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Thursday, February 2, 2023

Develop Behavioural Safety Programme

Introduction

We associate the phrase “behaviour based safety” very much with the works of Dr E Scott Geller because he was the man that coined the phrase in 1979 which later on became the commonly used phrase of the safety systems industry

Behavioural Based Safety is defined as the process that reduces unsafe behaviours that can lead to incidents occurring in the workplace by delving into the act that causes the accident by looking into areas such as the work place; work environment, equipment, procedures and attitudes and by reinforcing safe behaviours and identifying the causes of unsafe behaviour

To answer to this question, it is necessary to make the following assumptions.

Multi-National Organization

The Behaviour Based Safety Program is specifically design and developed for the company Boh Chap Pte Ltd which is a multi-national organization that employed close to 1000 employees at their current manufacturing site in Jurong Industrial Estate.

Multi-cultural Workforce

The front line management and direct labours are typically made up of china and Indian nationals supervised and managed by local Singaporeans and other multi- nationals executives, engineers as well as managers

Nature of operations

Here we shall assumed the manufacturing activities in Boh Chap Pte Ltd are labour intensives due to the management reluctance’s to purchase mechanical aid for the mobilization of tools/products and most of the time workers have to use machineries and equipments which are poorly maintained to execute their daily activities.

Workers involved in the accidents/incidents

Here we shall assumed that based on the review and analysis of the accident investigation findings report, it was observed that there is a consistent trends in the accidence reported as almost all the accidents reported involved workers who were very experienced in their area of work and have been with the organization for at least 10 years.

Reactive WSH Management

Here we shall also assumed that the front line management and staff adopt the reactive style of approach in managing their WSH in the organization 

APPROPRIATE APPROACHES IN REDUCING ACCIDENTS/INCIDENT IN BOH CHAP PTE LTD

Before providing the answers to the approaches in reducing acidents/incident in the work place, there is a need to understands what constitutes the definitions of accident and incident.

The definition of an incident culled from the OHSAS 18001:2007 is defined as work related event(s) in which an injury or ill health or fatality occurred, or could have occurred. And an incident where no injury, ill health, or fatality occurs may also referred to as a “near-miss” , “near-hit”, “close call” or “dangerous occurrences”

We often associate the term accidents/incidents with OHSAS 18001 :2007 definition, where it defined incident as work-related event(s) in which an injury or ill health or fatality occurred, or could have occurred. One such example would be an emergency situation

On the other hand OHSAS 18001:2007 definition of an accident is an incident which has given rise to injury, ill health or fatality.

There are many approaches available which an organization can employ to help them reduce accidents/incident in their work place and this include:

Behaviour Change

Involves the use of behavioural change theories which provide insight into the formulation of effective teaching methods that tap into the mechanisms of behavioural change

Engineering Change

The creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or work utilizing singly or in combination to make safe the processes for the operator and the machinery at the workplace

Group Problem Solving

Applying group problem solving method to proactively identify potential foreseeable hazards/risks prior to an actual fail event and applied the mitigation measures to prevent the problems from actually occurring. Example would be the use of Failure Mode Effects Analysis ( FMEA)

Management Audit

Audit on the adequacy of the organization’s health and safety management using a relevant standard or benchmark . If standards are not clear, the assessment cannot be reliable. Audit judgements should be informed by the legal standards, WSH Act and regulations and applicable industry standards. Usually during an audit, documentary analysis is necessary to gauge the level of commitment towards WSH. Example would be to find out whether an organization implement what they have said in the risk assessment register.

Stress Management Program

Individuals stress levels at work can also affect accidents at the workplaces. And it is important to identify what are the workers triggering and intervention methods for controlling their workplace stress and develop an effective stress management programme

Poster Campaign

The use of textual and graphical elements which are eye grabbing, jaws dropping and enticing to promote and convey safety message to the workers

Near-miss Reporting

Monitoring and communicating near-misses incidents where near-miss is any event which is an unintentional unsafe occurrence that could have resulted in an injury, fatality or property damage for learning from experiences purposes

For this question, the appropriate approach to reduce the workplace accidents / incidents are identified as follows:

Behavioural Change

The reasons why behavioural change approach is identified as one of the appropriate is because, review and analysis on the accidents that occurred in Boh Chap Pte Ltd revealed that the causes of accidents/incidents in the workplace were mainly attributed by the workers human behaviour such as at-risk behaviours, failure of workers to don the PPE and the failure of maintenance crew to conduct machinery preventive maintenance. And moreover additional information gather from these accidents investigation also revealed that there is a consistent trend . among the reported accidents/incidents. It was noted that most of the reported accidents in Boh Chap Pte Ltd involved employees with at least minimum of 10 years service with the organization which could indicate to us complacency which is also part of human attribute –that is human behaviour

Group Problem Solving

The reason why group problem solving is identified as another appropriate approach is based on the review of the accident investigation findings reports for all the reported accidents recorded which revealed the front line management and staffs adopt a reactive style of approach in managing their WSH at their workplace meaning only when an accident/incident happened, then the management react by administering appropriate control measures. The reactive style of WSH approach does not serve any purpose nor benefits the organization as no efforts were undertaken to prevent the accident/incident from occurring.

Rather than reactive, the front line management and staff should adopt a proactive group problem solving style of approach to manage their WSH at the workplace. Meaning they are proactively involved as a group/team which involve both the front line management and staff to identify foreseeable hazards/risks/problems and applied mitigation measures before the situation escalated into an accident/incident

RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR REDUCING ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS IN BOH CHAP PTE LTD

The 2 identified resources which are required for reducing the accidents/incident in Boh Chap Pte Ltd through the design, implementation and maintenance of the Behavioural Safety performance system are :

Financial resources

Finance is the science of funds management. The field of finance deals with the concept of time, money and risk and how they are interrelated. It also deals with how money is spent and budgeted. Budget is required to start a Behavioural Safety Programme which may includes the following aspects depending on the organization BSP , polices and organizational procedures

Employee rewards program in supporting of the BSP . Example a worker was rewarded a $50 NTUC voucher for seeing him coaching another co-worker for an unsafe act.

  • Organizing training for the BSP committee team
  • Printing of flyers or poster to promote BSP among workers internally
  • Printing of safety observation checklist
  • Faulty Machineries/Equipment Replacement

Human resources

Management of human resources through the allocation of human resources among various projects or business units, maximising the utilization of available personnel resources to achieve the organization business goals and the efficient and effective deployment of an organization’s personnel resources where and when they are needed and in possession of the skills, tools and training required by the work. Example would be undertaking training needs analysis to identify the require training program for the BSP team to equip them with the necessary skills, knowledge and competency to assume their BSP roles.

RECOMMEND ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS STUDY METHODOLOGY

Organizational readiness for change is a multi-level, multi-faceted construct. As an organization-level construct, readiness for change refers to organizational members' shared resolve to implement a change (change commitment) and shared belief in their collective capability to do so (change efficacy).

Organizational readiness for change varies as a function of how much organizational members value the change and how favorably they appraise three key determinants of implementation capability:

•task demands

•resource availability

•situational factors.

When an organizational readiness for change is high, organizational members are more likely to initiate change, exert greater effort, exhibit greater persistence, and display more cooperative behaviour and the result is more effective implementation.

•Study methodologies of organisational readiness may include:

•Employee risk perception approach

•Employer risk perception approach

•Peer risk perception approach

•Individual risk perception approach

•Organizational readiness study methods such as

Individual interview questionnaire

Small groups discussion

In this question, the safety climate survey will be discussed to check for the organization readiness to behavioural change programme.

Safety climate is a very important element of any organization safety culture. The ‘climate of safety’ in the organization at any given point in time determines the organization people’s safety behaviour. Safety climate survey are used to provide a snapshot of the workforce’s attitudes and perceptions about safety to help identify what is working well and what is not working as intended. 

