S A F E T Y + H E A L T H I N V O L V E S E V E R Y O N E

JULY 2018

NATIONAL WSH CAMPAIGN 2018: TAKE TIME TO TAKE CARE02 GOOD PRACTICES TO

PREVENT VEHICULAR INCIDENTS05 MAKING WORKPLACES

EASIER, SAFER AND SMARTER THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

08

STRATEGIC STRIDES

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or by any meanswithout the prior written permission of

the publisher.

PUBLISHERWorkplace Safety and Health Council

ADDRESS1500 Bendemeer Road,

#04-01 MOM Services CentreSingapore 339946

SHINE is a quarterly newsletter on workplace safety and health issues.

For contributions, feedback or more information, please email

WSHC_SHINE@wshc.sg

The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council was established on 1 April 2008 to raise the workplace safety and health standards in Singapore. The Council comprises 18 leaders from the major industry sectors, the Government, unions and professionals from the legal, insurance and academic fields. The Council's key thrusts are to build industry capabilities to better manage WSH, to promote safety and health at work, to recognise companies with good WSH records and to set acceptable WSH practices. There are seven industry committees focusing on the areas of construction and landscaping, healthcare, logistics and transport, marine works, chemical, metalworking, manufacturing and hospitality and entertainment. Three functional committees have also been formed to identify, champion and implement initiatives in the areas of engagement and outreach, workplace health and industry capability building.

2

NATIONAL WSH CAMPAIGN 2018: TAKE TIME TO TAKE CAREOrganised by the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council and supported by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), the annual National WSH Campaign sets the stage for the WSH Council’s year-long outreach efforts to promote safety and health in workplaces. Launched on 22 April 2018 at Our Tampines Hub, the WSH Council also celebrated its 10th anniversary in conjunction with the National WSH Campaign.

The WSH Council is continuing the momentum of the Vision Zero movement with the message, “Prevent all injuries. Go home safe and healthy”. The message aims to drive home the importance of taking preventive action as injuries at work not only affect you, but also the people around you.

Guest-of-Honour, Mrs Josephine Teo, then Minister for Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Manpower, noted the achievements of the WSH Council in its outreach and capability efforts in the past decade. These include bringing on board nearly 30,000 companies on the bizSAFE programme and providing WSH training for over two million workers. She added that the collective efforts of all stakeholders have helped reduce Singapore’s workplace fatality rate to a historic low of 1.2 per 100,000 workers in 2017.

3STRATEGIC STRIDES

Minister Teo also highlighted two key challenges for WSH – to sustain the momentum for the reduction of fatalities at workplaces and to put a focus on health as half of workforce fatalities in recent years were due to ill health.

Helping More Workers Through the Total WSH Framework

Hence, the WSH Council will be partnering the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to improve health at workplaces. “In particular, we aim to help our workers detect chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and to manage them early,” shared Minister Teo.

She introduced the Total WSH Framework, a collaboration between the WSH Council and HPB to raise awareness on Total WSH to up to one million workers.

About 500,000 workers will have access to Total WSH services over the next three years. This will be done through more Total WSH services centres, training of Total WSH professionals from designated workplace doctors to occupational health nurses, and customised services to address health issues. Access to health screenings will also be provided for five targeted sectors, namely transport and storage, construction, manufacturing, food and beverage and cleaning. The initiative will identify at-risk workers, or those who health markers are a cause for concern, and help at least 20% of them achieve significant health improvements after a year of intervention.

“Hopefully, this will also reduce the safety lapses related to poor health. This will benefit not just the workers, but also employers," said Minister Teo.

Reminding All to “Take Time to Take Care”

Mr John Ng, Chairman of WSH Council, pointed out in 2017, 42 workers did not make it home to their loved ones while at least 13,000 others suffered from various work-related injuries and diseases. For this year's National WSH Campaign, Mr Ng reminded everyone to take time to take care of their safety and health.

“As the saying goes: Time is always of the essence. At work, we are given deadlines to meet. When we rush to get tasks done as quickly as possible, it becomes dangerous as we might not pay attention as closely as we should. We forget to take time to take care of the most important thing – which is ourselves and those around us,” said Mr Ng.

