Singapore imposes two new workplace standards

Make sure yours meets the stricter safety and health guidelines for manual handling and machine lockouts.

Known as SS 569: 2011 and SS 571: 2011, the new standards require businesses to ensure that employees involved in manual handling activities can avoid injuries. Firms are also expected to safeguard machines and other technology so that they do not suddenly start and cause injuries during normal maintenance.

Training will be provided to encourage early and fast adoption of these standards, according to SPRING Singapore, and additional standards revisions could be adopted soon, including one governing mobile elevating work platforms.

Here's more from SPRING Singapore:

SPRING Singapore is launching two Singapore Standards - SS 569: 2011 on the Code of Practice for Manual Handling and SS 571: 2011 on the Code of Practice for Energy Lockout and Tagout to improve safety and health as well as to help reduce the number of injuries at the workplace.

These standards are revisions of two existing Codes of Practice, namely the CP 92 and CP 91.

Manual handling is an essential activity in most workplaces. Musculoskeletal injuries and disorders, most commonly associated with manual handling, may be avoided by implementing the SS 569. Likewise, the SS 571 helps to prevent injuries arising from unexpected start-up of machines or release of hazardous energy during maintenance or servicing of machines and equipment.

The SS 569 covers the identification and risk assessment of manual handling hazards as well as helps to put in place appropriate risk control measures. It also provides guidance on the planning and implementation of an ergonomics programme for manual handling operations. In the SS 569, the risk assessment checklist has been updated and expanded to include the latest practices in
helping workers avoid injuries arising from manual handling activities.

The SS 571 covers the safety procedure for ensuring machines or equipment are properly shut off, locked and tagged. It requires "lockout” devices to be attached to the valves, circuit breakers, isolating switches or any other energy isolating devices and “tag” to be affixed to the energy isolating devices indicating that they should not be turned on. Some examples of individual and group lockout and tagout applications are also covered in the standard.

In addition to the two revised standards, the GESSC will be developing a new Singapore Standard on Mobile Elevating Work Platform and reviewing six Singapore Standards currently adopted as Approved Codes of Practice (ACOP) by the Workplace Safety Health Council (WSHC) in 2012/2013

"Deputy Chief Executive of SPRING, Mr Tan Kai Hoe, said, “Standards play a key role in our national economy. In particular, standards are crucial to ensure a safe working environment that will contribute to the well-being of workers and productivity... Through its training and consultancy programmes, more companies will be encouraged to use standards and reap benefits for their businesses.”

The Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation (SMa) will be introducing a new training programme to encourage the adoption of Singapore Standards (SS) to reduce downtime from workplace incidents and raise productivity.

The first training on SS 568: 2011 – Code of Practice for Confined Spaces, an Approved Code of Practice under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, will be held on 15 May 2012. The training will provide participants with an in-depth understanding of safety and health considerations when working in confined spaces. This will be followed by a series of training courses on other Singapore Standards on safety and health.