The procedures of developing a safety climate survey would include:

 Step one : Developing the survey

•Survey statements should be worded so they can be understood by all respondents and will obtain the desired information

•All statements/questions must be frame clearly. Each item must have sense to every respondent. If an employee does not understand what is being asked, his/her responses may not reflect true perceptions causing misleading findings.

Step two: Select a Sample Size

•Including all, or nearly all, employees in the survey gives everyone the opportunity to participate

•Employee may feel more involved in the safety program as they have been invited to express their issues or concerns/ However, it is not always practical to survey all employees

•The sample size depends very much on the professional and financial resources available to administer the survey, and on the company’s ability to input and analyse the data

Step three : Test the survey

•Administer the pre-test as though it were the actual survey

•Thereafter ask the respondents whether the survey seemed straight forward

•Review the respondents answers to each statement of the survey carefully to identify whether the survey is eliciting the desired information

•Modify the survey as required and then re-test on a different sample group

Step four : Communicate intentions

•Employees generally do not appreciate surprises. For the survey to be positively received, communicate the plan to all employees in advance

•The surveyor’s goal is to constantly and continually communicate the progress while working through the survey process.

Step five : Administer the Survey

•Administer the survey through either the following ways:

Internet survey where employees are able to complete their survey at their own time and from any location

Assemble employees in a meeting room to complete the survey anonymously on a given time 

Groups of employees may be called to the survey room at a designated time, or task can simply be made part of a regular staff/safety meeting

Step Six : Analyse

•Once the survey have been conducted, the next thing is to correlate the survey’s reporting parameters with comments and by doing so ,the benefits of including comments in a survey is quite obvious

•Incorporating comments in a survey helps to clarify the survey results. Example when the survey data show only that some groups of respondents scored high and some scored low but offer no explanation as to why this occurred.

•Scores alone is not able to provide the direction required to take specific action. Whereas Comments can provide that information

Step Seven : Validate

•If the safety perception survey is designed according to the approach outlined earlier, the comments received from the respondent s will generally serves as a validation to the score

•However at times comments may not be able to provide enough information on what the employees feel should be done and in this case the focus groups would need to come in to help the surveyor gather the extra data

Step Eight : Feedback

•After survey has been administered, the employees may wish to know the results. To prevent misinterpretation of the survey findings, an easy to understand summary report should be provided with indication that the full report is only available upon request rather than overwhelming the employees with reams of detailed findings.

Step Nine : Re-evaluate

•Safety perception survey yields information about a company’s safety and health system, that other measures do not

•It can often take a company more than a year to plan and execute all of its responses to the survey findings. Therefore such a survey should not be conducted too often and most companies usually conduct such a survey every 1 or 2 years 

POSSIBLE ROOT CAUSES OF PAST INCIDENTS OR ACCIDENTS BASED ON ORGANIZATIONAL RECORDS

Various methods are available that organization can use to identify root causes of past incident or accidents and they are:

  • Root Cause Analysis ( RCA)

RCA focus on problems solving by attempting to correct or eliminate root causes, as opposed to merely addressing the immediately obvious symptom. It is viewed as a continuous improvement tools, a reactive method of problem detection and solving, and a proactive method as RCA has the ability to forecast the possibility of an event before it could occur

  • Simplified Explanation

Visual drawing used to identify the connections or dependencies of the main perceived symptoms of a problem and this leads to easy identification of areas which needs to be focus to achieve the positive change if tackled

  • Contextual Explanation

Map out a sequence of cause and effect from the core problem to the symptoms and by working backwards from the undesirable effects or symptoms to uncover or discover the underlying core cause. Symptoms arises from one core problem and by removing the core problem, the symptoms can then be removed

Current Reality Tree Example

Involves depicting a chain of cause and effect reasoning in graphical form by linking any two undesirable effects, elaborating the reasoning to ensure it is sound and plausible and linking each of the remaining undesirable effects to the existing tree by repeating the previous steps. This approach tends to converge on a single root cause

To be able to identify what are the root causes of past incidents or accidents would require a good understanding of what constitutes the following definitions:

Accident

OHSAS 18001:2007 definition of an accident is an incident which has given rise to injury, ill health or fatality

Incident

OHSAS 18001 :2007 definition of an incident as any work-related event(s) in which an injury or ill health or fatality occurred, or could have occurred 

Near-miss

An occurrence in a sequence of events that had the potential to produce injury, death or property damage but did not

Dangerous occurrences

Occurrences of serious workplace incident which does not involve the death or injury of any person at work

Reportable accidents

Accidents reportable to the Ministry of Manpower include death of worker, injury of worker ( more than 3 days MC or 24 hours in hospital), death or injury of self employed or member of public, dangerous occurrence and occupational disease

At-risk behaviours

Accidents caused by undesirable human behaviour and can be corrected by the action of the human being only Examples of at-risk behaviours include:

•Messaging peers using hand phone whilst walking down a flight of stairs with Eyes not on path

•Busy chatting away with co-worker whilst performing hammering of nails jobs with eyes not on work

•Not following safe work procedures such as not adhering to the LockOut TagOut safe work procedure prior to the conduct of machine preventive maintenance

Unsafe Conditions

Define as the existence of a mechanical, physical, chemical or environmental condition, situation or state of affairs, which may cause hazard or accident Example of unsafe conditions:

No Machine guarding Defects found on ladder

After considering the methods of identifying root cause of accidents and the definition of the accidents categories, the two possible root causes of past incidents and accidents based on organisational records are identified as:

•At-risk behaviours

•Unsafe condition 

CRITICAL BEHAVIOURS WHICH CAUSED ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS IN THE ORGANIZATION ASSOCIATED WITH WORK LOCATION AND ERGONOMICS

Patterns of behaviours can be defined as an observable action or series of actions or activities that result in patterns that affect the safety of an individuals or a group of workers

Individuals behaviours are repeatable meaning if you have done it once, you will likely to do it again whether it has been done consciously or sub-consciously

Some patterns of behaviour can be found in some of the safe work procedures and a positive WSH culture must have such procedures to develop the training and practices so as to make these patterns of behaviour safe to use

An example would be the managing director has this particular pattern of behaviour where he will always make sure he holds on the handrail during ascending and descending the stairway and he has never failed once without holding the handrail

Research indicates that 80 to 90% of all workplace accidents, regardless of industry, are caused by critical errors involving the following four unintentional (or habitual) at-risk behaviors:

1.Eyes not on task.

2.Mind not on task.

3.Moving into or being in the line-of-fire.

4.Loss of balance, traction and/or grip

Consider the activity of driving a forklift at the workplace

What happens if we take our eyes off the road, even for a moment? (Eyes not on task.) Or what if we are driving while distracted by a handphone phone call? (Mind not on task.) Or if we exit a parking lot without first looking to make sure we're not pulling out into oncoming traffic? (Moving into the line-of-fire.) And how easy is it to slip and fall if we climb out of the forklift without first checking our footing? (Loss of balance/traction and/or grip)

Ergonomics is a way of designing workstations, work practices, and work flow to accommodate the capabilities of workers. Ergonomic design reduces risk factors known to contribute to occupational ergonomic injuries and illnesses, such as sprains and strains and cumulative trauma disorders

If work is performed in an awkward postures or with excessive effort, fatigue and discomfort may result. Under these conditions the muscles, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels can be damaged. Injuries of this type is known as musculoskeletal disorder

The critical behaviours that caused accidents/incidents in the organization associated with ergonomics are:

1.Working in an awkward posture

2.Working with excessive effort.

3.Failure to use mechanical aids to lift heavy object

4.Failure to adopt proper lifting and lowering method during manual lifting of items

We often associate tools and equipment hazards with the physical condition of the tools and equipments. Example would be machinery guarding not in place or the hammer have a chipped off handle.