He stressed the need to instil WSH-consciousness in the workforce and press on with Vision Zero efforts so that every worker goes home safe and healthy.

The WSH Council’s outreach efforts will also focus on four areas – vehicular safety, falls prevention, machinery safety, and workplace health. “According to last year’s WSH statistics, the top three causes of fatal work accidents were related to vehicular incidents, falls, and machinery incidents. There was also an increase in the number of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and noise-induced deafness,” said Mr Ng.

He urged all to work together to ensure that everyone can go home safe and health at the end of every work day.

Pictured from left to right: Mr Ong Hwee Liang, Member, NTUC Central Committee and Vice-Chairman of NTUC WSH Committee, Mr Sam Tan, then Minister of State for Manpower and Foreign Affairs, Mrs Josephine Teo, then Minister for Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Manpower, Mr John Ng, Chairman, WSH Council and Dr Lim Suet Wun, Honorary Secretary, SNEF.

44 STRATEGIC STRIDES

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL WSH CAMPAIGN 2018!The launch event also featured a carnival where the public learnt about safety and health through various games and activities. The WSH Council will also embark on various outreach efforts to encourage the industry and public to be safe and healthy at work.

Take Time to Take Care

To highlight the importance of taking time to take care of our safety and health, the Campaign will promote the use of the mnemonic action of tapping on the wrist or watch to symbolise “time”. A short film has been produced to illustrate how the concept of “Take Time to Take Care” is relevant in any work and drive the message of taking time to take care of ourselves at work. View it at https://youtu.be/uV1_VonUV3Q

Mannequin Challenge

The WSH Council’s mannequin challenge aims to demonstrate the importance of taking time to think of one’s safety and health and remind all to think about what they should do to prevent injuries and ill health at work. The mannequin challenge involves people freezing in the middle of doing an activity, as if time has stopped. Companies are encouraged to conduct their own mannequin challenge and post it on their social media pages in support of the Campaign.

Click to watch WSH Council’s Corporate Mannequin Challenge: goo.gl/vmYpMg

Safety Starts with Me Competition 2018 Showcase

Riding on 2018’s theme “Prevention of Hand Injuries at Workplaces”, the annual competition aims to raise WSH awareness by encouraging the community to showcase their creativity in spreading the WSH message. A total of 1,285 entries were received in four categories comprising creative story writing, creative photography, poster drawing as well as animation and short film, with 40 winners walking away with attractive cash prizes.

Roving Exhibits on WSH

Companies can also tap on the WSH Council’s roving exhibits for their in-house WSH campaigns to help employees understand and address common workplace hazards.

National WSH Campaign Banner 2018

Companies are encouraged to display the WSH Council’s WSH banner at their workplaces to support the Campaign and remind workers to stay safe and healthy.

For more information, go to www.wshc.sg/nationalcampaigns

5FEATURE

GOOD PRACTICES TO PREVENT VEHICULAR INCIDENTSDo you know that vehicular incidents were the top contributor (14 cases) of workplace fatalities in 2017? Half of them were incidents within worksites, while the other half were on public roads. Vehicular incidents are also one of the top incident types in the first quarter of 2018. Two workers lost their lives while 20 workers sustained major injuries.

Workplace safety and health is everyone’s responsibility. Whether you are an employer or employee, it is important that you take time to take care of your safety and health.

Here are some good practices to adopt to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.

Fatigue Management

• Encourage drivers to take short and scheduled breaks to relieve fatigue due to monotony of driving;

• Provide adequate facilities for breaks or rest; and

• Plan shift schedule ahead of time and communicate to drivers.

Driver Ergonomics

• Remind drivers to stretch their bodies at regular intervals; and

• Encourage drivers to adopt good seating (e.g.,sit up straight and avoid slouching) and driving (e.g., adjust seat and steering wheel) postures.

