MOM introduces new measures for workplace safety as HSP ends

The government said it reduced workplace death rates but not major injury rates.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) declared new measures for promoting a safe workplace as the Heightened Safety Period (HSP) ends on May 31, 2023, without further extension. 

In a statement, the government said the HSP has been successful in reducing the workplace fatality rate but has not improved the major injury rate. 

“Workplace fatality rate per 100,000 workers declined from 1.5 for January to August 2022 (before HSP) to 0.8 for September 2022 – to-date,” read the statement.

Its goal is to maintain the fatality rate below 1.0 per 100,000 workers and the major injury rate below 12.0 per 100,000 workers by 2028.

The Multi-Agency Workplace Safety Taskforce (MAST) will implement a set of SAFE (Safety Accountability, Focus, and Empowerment) measures.

These measures seek to bolster WSH ownership at the sectoral, company, and worker levels. 

Some of the measures include introducing stricter safety requirements in government procurement tenders, expanding the use of video surveillance systems in high-risk work areas, and imposing legal duties on manufacturers and suppliers to ensure the safe usage of machinery and hazardous substances.

At the company level, CEOs and board directors in higher-risk industries will be required to attend the Top Executive WSH Programme to focus on their WSH responsibilities. 

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will have access to resources and consultation on improving their WSH capabilities. 

These SAFE measures will be implemented gradually over the next six to 12 months to allow for industry consultation. 

The MAST will continue to study and implement further measures to foster a stronger workplace safety culture. Additionally, a "Reporting Saves Lives" campaign has been launched to encourage employers, workers, and the public to report unsafe workplace situations.