The critical behaviours that caused accidents/incidents in the organization associated with tools and equipments are

1.Inappropriate use of tools and equipments which they are not intended for. Example would be the use of screwdriver as a door wedge to prevent the door from auto-closing due to a malfunctioned door ledge

2 Using the tools and equipment in the wrong way

3. Use of wrong tools/equipments for a particular job

4The moving parts of the machinery/equipment was observed not protected with a machine guards when the machine is still in operations

The critical behaviours that caused accidents/incidents in the organization associated with procedures are

1.Failure to adhere to safe work procedures. Example would be the failure to conduct the LockOut Tag Out procedures prior to the machinery preventive maintenance

2.Failure to follow the safe work procedure for the use and disposal of chemicals

The critical behaviours that caused accidents/incidents in the organization associated with personal protective equipment are

1)Failure to wear the appropriate PPE . Example would be failure to wear the chemical resistant boots, gloves, face shield and coverall when handling hazardous chemicals which are corrosive

2)Wearing the wrong PPE for certain task

RECOMMEND THE MODES AND FREQUENCY OF DATA COLLECTION

There are many methods available for data collection and this may include:

a)Paper Collection

Where data collected are in the form of hard copies where employees conducting the observations, record the data on printed observation checklists while the person in charge will follow up on the manual calculation of the total safe and at risk behaviours

b)Machine readable paper

Where data are collected using the special OAS paper where employee deployed as observer have to shade observation results on special OAS paper. The duly shaded OAS paper will then feed into a machine which will scan the paper and compute observation results via software

c)Personal Digital Assistance (PDA) Collection

Where data are collected by the means of using PDA where the employees deployed as observer will direct key in the observation results into the PDA while conducting the observation

d)Web based collection

Where the data collected from the observations are being manually keyed into an online system, where results will be computed out. Employees are able to access the observation analysis online

The frequency of safety observation data collection is not fixed and it may include:

•Daily

•Weekly

•Monthly

•Sampling Frequency

IMPLEMENT BEHAVIOUR SAFETY PROGRAM

ESTABLISH THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BSP STEERING AND WORKING COMMITTEE

The roles and responsibilities of BSP Steering committee may include:

•Planning of BSP implementation schedule; this should be a one year plan, which includes the awareness campaign, training, pilot run, full roll out and programme audit

•Organization of BSP resources; allocation of human and financial resources should be plan in accordance to the nature and size of organization

•Selection of BSP observers; it is preferred to have volunteers in BSP participation. However , in view of the introvert nature of Asian, most BSP observers need to be appointed by the Steering committee of HOD

•Review of BSP implementation progress; tracking the progress of the implementation is crucial

Additional roles and responsibilities of BSP Steering committee may include:

•Ensuring the implementation of BSP observation and maintaining the quality of observation from the observers

•BSP Facilitators; the members in the working committee will serve as the sub facilitator of BSP, facilitating the programme by ensuring the observation schedule is being followed

•Act as BSP coaches and responsible for the quality of the BSP observers through coaching to calibrate the BSP observer’s observation quality

•Act as BSP observers and stand in as BSP observer in case there is a shortage of observers due to unforeseen circumstances

•Facilitation of BSP implementation Plan

•Coaching of BSP observers in identifying at-risk and safe behaviours

•Collection of observation date according to planned frequency

•Analysis of data collected and identifies the at risk and safe behaviours

•Implementation of action plans to reduce at-risk behaviours 

IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE TRAININGS REQUIRED FOR BSP STEERING AND WORKNG COMMITTEE

The specific training appropriate for the BSP Steering committee may include:

  • Objectives and background of BSP
  • Motivation factors of safe and at-risk behaviours
  • Development of critical behavioural list
  • Management of resistance during implementation BSP Strategies for managing resistance in BBSP
  • Make it clear that the change will occur
  • Emphasize the need for change
  • Have clear expectations
  • Gives details of the change
  • Get input from people
  • Modify change and change process to accommodate concerns
  • Hold people accountable
  • Recognise/reinforce participation and change Overview of BSP implementation phases

The specific training appropriate for the BSP Working committee may include:

Basic principles of BSP, which may include:

  • BSP implementation phases
  • BSP observation skills
  • Looking at the right critical behaviours-observer need to be able to discriminate safe from at-risk behaviours( during observation)

Observers interaction skills, which include:

  • Observers providing effective feedback
  • Observers getting feedback
  • Behaviour analysis skills

Analysis requires knowledge of basic human behaviour models such as the ABC Model

  • Data analysis skills with particular focus on the following:

-Categories that have a lower % safe than the overall % safe

-Items that have higher potential for injury. These might be items that are often involved in injury, or items with potential for serious injury 

-Check to see how often the item has been marked. The % Safe for an item may be low, but it may not have been marked very often

-Write down possible focus areas. Make a list of possible focus areas. Write down the item number and description, and the %Safe

Behavioural corrective action

To ensure the objectives are met, provide effective feedback and make suggestions for future improvements

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BSP OBSERVATION TO DETERMINE SAFE AND AT-RISK

Implementation of the BSP observation to determine safe and at-risk behaviours involves the following steps:

a)Selection of observers

It is important to ensure that only responsible, patient and employee who have at least certain knowledge in safety are selected as the observer as the observers are entrust with the responsibilities of convincing and explaining the BSP objectives and benefits of the BSP program to the organization employees.

b)Training of observers.

When the right employees are selected as the BSP observers, the organization would need to provide them with the following trainings to equip them with the knowledge and know- how to assume their roles

-Data collection techniques

-Observation preparation tasks

-Observation methods

-Post-processing tasks

Data collection mode and frequency

Preparation of observation

-Preparation of behaviour checklist, definitions , location and time of observation etc

e)Conducting observation

•Identify critical safety-related behaviours

•Discover the causes of the at-risk behaviours

•Record what is seen by using Critical Behaviour checklist 

•Provide feedback. The observer points out the places when the employee was performing safely and tried to discover the reasons behind at-risk behaviour

•Write quality comments. Records co-worker suggestions and ideas about barriers to safe work. Provide practical suggestions to improve unsafe behaviour

f)Reporting and analysis of collected data at the end of the Observation

PROVISION OF APPROPRIATE COACHING TO BSP OBSERVERS TO ENSURE OBSERVATION IS CARRIED OUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ORGANIZATION PROCEDURES

In order to ensure that the BSP observers conduct the observation in accordance with organization procedures, organization should ensure appropriate coaching, supervision and assistance are provided to the BSP observers which may include:

•Periodic monitoring of the BSP implementation which involves monitor and provide feedback to individuals that will help to improve some safety problems

•Identify areas where BSP require further improvements which include:

Review of the observation coaching guide and data trend report together

Brainstorm suggestions for improvement and provide guidance feedback

•Ensuring BSP activities are carried out according to requirements

Coaching technique for BSP observers

Maintain Behavioural Safety Programme

CRITICAL ELEMENTS REQUIRED FOR A SUCCESSFUL BSP IMPLEMENTATION

The success of the BSP implementation depends on the following critical elements which include

a)Management engagement

Management commitment and leadership is critical in the success of the BSP implementation. Management should demonstrate their commitment by showing that they care about the success of the BSP implementation through the provision of adequate resources to promote the behavioural safety approach and creating an environment of accountability in which each and every employee are made accountable and responsible for his/her own safety as well as the safety of his/her colleagues.

As the success of the BSP implementation depends very much on the people implementing and managing the BSP tools, the organization shall ensure that the management plays the leadership role in the BSP implementation process to ensure that it will not primarily become the responsibility of the employees

b)Employee engagement.