Safe Parking

• Remind drivers to park on firm and level ground;

• Ensure that parking brakes are engaged, engines are turned off and starter keys removed;

• For safe loading and unloading operations, ensure that all stabilisers and/or wheel chocks are properly positioned; and

• For parking on slopes, the gear should be engaged, where appropriate and safe to do so.

Driver Visibility

• Adjust rear-view and side-view mirrors to maximise driver’s visibility;

• When appropriate, drivers should take a quick look over the left or right shoulder to check for blind spots;

• Remind drivers to use blind spot mirrors or blind spot cameras, where available, to enhance visibility; and

• Appoint trained signallers or banksmen to assist in directing vehicles during difficult manoeuvres such as when negotiating a tight bend.

Every workplace injury and ill health is preventable, and we can take a little time to take care of ourselves and others in the midst of our work.

For more tips on safe driving, go to https://bit.ly/2Li3vyNFor more information on workplace traffic safety management, go to www.wshc.sg/trafficsafetymanagement

66 EVENTS

PROBE PLUS FORUM 2018: KEY WSH HOTSPOT AREASOn 23 March 2018, over 500 industry leaders and stakeholders attended the annual Programme-Based Engagement (ProBE) Plus Forum 2018 at the Singapore Expo Max Atria. Organised by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council and supported by the WSH Institute, the forum is an annual event to raise industry awareness of key WSH areas and highlight efforts in partnership with industry to address identified priority areas.

Guest-of-Honour, Mr Heng Chiang Gnee, then WSH Council Chairman, announced in his opening speech that vehicular incidents, falls and machinery incidents have been identified as this year’s three priority areas for ProBE Plus. These areas accounted for close to 70% of all fatal accidents in 2017.

Mr Heng also highlighted the collaborative efforts of tripartite partners and various stakeholders in helping Singapore achieve a fatality rate of 1.2 per 100,000 employed persons in 2017. While the fatality rate of 1.2 was the lowest level ever recorded for the entire workforce, Mr Heng noted that it still translated to losing 42 workers last year, and urged all to step up efforts to reduce WSH accidents. “We must believe that we can prevent these fatal cases if we invest more time and attention to better manage workplace hazards," he said.

Vehicular Safety

While the number of vehicular-related fatalities has reduced by 36%, from 22 in 2016 to 14 in 2017, vehicular incidents remained the top contributor to workplace fatalities in 2017. Half of them were incidents within worksites, while the other half were on public roads.

Launched in 2017, the Managing Onsite Vehicular Safety (MOVes) programme involves WSH consultants guiding companies

Group photo of Guest-of-Honour, Mr Heng Chiang Gnee, then WSH Council Chairman (centre) with Singapore Institution of Safety Officers volunteers, Mobile Work at Heights Clinic trainer, and 3M Technologies (S) Pte Ltd representative.

Mr Heng Chiang Gnee giving his speech at the forum.

on measures to better manage worker and traffic flow within their worksites. To help more companies develop and implement traffic management within their worksites, MOM will expand the programme this year. Mr Heng added that the WSH consultants will also share and demonstrate new technology that companies can adopt to improve traffic management at their worksites, and urged companies to sign up for the programme in the second quarter of 2018.

To address vehicular safety on public roads, WSH Council will also continue to organise the “Drive Safe, Work Safe Campaign” this year with the support of MOM and tripartite partners.

Falls Prevention

Although the total number of fatal falls have reduced by 37% from 19 in 2016 to 12 in 2017, falls remain another leading cause of major injuries and were the second highest contributor to workplace fatalities in 2017.

MOM will thus expand the coverage of the Mobile Work at Heights programme to help companies implement work at heights safety precautions. The programme will also cover more areas such as structures, roofs, ladders, scaffolds and stairs and provide compliance assistance to small and medium worksites.

Machinery Safety

Machinery-related incidents were the third-leading cause of workplace fatalities;and one of the leading causes of major injuries. A total of 125 amputation cases were reported in 2017.

Earlier this year, MOM and WSH Council launched the national Safe Hands Campaign and organised a seminar to raise awareness of hand and finger injuries. A Machinery Safety programme will be developed later in the year to provide compliance assistance to companies mainly in the construction and manufacturing industries where machinery risks are prevalent.

