Reintroducing Heightened Safety Period with Extended Safety Measures Given Continued Occurrence of Workplace Fatalities

Miss Rachel Ong asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry will reintroduce a heightened safety period with extended safety measures given the continued occurrence of workplace fatalities.

Workplace safety must remain a priority for employers. The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) clear stance on safety has not changed after the exit from the Heightened Safety Period (HSP) in May 2023 and we will press on towards our Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) 2028 goal of keeping our fatality rate at below 1.0 per 100,000 workers. The trend of major injuries has shown early signs of improvement in the second quarter this year even though fatalities were higher in July. As there can be fluctuations from month to month, we have to monitor the situation closely over a longer period.

The Multi-Agency Workplace Safety Taskforce (MAST) had announced that most of the HSP measures would be established as permanent safeguards. Additionally, MAST will implement a suite of Safety Accountability, Focus and Empowerment (SAFE) measures to strengthen WSH ownership by (a) implementing sectoral measures, (b) placing greater accountability on company directors and management, (c) expanding safety training, and (d) raising penalties.

Notably, among the permanent HSP measures is the requirement for Chief Executives (CEs) to personally account for serious WSH lapses following serious or fatal workplace incidents. The upcoming SAFE measures include training for CEs and Board Directors of all companies to reinforce their responsibility for safety. This will start in September 2023. In October 2023, the Demerit Point System will be expanded to the manufacturing sector to deter WSH breaches and uplift standards. The implementation of further measures is also planned for in the coming year, such as mandating video surveillance systems for construction sites with project value of $5 million and above. In the coming weeks and months, MOM will also intensify inspections to ensure that employers maintain a strong focus on safety.

Beyond the Government efforts, we need everyone to play their part. For employers, this means putting in place a robust WSH management system and, for workers, adhering to safe work procedures and avoiding risk-taking behaviours. All of us also have a role to play in reporting unsafe situations at the workplace. This is why the theme of this year’s National WSH Campaign is “Reporting Saves Lives”. Collectively, we can continue to uphold strong WSH standards and keep workers and workplaces safe.