The success of the BSP process also depends very much on the employees ownership of their BSP roles in their work groups as BSP process requires continual employees participation in the following phases which include:

-Design stage

-Implementation of the BSP project

-Training

-Ongoing observation

And the employees are expected to use the resulting data to develop action plans in their work groups so as to address the hazards and encourage safe work practices

c)Observation checklist

To ensure the effectiveness of the behaviour based safety, the observation checklist should be specific to the organization’s workplace risks associated with the activities undertaken by the employees.

Generic checklist is only effective in increasing the employee level of awareness in safety but does not really address the unsafe behaviours of employees which are the major contributor for the past injuries

Based on these findings, organization should identify and define safe work practices rather than specific behaviours that are clear enough so that they can be easily and reliably identified

d)Data Analysis

BSP team have to take into consideration the confidentiality and anonymity of the employees during the data collection stage and be sensitive to issues such as recording the time of the conduct of the observation. As some employees may feel unsecured if the observation time is being recorded for fear of being identified as the observed employee

Behaviour safety process is a simple process which involves the collection of data and analysis of the observed activities. Usually the decision about what data to gather and how is established by the BSP team and the team only collect data that are required and analyzed the data to make planning decision.

The BSP team should establish a strategy which can help them to improve or make adjustment to fine tune the safety/process based on the results of their plans so as not to lose credibility with the workforce and with the management when unsuccessful tactics are allowed to continue to be used.

Having an established strategy in places will help the BSP team to reduce the resources invested on an ineffective strategy.

e)Provision of adequate BSP training

Adequate BSP training shall be provided to the observer and the facilitator as well as to the employees for BSP awareness purposes. Employees who have undergone the BSP awareness training will have a better understanding of the BSP process and why the organization is adopting such program and hence they are more supportive , less resistant towards the acceptance of the BSP process

f)Removing barriers through appropriate interventions

The objective of the feedback session during a safety observation is to remove the barriers through appropriate interventions which involves the development of relevant intervention strategies by the work teams which includes:

•Complimenting the employee being observed for enhancing safe behaviour

•Counselling the employee being observed for reducing the difficulties associated with safe behaviour

•Coaching the employee being observed for educating the workers on risk perception 

•Correcting the employee being observed for removing the barriers associated with unsafe behaviour

It is important to take note that these four strategies are to be used only after a careful analysis of the critical behaviours observed on the employees.

IDENTIFY THE TYPE OF DATA REQUIRED TO BE COLLECTED AND ANALYSED DURING BSP IMPLEMENTATION

The type of data required to be collected during the BSP implementation is relevant to the Boh Chap Pte Ltd manufacturing activities and is tabulated in the safety observation checklist below: 

The type of data required to be analysed during the BSP implementation may include:

•At-risk behaviour percentage

% At-risk = Total Safe / ( Total Safe + Total At-risk) x 100%

•Safe behaviours percentage

% Safe = Total Safe / ( Total Safe + Total At-Risk) x 100%

•Safety intervention during observation

•Action items closure from behavioural corrective action

The objective of analysing the data is to identify when and where the at-risk behaviours are most apt to occur. Based on this analysis, the BSP committee should develop an action plan that addresses both behavioural and facility issues that contribute to the at-risk behaviours


WSH Alert -Worker Crushed By Forklift

 



Worker Crushed Between Forklift & High Beam

On 7 July 2022, a worker was standing on the rear of a forklift to hang a cable on an overhead beam. However, the forklift suddenly moved backwards, resulting in the worker being crushed between the forklift and the beam. He died at the hospital.

Recommendations

Using the wrong equipment at work can result in serious injuries or even death. Forklifts should only be used to move goods on pallets. Forklifts are not meant for workers to gain access to higher work areas; use ladders or work platforms instead. Consider the following measures to prevent similar accidents:

• Safe work platform: Use a proper work platform for tasks requiring work at height.

Safe Work Procedure: Develop a Safe Work Procedure (SWP) for the task. Communicate the SWP to workers and provide supervision to ensure the SWP is followed.

Competent forklift operator: Allow only competent and authorised operators to operate forklifts. Ensure all forklift operators have completed the necessary certifications such as the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Operate Forklift Course. Forklift operators should never allow workers to stand on the forks or at the rear of the forklift.

Preventive maintenance: Forklift servicing and maintenance should be carried out regularly according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. This is to prevent sudden forklift failure which can create an unsafe situation.

Safe worker behaviour: Implement a behavioural observation and intervention initiative at your workplace. Encourage workers to look out for one another and empower them to stop the work should they come across an unsafe behaviour.

For more information, please refer to WSH Council’s Code of Practice for Working Safely at Heights, WSH Guidelines on Safe Operation of Forklift Trucks and WSH Guide to Behavioural Observation and Intervention.

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

WSH Circulars -Forklifts & Excavators

MOM/OSHD/2022-02

18 JUL 2022

To: All Interested Parties

USE OF FORKLIFTS AND EXCAVATORS AS LIFTING MACHINES

Between Feb and Apr 2022, three workers were killed in separate workplace accidents that were contributed by the unsafe use of forklifts. Two of the accidents involved forklifts lifting and transporting loads slung from the forks.

2 Forklifts are designed with the intent to load and unload goods on their forks. Similarly, excavators are designed as earth-moving construction machinery and have been observed to be used for lifting operations. Both forklifts and excavators are, in general, not intended for use as lifting machines to carry out lifting operations.

This circular serves as a reminder on the safe use of forklifts and excavators as lifting machines.

3 Forklifts and excavators may be used as lifting machines if they fulfil the following criteria:

i) The machine has been originally designed and manufactured, or supplied, to also function as a lifting machine (which shall include considerations whether the load lifted will be slung from the machine and whether the machine will be travelling with the load);

ii) The machine is equipped with manufacturer- or supplier-approved attachment(s) or hook(s) with safety catch for lifting purposes;

iii) The machine has a load capacity chart furnished by the manufacturer or supplier;

iv) The machine has a safe working load (SWL) not exceeding 5 tonnes when used as a lifting machine;

v) Information by the manufacturer or supplier on the safe use of the machine and its attachment/hook(s) for lifting is available;

vi) Risk assessment shall be conducted to assess the additional risks arising from the use of the machine and its attachment/hook(s) for lifting; and

vii) Any other applicable requirements as stipulated in the Workplace Safety and Health Act and its subsidiary legislation.

4 In addition to the above, excavators to be used as lifting machines must also be:

i) Equipped with an accurate indicator which shows clearly to the operator, the working radius and the corresponding SWL at all times and gives a warning signal whenever the radius is in the unsafe zone; and

ii) Examined and registered by an Authorised Examiner as lifting machines (lifting equipment classification code 699 – Other Mobile Cranes, n.e.c.). 

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATORS

5 All forklift operators must attend the WSQ Operate Forklift Course.

6 With effect from 28 September 2022, newly appointed excavator operators must attend the

  • Hydraulic Excavator Operation (As Lifting Machine) Course

All existing excavator operators are strongly encouraged to make arrangements to attend the Hydraulic Excavator Operation (As Lifting Machine) Course.

7 In addition, operators of forklifts and excavators must be familiar with the specific machinery or equipment that they use and are competent in their safe operation. 


WSH Alert -Worker thrown off forklift


Worker thrown off overturned forklift

On 23 February 2022, an operator was reversing a forklift on uneven ground within a worksite with an air compressor suspended from its fork by a sling.

The forklift subsequently overturned and threw him onto the ground. There was no seatbelt secured or any form of restraint. The operator was conveyed to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Recommendations

Unsafe or incorrect use of a forklift can cause it to overturn. To prevent similar accidents, consider the following measures:

• Operator competency: Allow only competent and authorised operators to operate forklifts. Ensure each forklift operator has completed certifications such as the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Operate Forklift Course.