Integrating Safety and Health in the Workplace

In addition to the three priority areas, Mr Heng also emphasised the need to better integrate workplace health and safety to enhance workers’ employability and well-being. In 2017, work-related musculoskeletal disorders and noise-induced deafness accounted for 83% of total occupational diseases. Mr Heng shared that the WSH2028 Tripartite Strategy Committee will be looking into ways to help companies detect and reduce both safety and health risks.

For more information, go to https://bit.ly/2wlGJCB

7EVENTS

SAFE YOUTH DAY 2018 Cultivating a Culture of Safety and Health Among Youths

According to International Labour Organization’s (ILO) estimates, young workers are 40% more likely to suffer occupational injuries as compared to adult workers. Besides the lack of work experience, training and limited awareness of work-related hazards, there are also socio-biological factors that cause young people to be more at risk.

To promote greater awareness of workplace safety and health (WSH) among youths, the WSH Council and Institute of Technical Education (ITE), organised the inaugural Safe Youth Day on 27 April 2018 at ITE College West.

At the event, Mr S Thiagarajan, General Manager of WSH Council, highlighted the importance of cultivating a mindset of prevention from an early age. Mr Silas Sng, Deputy Divisional Director, Occupational Safety and Health Division, Ministry of Manpower (pictured left), also shared his personal experience and emphasised the importance of taking responsibility to ensure the safety of oneself and others.

The event was held in conjunction with ILO’s annual World Day for Safety and Health at Work (SafeDay), where this year’s campaign focuses on improving the safety and health

CALL FOR CORPORATE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGEJoin the Corporate Mannequin Challenge!

As part of this year’s National Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Campaign, the WSH Council is calling all companies and associations to take part in the Corporate Mannequin Challenge!

Remind yourself and your co-workers how it is important to take time to take care of one’s safety and health, even in the midst of work. Join the Challenge today!

For more information, go to www.wshc.sg/mannequinchallenge

of young workers. About 120 youths from all three ITE campuses (ITE College Central, ITE College East and ITE College West) and WSH Council’s youth champions came together to learn about WSH through interactive activities. They also participated in brainstorming sessions on how schools can nurture a culture of prevention and inculcate safety habits from young. The youths also took on the Mannequin Challenge, in support of the WSH Council’s “Take Time to Take Care” initiative to demonstrate the importance of taking time to take care of one’s safety and health.

Here are four simple steps to conduct a mannequin challenge:

STEP 1Find a space big enough to conduct a mannequin challenge with your employees, colleagues and members.

STEP 2Gather and brief everyone on different types of poses they can do e.g.;• “Take Time to Take Care” mnemonic action;• Drink water;• Stretching pose; and• Get creative and include other poses that show

safe and healthy work practices too.

STEP 3Get it on video. Remember whatever your poses are, don’t move! You are supposed to be frozen in action.

STEP 4Post the video on your corporate or association Facebook page. Don’t forget to include the hashtag #NWSH2018.

88 FEATURE

MAKING WORKPLACES EASIER, SAFER AND SMARTER THROUGH TECHNOLOGY Mr Samsudin Bin Ahmad, 67, is a factory worker for Alchemix, a company that specialises in the manufacturing and distribution of cable compounds. Mr Samsudin has filled, weighed, and stacked 20 to 25kg bags of plastic pellets by hand every day for 15 years. Added up, these come up to 3 tonnes a day, equivalent to the weight of a lorry.

But as Mr Samsudin aged, it became more difficult for him to perform these physically challenging tasks. The repetitive manual handling work also puts him at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. On top of that, he faced the possibility of having to leave his job due to ill health.

The majority of Alchemix’s employees are over the age of 65. This fact has prompted Mr Samsudin’s boss, Mr Maurice Alphonso,to realise that his employees could perform their jobs more easily if the factory’s machines were upgraded.

Hence, with the help of WorkPro – an initiative by Workforce Singapore – three new machines consisting of a vacuum lifter, an automatic packing system, and an air filtering system were brought in last year to assist Alchemix’s older workers in their jobs and enable them to remain productive.

