construction site when he fell 26m to the ground.

The accused: Consis Engineering Pte Ltd.

Employer fined for failure to ensure safety of workers.

On the day of the accident, the deceased was tasked to dismantle timber formwork. He did so while standing on a form deck located at the edge of the 4th floor of a construction site. As he was stripping the formwork with a hammer and crowbar, he lost his balance and fell 26m to the ground below.

Investigations revealed that the accused company had failed to take adequate measures to prevent workers from falling from heights during the course of their work. Although pipe barricades were installed to

Case brief: On 1 March 2013, a worker was knocked down and run over by a reversing prime mover at a container depot.

The accused: Rong De Distribution Pte Ltd.

Employer fined for failure to ensure safety of workers.

On the day of the accident, a worker was driving a prime mover to unload a 40-foot long container it was carrying. After parking the prime mover at the container depot, he alighted from the vehicle to unlock the twistlocks securing the container to the prime mover trailer. This was done in order to subsequently unload the container by using a reach stacker.

After unlocking the twistlocks and checking that there was no one at the rear of the prime mover, the worker went back to the vehicle and proceeded to reverse. The deceased was walking along the rear of the prime mover when he was struck and run over by the reversing prime mover.

The prime mover driver had checked the side mirrors of the vehicle prior to reversing. However,

guard the open side of the floor, they were ineffective as there was a 55cm gap between the barricades and the floor. The large exposed gap had put workers at risk of falling from heights.

The accused company had also failed to ensure that the deceased had anchored his safety harness to a secured anchorage point when working. The accused company did not install anchorage points even though safety harnesses were provided to its workers. Installing secure anchorage points would have allowed the worker to hook on his safety harness and the fall arrest system to be deployed in the event of a fall.

For failing to ensure the safety and health of its workers, the accused company was fined $70,000 under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.

he did not see the deceased as the 2.9m high container that the prime mover was carrying had partially obstructed his view of the rear area of the prime mover.

Investigations revealed that the accused company had failed to implement adequate measures to address the risk of persons being hit by vehicles at the workplace. It did not implement a designated loading and unloading area at the workplace, which would have prevented persons from unknowingly walking into the path of vehicles in operation. The accused company also failed to provide a banksman – who would have been able to warn any persons approaching the reversing vehicle to keep away from it and to guide the driver in manoeuvring the vehicle safely.

The accused company also failed to manage the safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians within the workplace. Measures such as having clearly demarcated pathways for pedestrians and designated routes for vehicles and placing appropriate warning signs to alert pedestrians and drivers should

Enhanced course for supervisorsSince 1 May 2014, the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council and Ministry of Manpower has reviewed and enhanced the Curriculum Development Advisory (CDA) for the Formwork Safety Course for Supervisors. The enhanced CDA includes an additional four hours to the course duration and covers key areas such as:

• Safe work practices on formwork installation, with emphasis on proper anchorage points;

• Use of checklists for the inspection and supervision of formwork structures, formwork transportation processes, risk control measures; and

• Identification of hazards associated with working at heights.

The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council recently issued the following three publications. To view these publications in full, visit www.wshc.sg

NEW PublicationsWSH Guidelines for Safe Use of Machinery

This publication is intended for companies that use machines with moving parts such as milling machines, band saws, drills, shears, slitting machines, food mincers or cutters. It highlights hazards from the use of machines and provides recommendations on good WSH practices and control measures to ensure the safe use of machines.

Published in November 2014 by the Workplace

Safety and Health Council in collaboration with

the Ministry of Manpower.

All rights reserved. This publication may not be

reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any

means, in whole or in part, without prior written

permission. The information provided in this

publication is accurate as at time of printing.

All cases shared in this publication are meant for

learning purposes only. The learning points for

each case are not exhaustive and should not be

taken to encapsulate all the responsibilities and

obligations of the user of this publication under

the law. The Workplace Safety and Health Council

does not accept any liability or responsibility to any

party for losses or damage arising from following

this publication.

This publication is available on the

Workplace Safety and Health Council

Website: www.wshc.sg

Email: contact@wshc.sg

Workplace Safety and

Health Guidelines

Safe Use of Machinery

Marine Industry Case Studies

This booklet is a compilation of past workplace incidents and WSH expertise from various companies in the marine industry. It is important to learn from workplace incidents to prevent the next incident from recurring. Share these cases at your company’s training or toolbox meetings to help your workers carry out their work safely.

WSH Guidelines on Laboratory Handling Chemicals

This publication supplements the existing WSH Guidelines on Management of Hazardous Chemicals Programme. It provides more details on the safe storage, transfer, handling and disposal of chemicals in the laboratory context, and the recommended measures for laboratories to facilitate effective emergency response to chemical incidents. Use this publication to guide you on WSH aspects to be considered when designing a chemical laboratory.

During the Programme-based Engagement (ProBE) Plus Forum on 9 April 2014, Senior Parliamentary Secretary (SPS) for Education and Manpower, Mr Hawazi Daipi highlighted the importance of raising formwork safety standards and shared upcoming plans to review the competency framework for formwork safety.

New course for workersA new Formwork Safety Course for Workers was also developed in 1 July 2014 to train formwork workers and tradesmen to perform formwork activities safely. The 1-day course covers topics such as fundamentals of formwork construction, roles of formwork workers and management of WSH risks associated with formwork and work at heights activities. Workers will also be able to learn about the causes of past formwork-related accidents and apply the learning to their work.

To ensure that employees are adequately trained and remain competent, employers involved in formwork construction are strongly encouraged to send their workers and supervisors for these courses.

To find out more about the courses, visit www.mom.gov.sg/workplace-safety-health/training

UPDATES ON FORMWORK SAFETY TRAINING COURSES

have been implemented. These would ensure that pedestrians and drivers stay within the designated paths and follow the traffic directions indicated on the ground.

For failing to develop and implement adequate safety and health measures, the accused company was fined $80,000 under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.

10 CASE FILE 11WHAT’S NEW

CongratulationsSembcorp Industries Ltd

Winner of 4 WSH Performance (Silver) Awards 2014

Enhancements to the WSH Awards 2015 application criteriaThe Annual Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Awards recognise organisations and individuals who have contributed to achieving excellence in WSH. Following industry consultation, the criteria for the WSH Awards 2015 application have been finalised.

a) Revised X Factor Checklist: Companies will be required to complete the revised X Factor Checklist which incorporates Total WSH elements.

b) CultureSAFE Evidence-Based Assessment: In addition to the CultureSAFE Perception Survey, companies will also be required to complete the Evidence-Based Assessment. The Evidence-based Assessment involves a third-party assessment to validate the data collected from the Perception Survey. It is not mandatory for companies who have completed the Perception Survey in 2014 to retake it. However, companies must complete the Evidence-Based Assessment.

More information on the WSH Awards available at www.wshc.sg/wshawards

Performance, SHARP, Developer and Risk Management Awards

The WSH Council apologises for the printing error in Sembcorp Industries’ sponsorship acknowledgement on its collaterals for the WSH Awards 2014. The following is the corrected sponsor ad in the WSH Awards 2014 Commemorative Book. We would like to offer our congratulations once again to Sembcorp Industries for their win in the WSH Awards 2014.

Companies must submit results of the CultureSAFE Perception Survey and Evidence-Based Assessment for Awards application. The results will not be part of the evaluation criteria.

Application for the WSH Awards will open in January 2015. We encourage interested companies to prepare for applications early, such as completing the ConSASS or OSHMS checklist, CultureSAFE Perception Survey, Evidence-Based Assessment and X Factor Checklist.