• Seat belt: Instruct operators to put on their seat belts once within the forklift. The seat belt prevents the operator from being thrown out of the cabin in the event of an accident. Explore the use of technology to enable the forklift to work only if the seat belt is buckled.

• Safe handling: In general, forklifts are used for handling loads placed on top of a pallet. Do not use a forklift to hoist or suspend objects, even if within the rated load capacity unless the forklift is designed for it. Slings, cables or chains should not be attached onto the forks to hang objects without manufacturer’s approval.

• Safe loading: Never exceed the forklift’s rated load capacity. Handle all loads according to the height and weight restrictions on its load chart. Always check the load for balance. Use ropes or bindings to secure the load onto the pallet as necessary.

• Safe movement: Conduct a route risk assessment to identify site hazards (e.g. uneven ground, slopes) before using the forklift. Travel with the load tilted backwards on the pallet if possible, and keep forks as low as possible to increase forklift stability. Follow the worksite’s traffic management plan.

For more information, please refer to SS 573: 2012 Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Powered Counterbalanced Forklifts, WSH Guidelines on Safe Operation of Forklift Trucks and WSH Council’s Forklift Safety Pack 

WSH Awards 2023 Application


About the WSH Awards

Presented by the WSH Council and supported by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the annual WSH Awards recognise organisations and individuals who have achieved excellence in workplace safety and health. 

Why Apply

Winning the WSH Awards can help to:

• Improve your employees’ morale as their efforts to improve WSH are recognised;

• Increase visibility of your company as one that is morally and socially responsible, and enhance the corporate image of your company as a leader in WSH amongst industry peers; and

• Raise the credibility of your company and attract more business opportunities.

Award Categories 

The following categories are open for application for the WSH Awards 2023:

WSH Developer Awards

This award recognises developers who play an active role in ensuring good workplace safety and health practices among their contractors. For details of the application criteria and process, please refer to the WSH Developer Awards 2023 Application Guidelines. 

How to Apply

Submit the application for WSH Developer Awards 2023 online.

What Happens Next

All applications will be thoroughly assessed by the organiser. This includes verification and auditing of all submitted supporting documents, records and data. A visit to the applicant’s workplace may also be arranged.

All applicants will be notified of their results via email in mid-August 2023.

WSH Performance Awards (WSHPA)

This award recognises companies that have implemented sound safety and health management systems, and went to extraordinary lengths to safeguard their employees and contractors across all their worksites.

There are three types of WSH Performance Awards: Excellence, Gold and Silver.

How to Apply

Submit the application for WSH Performance Awards 2023 online.

What Happens Next

All applications will be thoroughly assessed. This includes verification and auditing of all submitted supporting documents, records and data. A visit to the applicant’s workplace may also be arranged.

All applicants will be notified of their results via email in mid-August 2023.

Safety and Health Award Recognition for Projects (SHARP)

This award recognises large-scale projects or worksites that have good safety and health performance, and workplace safety and health management systems. Examples of winning projects in this award include shipyard projects, construction worksites and large projects within an organisation.

As applicants can only submit a single project for this category, organisations with multiple projects or worksites may apply for the Workplace Safety and Health Performance Awards (WSHPA) instead. You may apply for WSHPA for all of your projects and SHARP for a particular project. For details of the application criteria and process, please refer to the WSH SHARP Awards 2023 Application Guidelines. 

How to Apply

Submit the application for WSH SHARP Awards 2023 online.

What Happens Next

All applications will be thoroughly assessed. This includes verification and auditing of all submitted supporting documents, records and data. A visit to the applicant’s workplace may also be arranged.

All applicants will be notified of their results via email in mid-August 2023.

WSH Innovation Awards

This award recognises the best of WSH innovations across various industries, where teams implemented innovative solutions to improve safety and health standards in their workplaces. For details of the application criteria and process, please refer to the WSH Innovation Awards 2023 Application Guidelines. 

How to Apply

Submit the application for WSH Innovation Awards 2023 online. 

For marine industry, please submit the application to Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI). 

What Happens Next

The following associations will first evaluate their respective industry-specific applications: 

• Association of Process Industry (ASPRI)

• Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI) 

• Singapore Hotel Association (SHA)

• Singapore Logistics Association (SLA)

• Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF)

• The Singapore Contractors Associations Ltd (SCAL)

Shortlisted applications will present their projects to a panel of judges at the convention held for each industry association. A maximum of three winning teams from each association will be nominated for further evaluation to receive the WSH Award on a national platform.

All other applications will be evaluated by the WSH Council.

All applicants will be notified of their results via email in mid-August 2023.

WSH Awards for Supervisors

This award recognises supervisors who take care of their workers by improving the safety and health performance in their workplaces. For details of the application criteria and process, please refer to the WSH Awards for Supervisors 2023 Application Guidelines. 

How to Apply

Submit the application of WSH Awards for Supervisors 2023 online.

For marine industry, please submit the application to Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI). 

What Happens Next

The following associations will first evaluate their respective industry-specific applications:  

• Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI) 

• Singapore Logistics Association (SLA)

• Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF)

• The Singapore Contractors Associations Ltd (SCAL)

Shortlisted applications will be required to attend an interview with a panel of judges held by each industry association. A maximum of three Supervisors from each association will be nominated for further evaluation to receive the WSH Award on a national platform.

All other applications will be evaluated by the WSH Council.

All applicants will be notified of their results via email in mid-August 2023.

WSH Officer Awards

This award recognises exemplary performance and valuable contributions by registered WSH Officers (WSHOs) in cultivating safe and healthy workplaces in Singapore. For details of the application criteria and process, please refer to the WSH Officer Awards 2023 Application Guidelines. 

How to Apply

Submit the application for WSH Officer Awards 2023 online.

For More Information

All applications will be thoroughly assessed and verified by the organiser. This includes verification and auditing of all submitted supporting documents, records and data. Shortlisted WSH Officers will be required to present their portfolios to a panel of judges comprising representatives from MOM, WSH Council and the Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO).

All applicants will be notified of their results via email in mid-August 2023.

Culture of Acceptance, Respect and Empathy (CARE) Awards

Introduced in 2022, this award recognises companies that have exemplary mental well-being practice, and highlights them as employers of choice. For details of the application criteria and process, please refer to the WSH CARE Awards 2023 Application Guidelines. 

How to Apply

Submit the application for WSH CARE Awards 2023 online.

What Happens Next

All applications will be thoroughly assessed. This includes verification and auditing of all submitted supporting documents, records and data. Shortlisted applicants will be required to attend an interview.

All applicants will be notified of their results via email in mid-August 2023.

Important Dates

Qualifying Period: 1 January 2022 – 31 December 2022

Application Submission Deadline: 26 April 2023 (All supporting documents must be uploaded to OneDrive)

Results Announcement: 15 August 2023 

Awards Presentation:  End-August 2023 (TBA)

Evaluation

All applications will be thoroughly assessed. This includes verification of all submitted supporting documents, records and data. A presentation, interview session and/or visit to the applicant’s workplace may also be arranged. 

Disqualification Before Announcement of Results

An application may be disqualified if a workplace accident with any of the following consequences occurs before the announcement of results:

• Fatal accident

• Major injury accident 

• Dangerous Occurrence (DO)

An application may also be disqualified if it contains inaccurate, false or misleading supporting documents, records or data, or if there is adverse reporting in the media pertaining to the applicant’s or nominating company’s workplace safety and health performance. 

An applicant who withdraws or amends the WSH Incident Report and/or an ongoing work injury claim during the period of application may be disqualified. An investigation will be conducted before the application can continue to be considered.

Terms and Conditions

• By submitting an application, the applicant will be deemed to have read and understood the terms and conditions.