It Makes the Job Easier and Safer

For Mr Samsudin and his co-workers, the new machines have made it easier and safer for them to do their jobs. The automatic packing system meant that Mr Samsudin no longer has to pack and weigh the plastic pellets by hand. The new vacuum lifter also enabled Mr Samsudin to lift heavy bags without any physical effort.

“I used to carry all the bags myself. I even had to pack everything by hand and arrange them accordingly, and then carry the packed bags into the container for transport. But now things are so much easier, the machines do the work for us,” said Mr Samsudin.

Now he only needs to monitor the machines and to make sure everything works smoothly.

The installation of the air filtering system also meant that the environment is now safer and healthier for Mr Samsudin and his co-workers as they are not required to wear protective masks anymore.

Other employees at Alchemix also suggested that they would rather work than retire.

“I have always worked for a better life for my family and will continue to do so as long as I am capable. The company has helped prolong my ability to do hard work by investing in lifters, automatic packing and air purifying systems to make the factory a less demanding and more healthy workplace,” said Mr Lau Sai Chow, 65, Production Manager.

Embrace It

Mr Samsudin has a piece of advice for older workers who may be reluctant to adopt new technologies: to embrace changing technology, not fear it.

“I did not feel afraid [of losing my job]. As an old person, when you are given the opportunity to work, you should, even with the [new] machines,” said Mr Samsudin.

This article is contributed by Workforce Singapore and the Singapore National Employers Federation. WorkPro is part of the Transform and Grow initiative. It aims to help employers implement progressive employment practices to make workplaces easier, safer and smarter. For more information on the programme, please visit bit.ly/workpro_shine or scan the QR code.

They Keep Their Jobs

Older workers may find it difficult to remain in the workforce as they become more susceptible to chronic diseases or injury due to decreased physical capacity. However,older workers can remain active at work through job redesign and reducing the physical demands of their jobs.

“I have high blood pressure, diabetes and my legs are not very strong anymore too. I also had a stroke recently and am still recovering, but I still want to keep working. I am thankful that the company still wants me to work for them too,” said Mr Samsudin.

Since the new machines were installed, Mr Samsudin has not felt the strain that the physical work used to take on his body.

“Thanks to the machines, I don’t get tired after a day’s work,” he said.

Staying Active

Working gives older workers more than just the means to support themselves and make a living; they also get the chance to stay active.

“By working, I am keeping myself fit. As an old person, if you stay idle for too long, you will have even more illnesses. So I think working is a much better option for me. On top of that, I get money that I can save,” said Mr Samsudin gleefully.

Mr Samsudin Bin Ahmad demonstrating how to use the vacuum lifter to carry the 25kg bags.

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INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY.CREATINGVALUE FOR TOMORROW.

For over two decades, CDL has integrated Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

practices into our business strategy and operations to create enduring value for our

business, stakeholders, community and the environment.

In line with our corporate vision of “Building Value for Tomorrow, Today”, we established

a sustainability blueprint CDL Future Value 2030 in 2017. It set clear directions and

ESG goals to future proof our business and guide us towards 2030 – a milestone year

for global sustainable development, climate agreement and green building movement.

In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and

Economic Growth, we strive to create a safe and healthy workplace for our employees

and workers of our direct suppliers across CDL’s operations.

Recognising that collaborative partnerships are key to driving sustainability, CDL built

the Singapore Sustainability Academy which opened on 5 June 2017 to advance our

advocacy and stakeholder engagement for sustainable development and climate action.

It is an extensive partnership involving six government agencies, 15 industry and NGO

partners, and houses the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore to build capacity

and train energy professionals from the region. The zero-energy Academy has since

become an active hub for thought leadership, knowledge sharing and capacity building

on key sustainability topics.

For more information, visit www.cdlsustainability.com.

