MOM launches construction safety plan

To address the construction sector's loss of almost 260,000 man-days due to serious incidents in 2009, 10-year plan to improve safety has been finalised.

The construction sectoral plan outlined four key strategies to address Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) issues in the sector: build strong WSH capabilities across all employee levels; develop performance-based regime; promote WSH benefits and integrate WSH into business; create and build partnerships.

WSH Council's Construction and Landscape Committee Chairman Jackson Yap said, "Over the years, the construction sector has put in much efforts to enhance its WSH practices. More can and should be done. This new plan will help us to steer the construction sector towards a more systematic approach to up safety."

Meanwhile the marine sectoral plan was also launched and outlined the following key strategies to raise WSH standards: improve quality and effectiveness of risk management to address gaps in the risk assessment and inadequate implementation of control measures; enhance WSH Capability in the marine sector, especially for its large foreign and transient workforce; intervention programmes to address issues of concern; strengthening stakeholders' involvement.

WSH Council's Marine Industries Committee Chairman Prof Poo Aun Neow commented, "Smaller and medium size shipyards that are not yet fully on board our WSH journey are a key focus area for our work ahead. We aim to get such yards to have better risk management in place to address key hazards. Bigger players must also continue to support their subcontractors and work closely with ship owners to manage work done in their yards. If we can close these gaps, we will be able to greatly improve marine safety and protect all our workers."

The Workplace Safety and Health Council, in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower, have launched the 10-year plans to reduce fatalities in the marine and construction sectors by half by 2013.