• All applications must be submitted to the WSH Council before the submission deadline. Applications received after the submission deadline will not be accepted. The WSH Council will not be responsible or liable for any lost, late, mislaid, or incomplete applications as all such applications will be deemed invalid. 

• Any application received via email, postal or delivery services will not be accepted.

• Applicants may submit multiple applications to different Award categories. However, all submitted applications must be tailored to the requirements of each category.

• The WSH Awards 2023 Committee reserves the right to reject any application without explanation or notice.

• The WSH Awards 2023 Committee reserves the right to disqualify any application not accompanied by the appropriate or correct supporting documents or any application deemed to be inaccurate, false, or misleading. 

• By submitting an application, the applicants give consent for their details to be shared with the judges and representatives of the respective industry associations. All awards applicants will be deemed to have consented to the transfer and sharing of their personal, company and project data and information for the purpose of administering and judging of the Awards.

• All applicants will be notified of their results via email by mid-August 2023. The WSH Awards 2023 Committee’s decisions shall be final.

• Award recipients will be officially announced during the Awards ceremony taking place in end-August 2023. 

• The WSH Council will produce a media and publicity campaign highlighting the Awards, Award categories and recipients. All recipients agree to offer the WSH Council the exclusive right to use the content, images, and videos for the promotion of the Awards. In addition, all recipients give their consent for their exemplary safety and health management systems and initiatives to be featured in media interviews, articles or speeches. Select recipients may be approached to speak at WSH-related events organised by the WSH Council and/or its partners. 

All recipients grant the WSH Council the exclusive right to use and reproduce their name, trademark and company logo for pre-event, onsite and post-event marketing of the Awards.

• The WSH Council reserves the right to alter or reschedule the Awards, the Awards ceremony and/or to change the judging panel and/or these terms at its own discretion, at any time and without notice.

WSH Awards 2022

In 2022, 235 companies and individuals were honoured at the WSH Awards Ceremony organised by the WSH Council as well as the Ministry of Manpower. The Guest of Honour was Minister for Manpower, Dr Tan See Leng, and the event was held on 27 July 2022 at Resorts World Convention Centre. 

Read the speeches on the WSH Awards 2022:

Welcome Address by Mr John Ng, Chairman of WSH Council 

Opening Remarks by Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower 

About the Awards Recipients

A committed management, a strong dedication to WSH and the implementation of excellent WSH systems are some of the attributes that exhibited strong ownership of WSH by the Awards recipients.  

Award recipients for 2022 include:

•  203 companies and projects that performed exceedingly well in WSH.

•  12 innovative teams that came up with projects that create better and safer working solutions. 

•  12 dedicated WSH officers and supervisors for doing their part to keep their workers safe and healthy.

•  8 companies that have adopted exemplary mental well-being practices.

Check out the full list of WSH Awards 2022 recipients and their business contacts. 

Another 48 companies, project teams and individuals received certificates of commendation for having achieved good WSH performance. Check out the commendation recipients.

WSH Advertisement 

The Awards recipients were honoured in the print media for their efforts and achievements. View the WSH Awards 2022 press advertisement. 

More Information 

Please refer to the WSH Council website.  

Contact

If you have any queries, please email wshawards@wshc.sg.

The annual WSH Awards, which recognises organisations and individuals for their achievements in workplace safety and health excellence, is officially open. 

Companies, who have demonstrated commitment and dedication to WSH and put in place excellent WSH systems, are invited to apply for the WSH Awards 2023:

1. Workplace Safety and Health Developer Awards 

2. Workplace Safety and Health Performance Awards

3. Safety and Health Award Recognition for Projects (SHARP)

4. Workplace Safety and Health Innovation Awards 

5. Workplace Safety and Health Awards for Supervisors

6. Workplace Safety and Health Officer Awards

7. Culture of Acceptance, Respect and Empathy (CARE) Awards

Applications will close on 26 April 2023.  

Register for WSH Awards 2023 briefing on 17 February 2023 to find out more about the WSH Awards’ criteria.

For more information on the respective Awards categories’ application guidelines, please refer to the WSH Awards 2023 webpage.



WSH Alert - Worker dies while hoisting tree trunk

 

Worker dies while hoisting tree trunk

On 7 December 2022, a three-man team was loading cut tree trunks onto a lorry crane when a hoisted trunk dislodged from the lifting sling and struck one of the workers, causing him to fall and hit his head against the ground. The worker was sent to the hospital, where he passed away.

Preliminary investigations found that the cut tree trunk was not properly rigged before it was lifted. The worker who carried out the rigging was not trained as a rigger

Recommendations

This accident highlights the importance of safe lifting practices in the landscape sector, particularly for large or irregular-shaped loads. To prevent similar accidents, consider the following measures:

Lifting plan

Develop a lifting plan to determine the requirements for a safe lifting outcome before starting lifting operations. The lifting plan must be supported with a site-specific risk assessment, safe lifting procedure, and authorised via a permit-to-work system.

Competent Lifting Team

Set up a lifting team comprising only members who have received the necessary training for their respective role(s), e.g. crane operator, lifting supervisor, rigger, and signalman. Brief the lifting team on the lifting plan before each lifting operation. Loads must be properly rigged by a competent rigger.

Safe rigging method

During lifting operation, it is critical to maintain the centre of gravity (CG) of the load directly under the lifting hook. For long loads, the use of a two-legged sling with double-wrapped chokers is recommended (see Figure 2). The chokers must be at an equal distance from the load’s CG to prevent the load from tilting or swinging.


Figure 2

In cases where the CG is not obvious, consult an engineer or explore other load management solutions.

Load Management

Divide or cut large or irregular-shaped loads into smaller easier-to-manage portions, e.g. tree trunks can be cut into smaller pieces for safer lifting. Where practical, consider using a hopper container for lifting the smaller pieces instead of rigging directly to a large or irregular-shaped load.

Test lift

Before doing the actual lift, carry out a test lift by lifting the load slightly off the ground and stopping to check for anything abnormal. This is to verify the rigging, confirm load stability and ensure no overloading

Safe Work Position

Instruct workers never to stand under a suspended load. In cases where the load may tilt or swing, proceed with lifting operations only when all workers are at a safe distance away from the load and the path of load travel. Use tag lines to guide and control the movement of the load during the lift.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Provide PPE such as safety helmet, goggles, earmuffs, high visibility vest, gloves, and safety boots to all workers carrying out tree pruning works.

Work Supervision

Deploy a lifting supervisor onsite to ensure lifting activities are carried out according to the lifting plan and safe work procedures. The supervisor should also confirm that each worker has worn his/ her PPE correctly.

For more information, please refer to WSH (Operation of Cranes) Regulations 2011, WSH Council’s Code of Practice on Safe Lifting Operations in the Workplaces, WSH Guidelines for Landscape and Horticulture Management and WSH Guidelines on Safe Use of Lorry Cranes. 

Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Fire Safety (FSM) Regulations

All Public or Industrial Buildings which satisfy at least one of the following conditions, are required to appoint a fire safety manager:

1. A public building that

  • has 9 storeys or more (including any basement);
  • has an occupant load of 1,000 persons or more; or
  • has a floor area of 5,000 square metres or more,

excluding any building specified in paragraph 3 of the Fire Safety (Fire Certificate — Designated Buildings) Notification 2020 (G.N. No. S [000] /2020).

2.  An industrial building that —

  • has an occupant load of 1,000 persons or more; or
  • has a floor area or site area of 5,000 square metres or more.     

3.  A foreign employee dormitory that —

  • has an occupant load of 1,000 persons or more; or
  • has a floor area or site area of 5,000 square metres or more.