Zero-energy Singapore Sustainability AcademySkypark Level 6, City Square Mall

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1010 ADVERTORIAL

ENHANCING COMPETENCIES TOWARDS A SAFER WORKPLACE

To KTC Civil Engineering and Construction Pte Ltd, workplace safety and health (WSH) is a core value and key consideration in all its work processes including decision making. It places importance in cultivating the right WSH mindset and attitude. As a believer that injuries and ill health are preventable, the company is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace and raising workers’ competencies. KTC also believes that leaders must “walk the talk” and lead by example, such as conducting safety briefings to remind workers on the importance of WSH or taking additional steps to promote WSH.

In 2016, KTC set up its first in-house Safety Training Centre to equip and enhance the knowledge and skills

needed for its workers to perform their work safely. The Centre has eight different training facilities, including a state-of-the-art simulator for excavator operators and articulated truck drivers to enhance their skills in handling various situations at work. The company plans to grade all the operatives, and compile a database to assess their competencies and facilitate continuous improvement. A second in-house Safety Training Centre was later set up in 2017 to expand essential safety training for its entire workforce, including all its subcontractors.

KTC also initiated the Annual Safety Forum in 2016 for its project directors, managers, engineers and safety personnel to share their WSH concerns

and look into methods to raise the organisation’s WSH standards. The platform provided an opportunity for its project team members to learn and apply good practices in their projects, and helped strengthened the organisation’s WSH culture.

Committed to positive change and keep the company moving forward, KTC strives to adopt new technology to improve the safety, health and well-being of its workers.

This is a sponsored profile.

11ADVERTISEMENT

PSA is committed to providing a safe, secure and healthywork environment for our staff, customers and solution partners.

As a people-centric organisation, PSA ensures that all employeesare able to go home safely to their families from work every day.

As an industry leader, we will continue to enhanceour Health, Safety, Security & Environment (HSSE) practices

and be an exemplary corporate partner on HSSE matters.

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As a people-centric organisation, PSA ensures that all employeesare able to go home safely to their families from work every day.

As an industry leader, we will continue to enhanceour Health, Safety, Security & Environment (HSSE) practices

and be an exemplary corporate partner on HSSE matters.

Mr Jin AipingSTEC Deputy Chairman

The awards won over the years are testament to STEC’scommitment to WSHE. STEC is committed to play a big partin Singapore’s infrastructure development in the years tocome.

Our major projects

LTA T225 - Construction of ShentonWay Station and its Associated Tunnels

LTA T305 - Construction of Katong ParkStation and its Associated Tunnels

LTA T310 - Construction of BayshoreStation and its Associated Tunnels

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LTA DTL3 C923A - Construction oftunnels between Tampines East andUpper Changi Stations

PUB DTSS T-01 - Deep Tunnel SewerageSystem-Changi Tunnel

LTA DTL1 C902 - Construction of theunderground Promenade Station

Marina Bay Sands Integrated ResortDevelopment P8402

2017 LTA ASAC Safety Excellence Award & Champion - T225LTA ASAC Environment Excellence Award - T225MOM WSH (SHARP) Award - T225BCA Construction Excellence Award - C920

2016 Land Transport Excellence Award - C1688 LTA ASAC Safety Excellence Award - T225LTA ASAC Environment Excellence Award - T225MOM WSH (SHARP) Award - T206 & T225

2015 LTA ASAC Best WSHO Award– C1688 LTA ASAC Accident Free Award - C1688LTA ASAC Safety Excellence Award - C1688MOM WSH (SHARP) Award - C920, C1688 & T206

The company

Established in 1996, Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Singapore (STEC) is a leading civil engineering and construction firm in Singapore. Over the years, STEC has been entrusted by its clients to construct several major civil projects in Singapore. STEC believes that maintaining good Workplace Safety, Health and Environment (WSHE) standards is key to its company’s success.

“We are a leader in WSHE and are proud that our efforts have been recognised in the industry. We are committed to strengthen our WSHE efforts and cultivate the right WSHE attitudes among our employees and workers. We aim to eliminate all workplace injuries and ensure a safe working environment where everyone can go home safely.”

