What You Need To Know
The Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA) is an essential part of the new framework to cultivate good safety habits in all individuals so as to engender a strong safety culture in our workplace. It emphasised the importance of managing workplace safety and health pro actively by requiring stakeholders to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of workers and other people that are affected by the work being carried out.
The Workplace Safety and Health Act had come into effect on 1 March 2006.
Guiding Principles
The 3 guiding principles that underpin the new OSH framework are:
a) Reducing risks at source by requiring all stakeholders to eliminate or minimize the risks they create;
b) Instilling greater ownership of safety and health outcomes by industry; and
c) Preventing accidents though higher penalties for poor safely management
The WSH Stipulates that every person must take reasonably practicable steps to ensure the safety and health of every workplace and worker.
It goes beyond the Factories Act’s prescriptive nature to:
a) Specify liabilities for a range of persons at the workplace;
b) Focus more on workplace safety and health goals and systems; and
c) Stipulate greater penalties for compromising safely and health.
Key Reforms Under Workplace Safety and Health Act
The key reforms with the new Workplace Safety and Health Act;
a) Allows a gradual increase in scope to cover all workplaces
b) Assigns responsibilities to a range of stakeholders at the workplace along lines of control
c) Focuses on workplace safety and health systems and outcomes
d) Provides for more effective enforcement through issuance of “remedial orders”
e) Provides for higher penalties for non-compliant and risk-taking behavior to prevent
accidents up front.
—————————————————————
Expansion of the Workplace
Safety and Health Act
The workplace safety and Health act which currently covers some of the more high-risk sectors such as construction and shipbuilding have been expanded its coverage to six new sectors with effect from 1 March 2008. The selection is made on the basis of either higher accident rates or the potential for serious consequences due to any accident in the sector.
Companies covered under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, listed in the First Schedule; with 200 more or less employees (including administrative and managerial staff) are eligible for the Risk Management Assistance Fund. In addition, the following sectors, which will be covered by the Workplace Safety and Health Act in 2008, can also apply for funding:
Water supply, sewerage and waste management (SSIC* Code: E41, 42, 43)
Services allied to transportation of goods (SSIC Code: H55521, 55522, 55523, 55524, 55529)
Hotels and Restaurants (SSIC Code: J581, 582, R90902)
Veterinary activities (SSIC Code: N76300)
Landscape care and maintenance service activities (SSIC Code: 078420)
Health activities (SSIC Code: Q85)
*SSIC - Singapore Standard Industrial Classification
Companies in the affected sector can expect more governmental assistance to help build up their capabilities comply with the Act, from now till the effectual date. Specifically, the Risk management assistance fund will be extended to small and medium enterprises, or SMEs, in these six sectors, to help them build up capabilities to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment portfolio.
Rules and Offences
Any employer, self-employed person or principal who contravenes regulation shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction-
(a) for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding $10,000; and
(b) for a second or subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
We help SMEs comply with MOM regulations.
With effect from 1st November 2008, existing registered factories have to carry out Risk Management to comply with MOM’s new Notification & Regulation for Factories.
We can assist you on this aspect by carrying out Risk Assessment for Shipbuilding, Engineering Workshops, Warehousing Operations and F&B sectors with existing risk control and additional risk controls in compliance with RM Regulations.
Click here for more
We provide the tools for finding hazards and additional control measures in risk management implementation.
Our reports will ensure that you find hazards and additional control measures in risk management implementation a breeze.
It will also help you to identify the source of risks and take all reasonable and practical steps to eliminate or mitigate any foreseeable risk to any person who may be affected by their undertaking at your workplace.
Click here for more