4.  A hospital

The general duties of fire safety manager is stipulated under the Fire Safety (Fire Safety Managers) Regulations, PART III. DUTIES OF FIRE SAFETY MANAGERS

General duties of fire safety manager

7.—(1) It shall be the duty of a fire safety manager appointed for any specified premises to assist the owner or occupier of the premises to —

(a)ensure at all times that fire safety requirements contained in the Emergency Response Plan are complied with;

[S 542/2013 wef 01/09/2013]

(b)supervise the maintenance of all fire safety works in the premises;

(c)ensure at all times that the occupant load of any part of any building does not exceed the capacity prescribed under the Fire Code;

(d)conduct daily checks within the premises and remove or cause to be removed any fire hazard that is found within the premises;

(e)prepare and execute the Emergency Response Plan for the premises and distribute the Emergency Response Plan to the occupants of the premises;

[S 542/2013 wef 01/09/2013]

(ea)conduct fire drills for the occupants of the premises at least twice in every calendar year or on such occasion as may be directed by the Commissioner;

[S 542/2013 wef 01/09/2013]

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

(f)ensure that all occupants are familiar with the means of escape located within the premises;

(g)prepare fire safety guidebooks for the occupants of the premises;

(ga)train, co-ordinate and supervise the Company Emergency Response Team for the premises in first-aid, fire-fighting and evacuation in the event of fire or other related emergencies;

[S 542/2013 wef 01/09/2013]

(h)train the occupants in the premises in first aid, fire fighting and evacuation in the event of fire or other related emergencies;

[S 542/2013 wef 01/09/2013]

(i)co-ordinate and supervise the occupants within the premises in fire fighting and in evacuation in the event of fire or other related emergencies;

[S 542/2013 wef 01/09/2013]

(j)supervise the operation of the Fire Command Centre in the event of fire or other related emergencies;

[S 542/2013 wef 01/09/2013]

(k)conduct at least 2 Table-Top Exercises within the premises each year and to evaluate, together with the Fire Safety Committee, the effectiveness of the Arson Prevention Plan and the Emergency Response Plan for those premises;

[S 542/2013 wef 01/09/2013]

(l)prepare and implement the Arson Prevention Plan for the premises;

(m)notify the Commissioner immediately upon the occurrence of any fire incident in the premises;

(n)organise campaigns, training courses, competitions, contests and other activities which will develop and maintain the interest of the occupants within the premises in establishing a fire safe environment; and

(o)carry out such other duties as the Commissioner may require.

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

(2) In addition to the duties under paragraph (1), it is the duty of a fire safety manager appointed for any specified complex premises to assist the owner or occupier of the premises —

(a)to carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises —

(i)at least once in every 3 years;

(ii)whenever the fire safety manager becomes aware of any change in work processes or work activities at the premises which is likely to increase the fire risk at the premises; and

(iii)whenever the Commissioner directs a fire risk assessment to be carried out; and

(b)to perform checks to ensure that any fire safety works using alternative solutions meet the requirements set out in the operations and maintenance manual, if any.

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

Fire safety report

8.—(1) Every fire safety manager shall in the month of December of each year prepare and submit to the owner or occupier of the specified premises by whom he is appointed a report containing the particulars set out in paragraph (2) and in such form as the Commissioner may require.

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

(2) The particulars mentioned in paragraph (1) are —

(a)the measures, if any, taken by him to train the occupants in fire fighting skills and to maintain their interest in establishing a fire safe environment within the last 12 months and the particulars of the activities which were conducted for the occupants for the last 12 months;

(b)his recommendations on how the structure and the layout of the specified premises with regard to the fire safety of its occupants could be improved;

(c)the number of fire evacuation drills conducted within the specified premises over the last 12 months and the effectiveness of such drills;

(d)the measures, if any, taken to ensure the fire safety of the persons within the specified premises;

(e)a list of activities relating to fire safety scheduled for the next 12 months;

(f)the number of Table-Top Exercises conducted within the premises over the preceding 12 months and the effectiveness of the Arson Prevention Plan and the Emergency Response Plan for those premises;

[S 542/2013 wef 01/09/2013]

(g)the status of the implementation of the Arson Prevention Plan for those premises;

(h)any matter arising from the previous report; and

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

(ha)in the case of specified complex premises, when the fire risk assessment and checks of the premises were last carried out for the purposes of regulation 7(2).

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

(i)[Deleted by S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

(3) The owner or occupier of the specified premises to whom the report is submitted under paragraph (1) shall, not later than one month after the receipt of the fire safety report, discuss the report with the fire safety manager and take such action or measures as the owner or occupier thinks fit.

PART IV
QUALIFICATIONS OF FIRE SAFETY MANAGERS

Appointment of fire safety managers

9.The owner or occupier of specified premises must not appoint any person as a fire safety manager for his premises without first obtaining proof that the person is certified by the Commissioner —

(a)under regulation 10(5) or (5A), if the premises are specified non-complex premises; or

(b)under regulation 10(5A), if the premises are specified complex premises.

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

Certification of fire safety managers by Commissioner

10.—(1) No person may carry out any duty of a fire safety manager —

(a)for specified non-complex premises, unless that person is certified by the Commissioner under paragraph (5) or (5A); or

(b)for specified complex premises, unless that person is certified by the Commissioner under paragraph (5A).

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

(2)  Any certification as a fire safety manager shall only be valid for the duration of such training cycle as may be specified in the certification.

(3) An application to be certified as a fire safety manager must be —

(a)made to the Commissioner in such form and manner as the Commissioner may determine; and

(b)accompanied by such documentary evidence of the applicant’s qualifications or experience as a fire safety manager as the Commissioner may require.

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

(4) [Deleted by S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

(5) The Commissioner may, with or without conditions, certify a person as a fire safety manager for specified non-complex premises upon an application under paragraph (3) if that person —

(a)holds such qualification in fire safety which in the opinion of the Commissioner is adequate to enable him to carry out his duties as a fire safety manager for specified non-complex premises; and

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

(b)is, in the opinion of the Commissioner, a fit and proper person to be appointed as a fire safety manager for specified non-complex premises.

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

(5A) The Commissioner may, with or without conditions, certify a person as a fire safety manager for specified complex premises (commonly known as a senior fire safety manager) upon an application under paragraph (3) if that person —

(a)has at least 3 years of working experience as a fire safety manager appointed for specified non-complex premises;

(b)holds such qualification in fire safety which in the opinion of the Commissioner is adequate to enable that person to carry out his duties as a fire safety manager for specified complex premises; and

(c)is, in the opinion of the Commissioner, a fit and proper person to be appointed as a fire safety manager for specified complex premises.

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

(6) Subject to paragraph (7), a certified fire safety manager may not continue to be certified as a fire safety manager for any subsequent training cycle unless he has, during the training cycle immediately preceding, obtained the requisite minimum number of points as may be determined by the Commissioner under regulation 11(3).

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

(7) The Commissioner may, upon application by a fire safety manager who has failed to accumulate the requisite minimum number of points as required by paragraph (6), certify him as a fire safety manager for the next training cycle if he gives an undertaking that he will make up for the shortfall in the requisite minimum number of points within such time in that training cycle as the Commissioner may specify.

(8)  [Deleted by S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

(9)  Any such number of points obtained by the person under paragraph (7) to make up a shortfall in one training cycle shall be disregarded for the purposes of computing the requisite minimum number of points which he is required to obtain under paragraph (6) for certification as a fire safety manager for the next training cycle.

(10)  Notwithstanding paragraphs (6) and (7), the Commissioner may, in such special circumstances as he may determine, certify a person to act as a fire safety manager even though the person has failed to obtain the requisite minimum number of points as required by paragraph (6).

Continuing Professional Development Programme

11.—(1)  [Deleted by S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

(2) The Programme shall consist of such courses as are approved by the Commissioner.

(3)  The Commissioner must specify —

(a)the minimum number of points a fire safety manager must obtain for each training cycle for the purposes of regulation 10(6); and

(b)the number of points that may be obtained for successfully completing an approved course under the Programme.