Address: 30 Cecil Street #11-08 Prudential Tower Singapore 049712Website: www.stecs.com.sg Email: general@stecs.com.sg

Achievements

13ADVERTISEMENT

The Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Conference is back!We are in the midst of dynamic transformation. Technological innovations, shifting economic demands and changes in consumer patterns are radically changing our workplaces and the way we work. To stay ahead of this tidal wave of changes, it is even more important for us to raise workplace safety and health (WSH) capabilities to keep our workforce healthy and workplaces safe.

Join us at Singapore WSH Conference on 29 and 30 Aug 2018 to exchange ideas and solutions on how we can protect our workforce and keep our workplaces safe and healthy.

Organisers

For more information on the Conference, visit www.singaporewshconference.sgor email the Conference Secretariat at secretariat@singaporewshconference.sg

Conference Price

1-Day Conference Pass

S$680 per participant

2-Day Conference Pass

S$1,050 per participant

Group Discount 2-Day Conference Pass

S$850 per participant*For 4 participants or more

Register Now!

1414 CASE FILE

Case #1 WORKER DIES AFTER GETTING CAUGHT IN AN INDUSTRIAL COOKING MIXER

Case Brief:On 15 August 2016, the deceased was preparing chilli paste using an industrial gas-heated cooking mixer when her clothing got caught by the rotating mixing shaft of the machine. Her body heaved across the machine and became trapped against the heated surface of the mixer bowl of the machine.

The Accused:Teck Neo Pineapple Tarts Pte Ltd

Employer Fined for Failure to Ensure SafetyWhen processing the ingredients for the chilli paste, the machine is switched on with the mixing shaft rotating to prevent overheating of the ingredients. The machine operator then scrapes the ingredients off the sides of the mixing bowl while the gas burner is heating the ingredients. The operator will scoop out the processed ingredients after switching off the gas burner. However, the mixing shaft will continue to rotate during the scooping process.

Investigations revealed that the accused company failed to conduct a risk assessment and establish safe work procedures for the work carried out. Although the accused company had instructed its employees not to stand too close to the machine due to the heat, it was insufficient. Employees would have to

be near the machine, with the mixing shaft still rotating, in order to scoop out the processed ingredients.This increased the likelihood of their clothing or items getting entangled with the rotating mixing shaft.By identifying employee exposure to entanglement, heat-related and electrical risks, proper safe work procedures could have been established for employees to carry out the work safely.

The accused company also failed to provide engineering controls (e.g., fencing or guards) to reduce the risks of entanglement. There was also no emergency stop button installed at an accessible location for the operator to deactivate in the event of an emergency.

For failing to ensure a safe work environment, the accused company was fined $80,000 under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.

Case #2 WORKER DIES AFTER FALLING FROM LADDER

Case Brief:On 23 August 2016, the deceased fell from an A-frame ladder while servicing the air-conditioning system of a residential unit. The deceased was sent to the hospital but passed away on 31 August 2016 due to head injuries.

The Accused:Sole proprietor of Cool One Service

Employer Fined for Failure to Ensure SafetyOn the day of the accident, the deceased and his co-worker were carrying out servicing and chemical washing works to the cassette air-conditioning unit installed onto the ceiling of the premises. The ceiling was about 3.3m

in height and two step ladders were used to execute the job. After completing the chemical wash, both workers attempted to re-install the cassette unit back onto the ceiling.

They ascended their respective A-frame ladders while holding onto separate ends of the cassette unit. To balance the cassette unit, they had to coordinate their movements to ensure that they were both at the same step of their respective ladders. The deceased was in charge of giving thecommand to take a step up the ladder. At the 6th step of the ladder (about 1.47m above the ground), the co-worker heard a cry and saw the deceased fall from the ladder.

Investigations revealed that the accused failed to conduct risk assessment on the installation, repair and service of air-conditioning work and implement risk control measures to reduce the foreseeable hazards and risks of electrocution or falling from height.

The accused had implemented safe work procedures (SWPs) for working at heights, which consisted of: (i) reminding workers to be careful when working on ladder before tasks were assigned daily, (ii) adopting a buddy system so that one of them can hold onto the ladder while the other is using it and (iii) giving workers the liberty to ask for additional

manpower when required. However, these SWPs were inadequate in reducing the risk of workers falling from height.

Instead of daily reminders to workers (Point (i)), there should be instructions to describe the steps to perform the activity and its sub-activities. The implementation of a buddy system so that another worker can hold onto the ladder while the other is using it (Point (ii)) was ineffective as the weight of the cassette unit was about 15kg. Thus, it would not be possible for one worker to transport it up and down the ladder.

The accused’s work procedure for transporting the cassette unit up and down the ladder does not allow workers to maintain three points of contact with a ladder and is thus hazardous. Even if additional manpower was deployed to hold onto the respective ladders while the workers were on them (Point (iii)), it would not have reduced their risk of falling. The accused could have provided workers with a lifter instead to transport the cassette unit. By using a lifter, workers can maintain 3 points of contact while they ascend and descend the ladders, thus reducing the risk of falling.

For failing to ensure a safe work environment, the accused was fined $50,000 under the Workplace Safety and Health Act.

Post accident photograph of emergency stop button installed and fabricated fencing above mixer bowl.

Photograph of lifter.

The Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Conference is back!We are in the midst of dynamic transformation. Technological innovations, shifting economic demands and changes in consumer patterns are radically changing our workplaces and the way we work. To stay ahead of this tidal wave of changes, it is even more important for us to raise workplace safety and health (WSH) capabilities to keep our workforce healthy and workplaces safe.

Join us at Singapore WSH Conference on 29 and 30 Aug 2018 to exchange ideas and solutions on how we can protect our workforce and keep our workplaces safe and healthy.

Organisers

For more information on the Conference, visit www.singaporewshconference.sgor email the Conference Secretariat at secretariat@singaporewshconference.sg

Conference Price

1-Day Conference Pass

S$680 per participant

2-Day Conference Pass

S$1,050 per participant

Group Discount 2-Day Conference Pass

S$850 per participant*For 4 participants or more

Register Now!

The Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Conference is back!We are in the midst of dynamic transformation. Technological innovations, shifting economic demands and changes in consumer patterns are radically changing our workplaces and the way we work. To stay ahead of this tidal wave of changes, it is even more important for us to raise workplace safety and health (WSH) capabilities to keep our workforce healthy and workplaces safe.

Join us at Singapore WSH Conference on 29 and 30 Aug 2018 to exchange ideas and solutions on how we can protect our workforce and keep our workplaces safe and healthy.

Organisers

For more information on the Conference, visit www.singaporewshconference.sgor email the Conference Secretariat at secretariat@singaporewshconference.sg

Conference Price

1-Day Conference Pass

S$680 per participant

2-Day Conference Pass

S$1,050 per participant

Group Discount 2-Day Conference Pass

S$850 per participant*For 4 participants or more

Register Now!

15WHAT'S NEW

ResourcesThe Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council has issued the following new publications. To view them, go to www.wshc.sg/resources

Guide to Safe Riding on Motorcycles, Bicycles, Power-assisted Bicycles and Personal Mobility Devices

The demand for delivery services is increasingly met by bicycles, power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and personal mobility devices (PMDs) in recent years as they offer flexible and cost-effective alternatives for businesses. With more bicycles, PABs and PMDs used for work, it is important that companies take steps to ensure the safe use of these devices for their riders. This publication helps companies and riders identify the hazards riders face and suggests measures to reduce the WSH risks associated with the hazards identified.

Download it at https://bit.ly/2IOECfF

Guide to Effective Toolbox Meeting

Toolbox meetings are an effective way to communicate with workers on the importance of safety. This guide aims to provide companies with a clear and systematic format to conduct toolbox meetings effectively. Companies are encouraged to use this guide in conjunction with the Toolbox Meeting Aid for a more productive toolbox talk.

Download it at https://bit.ly/2IrLBf1

Guide to Safe Ridingon Motorcycles, Bicycles, Power-Assisted Bicycles and Personal Mobility Devices

Guide to EFFECTIVE TOOLBOXMEETING

施工前安全会议指南

New

1616 FEATURE