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

(4) The Commissioner may, on application by any fire safety manager, approve any other course to be included in the Programme.

(5) Where —

(a)a person is certified as a fire safety manager for any training cycle for the first time; and

(b)he applies under regulation 10(3) to continue to be certified as a fire safety manager for the next training cycle immediately following that training cycle,

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

then for the purpose of computing the requisite minimum number of points that he has to obtain during the training cycle for which he is first certified, the Commissioner may compute, on a pro-rata basis, the requisite minimum number of points having regard to the date the person is first certified.

(6) The Commissioner may differentiate between fire safety managers certified under regulation 10(5) and (5A) in respect of —

(a)the requisite minimum number of points required for the purpose of paragraph (3)(a); and

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

(b) the courses approved under paragraph (2) or (4).

[S 407/2015 wef 01/07/2015]

Training courses for fire safety manager

12.—(1)  The Commissioner may require a fire safety manager appointed under these Regulations to attend such courses of instruction or receive such training relevant to the work of a fire safety manager as the Commissioner may determine.

(2)  This regulation shall not apply to any person appointed to act in the absence of a fire safety manager under regulation 6.

(3)  A fire safety manager mentioned in paragraph (1) must attend the course of instruction or training required, and within the time specified, by the Commissioner.

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

Person not to be appointed or act as fire safety manager for more than one building

13.  Except with the prior approval of the Commissioner in writing, no person shall be appointed or act as a fire safety manager for more than one building.

Suspension or revocation of certification

14.—(1) The Commissioner may, at any time, suspend for a period not exceeding 12 months, or revoke, the certification of any fire safety manager under regulation 10(5) or (5A) if —

(a)during the training cycle for which the fire safety manager is certified, the fire safety manager is under investigation for, or has been charged with or convicted of —

(i)an offence under the Act or any regulations made under the Act; or

(ii)an offence involving dishonesty or moral turpitude, whether in Singapore or elsewhere;

(b)during the training cycle for which the fire safety manager is certified, the Commissioner compounds an offence under the Act committed by the fire safety manager;

(c) the fire safety manager had submitted an application under regulation 10(3) that contains a statement or information that is untrue, or misleading (including as a result of any omission), in any material particular; or

(d) the fire safety manager fails to make up for the shortfall in the requisite minimum number of points within such time as may be specified by the Commissioner under regulation 10(7).

(2)  Any decision of the Commissioner under paragraph (1) in relation to a fire safety manager does not take effect until the 15th day after the date the fire safety manager is notified of the Commissioner’s decision.

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

Appeal to Minister

15.  Any person who is aggrieved by the Commissioner’s decision to —

(a) reject the person’s application for certification under regulation 10(3); or

(b) suspend or revoke the person’s certification under regulation 14,

may appeal to the Minister within 14 days after being notified of the Commissioner’s decision.

[S 771/2020 wef 14/09/2020]

Offences

16.  Any person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes regulation 3, 5, 6, 7, 8(1) or (3), 9, 10(1), 12(3) or 13 shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.


IAP WSH Recommendations

The eighth International Advisory Panel (IAP) on Workplace Safety and Health was convened from 17 to 19 January 2023 and the deliverable was a report outlining the eight key recommendations aim to reduce workplace incidents, mitigate the WSH risks arising from climate change and green technology, and guide the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and our stakeholders towards achieving our WSH 2028 goals

WSH Challenges in Singapore

Year 2022 saw a spate of workplace fatalities largely due to basic safety lapses, such as inadequate safety planning and control measures, and non-compliance with safety measures. We need to prevent such workplace incidents from happening. In the longer term, Singapore also needs to better support our ageing workforce and be prepared for potential WSH hazards[3] that may arise with new technologies.

Key Recommendations

To attain a sustainable WSH culture, stakeholders must have both the motivation – be it commercial, reputational or personal interests – as well as the knowledge to do so. To generate stronger motivation for companies and workers to embrace WSH, the IAP recommended the following (for full list of recommendations, visit go.gov.sg/8IAPWSH):

  • Placing strong emphasis on top management’s responsibility for WSH. Top management must foster a safe operations culture where safety considerations are embedded into all aspects.
  • Extending WSH oversight to contractors in the whole supply chain.
  • Bring interest of business into greater alignment with WSH.
  • Building workplaces where workers feel safe to speak up.

At the same time, the IAP recognised the need to strengthen the knowledge and awareness of stakeholders to better manage WSH risks. It also recommended:

  • Inculcating a more pervasive training culture, beyond foundational training and level up WSH practices.
  • Improving WSH know-how of small-to-medium enterprises.
  • Promoting age-friendly workplace safety practices and designs.
  • Pre-emptively addressing WSH risks arising from climate change and green technology.

WSH as a Priority

Having accepted the IAP's recommendations, MOM will study the details and work with stakeholders as well as sectoral agencies to implement appropriate measures to ensure that WSH remains a priority for employers and workers. We will continue our commitment to our WSH 2028 goals of building safer workplaces for workers, and a more productive workforce for businesses.

[1] These include sustained reduction in workplace injury rates, minimising hazards that lead to occupational disease, promoting good workforce health and pervasive adoption of the Vision Zero culture. Read more here: https://www.mom.gov.sg/workplace-safety-and-health/wsh-reports-and-statistics

[2] The MAST comprises representatives from Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of National Development and Ministry of Trade and Industry.

[3] For example, installation of solar panels exposes more workers to working at height risks. Adoption of other green technologies such as converting waste into alternative energy sources may also pose hazards such as combustible dust. Servicing, repair, maintenance and recovery of electric and hybrid vehicles can put workers at risk of unfamiliar hazards such as electric shocks, fires & explosions from storage of energy fuels and release of liquids and gases from damaged batteries.


Monday, January 30, 2023

WSH Guidelines - Management and Removal of Asbestos

Introduction

What is WSH Guideline 
WSH Guidelines showcased workplace safety and health best practices and WSH program for controlling workplace hazards and improving occupational health for various industry and program 

Check out the free WSH Guidelines - Management and Removal of Asbestos to improve your organization WSH practices. For the latest WSH Guidelines update, refer to Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Council Website.

What is Asbestos?
Asbestos had been widely used in buildings, plants and ships due to its excellent fire, heat and chemical resistance properties. However, exposure to asbestos, such as through inhalation of asbestos fibres, can lead to serious diseases. 

In response to these health risks, the use of asbestos in buildings was banned in Singapore in 1988 by the Building Control Division (now the Building and Construction Authority [BCA]). Many old buildings in Singapore still contain asbestos or asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).

These asbestos and ACMs can be released into the air when disturbed, affecting building occupants. It is therefore important to manage asbestos in buildings and workplaces to prevent harmful exposure.

Precaution and care must be taken when conducting work activities involving ACMs. These activities include building structural works (e.g., repair, dismantling, demolition, renovation, maintenance and alteration) and other related operations (e.g., handling, sawing, cutting, grinding, drilling, lagging and delagging).

WSH Guidelines - Management and Removal of Asbestos was developed to provide guidance on the proper management of ACMs and how to work with them safely.

It is primarily aimed at contractors, occupiers and building owners, especially those in the construction sector, shipyards and petrochemical facilities. 

The guidelines will first discuss some health effects of asbestos exposure and list examples of ACMs. It will then elaborate on the management of ACMs and good industry practices. This is followed by a description of the various aspects of asbestos-removal work. Salient points on air monitoring, training and medical surveillance will also be covered. 

Here's what you will learnt 
After reading this guide, contractors, occupiers and building owners should be able to: 
• identify ACMs in workplaces; 
• understand the health risks of work involving asbestos; and 
• manage the risk of ACMs through appropriate controls.

To learn more click



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