OSHD 2013 WORK
OVERVIEW
OSHD Annual Report 2013
STRATEGY 2 –
IMPLEMENT
AN EFFECTIVE
REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK
Beyond capability building, we need to establish and maintain
an effective regulatory framework to implement the Workplace
Safety and Health (WSH) Act. Under this strategy, targeted
interventions and enforcement actions will be developed based on
a comprehensive analysis of industry trends and developments.
We will also review existing WSH legislation to ensure that they
remain relevant to industry trends. More emphasis will also
be placed on creating a self-regulatory framework in order to
promote greater industry ownership.
Legislative Review
To ensure that WSH remains robust and continues to be relevant to current operating conditions, we
are committed to reviewing WSH legislation regularly. At the same time, the Government will explore
streamlining administrative rules and engender greater industry ownership.
Active Review and Industry Consultation
With the enactment of the WSH Act on 01 March
2006, subsidiary legislation made under the
previous Factories Act continues to remain in
force. This is by virtue of the transitional provision
prescribed in section 66(14) of the WSH Act. In
consultation with the industry, MOM has been
actively reviewing the remaining subsidiary
legislation in 2013.
• WSH (Medical Examinations) Regulations
In the past, persons employed in the Vector
Control industry were required to undergo
medical
examinations
under
National
Environment Agency’s Control of Vectors
and Pesticides (Regulations, Licensing and
Certification) Regulations.
With the extension of the WSH Act to all
workplaces in 2011, the medical examination
of persons in the vector control industry need
to be regulated by MOM. This is being done
with the amendment to the WSH (Medical
Examinations) Regulations. The amended
regulations were gazetted and came into
operation on 01 January 2013.
• Work Injury Compensation (Workers’ Fund)
Regulations
Under
the
Work
Injury
Compensation
Act (WICA), a worker who contracted an
Occupational Disease (OD) would be eligible for
compensation so long as the worker had been:a)engaged in the occupational activity specified
in the Second Schedule of WICA; and
b) diagnosed with the OD during his employment
in this activity or with the time-bars specified
in the Schedule.
However, there are some ODs with long latency
periods such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, and
silicosis, etc. which would exceed their timebars, resulting in the injured worker not being
able to receive compensation under WICA.
To provide financial aid to worker contracted with
long-latency ODs, the Work Injury Compensation
(Workers' Fund) Regulations were amended
to allow the use of the Fund’s monies to assist
the worker or, in the event of his death, any of
his dependants, to defray medical expenses
incurred by or on the behalf of the worker. The
amendment took effect from 01 July 2013.
Long latency Occupational Diseases include:
Asbestosis
Diseases caused
by ionizing
radiation
Dysbaric
osteonecrosis
Liver
angiosarcoma
48
Cd
cadmium
112.411
Mesothelioma
44
Occupational
skin cancers
Silicosis
Poisoning by
cadmium
45
OSHD 2013 WORK
OVERVIEW
OSHD Annual Report 2013
New WSH Subsidiary
Legislation
• WSH (Work at Heights) Regulations
Fatalities while working at heights, especially
due to falling from heights have been the
top contributors of workplace fatalities and
have accounted for more than one-third of
all workplace fatalities over the past years.
Therefore, Work at Heights (WAH) safety is a
critical area that we must focus on in our efforts
to reduce workplace fatalities.
• Workplace Safety and Health (Incident
Reporting) Regulations and Work Injury
Compensation Regulations
Previously, errant employers had been gaming
the incident reporting system by asking doctors
to split up the medical leave of injured employees
such that it does not exceed 3 consecutive days.
Such errant practices not only affected the
injured employee’s recovery process, but also the
integrity of the incident-reporting framework.
From 06 January 2014, the WSH (Incident
Reporting) Regulations and the Work Injury
Compensation Regulations were amended to
require employers to report all accidents to
MOM which render their employees unfit for
work for more than 3 days, even if these are not
on consecutive days.
Additionally, employers must also report
work-related traffic accidents involving their
employees. This would send a clear signal to
employers that they need to better manage
traffic safety and also allows for MOM to better
track work-related traffic accidents.
• WSH (Asbestos) Regulations
Many old buildings in Singapore contain
asbestos
or
have
asbestos-containing
materials (ACMs). These asbestos and ACMs, if
inappropriately handled during demolition, can
create serious health issues for workers who
are not protected. Inhalation of asbestos fibres
can result in asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung
cancer. It is therefore important to ensure that
proper procedures are put in place to prevent
harmful exposure when removing asbestos.
A review of the existing Factories (Asbestos)
Regulations uncovered inadequate provisions
in addressing exposure to asbestos particularly
46
In April and May 2012, OSHD engaged the
members of the National WAH Safety Taskforce
and the Industry Committees of the WSH Council
to tap on their industry experience and gather
feedback and suggestions on the legislative
requirements for WAH. A public consultation
exercise on the proposed WSH (Work at Heights)
Regulations was undertaken. For key industry
stakeholders, a Focus Group Discussion (FGD)
was also held to allow interactive engagement
and deliberation on the proposed regulations.
The FGD was attended by employers, industryled bodies, unions and professional bodies.
Feedback was also solicited from other industry
stakeholders via the REACH portal.
during demolition, alteration, addition or repair
work. With the shift in the main work activity
involving asbestos from manufacturing of
asbestos containing material (ACM) to removal
of in-placed ACM, it is necessary to amend the
existing legislation.The proposed Regulations
are targeted to come into operation in 2014.
The Factories (Asbestos) Regulations was
being reviewed (with extensive consultation
with industry and stakeholders) to enhance
protection of persons against asbestos. The
new set of regulations which will be gazetted
as the Workplace Safety and Health (Asbestos)
Regulations, are targeted to come into operation
in 2014.
The main requirements are:
• An asbestos survey shall be carried out by a
competent person to ascertain the presence
of ACMs before carrying out any work that
involves a specific material likely to contain
asbestos or any demolition or renovation work
in buildings built before 01 January 1991.
• Asbestos removal work can only be carried out
by Approved Asbestos Removal Contractor
who shall appoint a competent person to
supervise such work.
• A written plan of work shall be established and
implemented to ensure asbestos removal work
can be carried out safely.
• ACMs shall be removed before demolition of
buildings.
• Measures shall be taken to minimise asbestos
release during work involving asbestos and
to prevent the spread of asbestos beyond the
asbestos work area.
• Revocation of Factories (Person-In-Charge)
Regulations & Factories (Certificate of
Competency – Examinations) Regulations
Advancement of technology in automatic
control and monitoring devices enhances the
safety of Internal Combustion Engines (ICE)
and steam boilers by ensuring that they operate
within safe limits. In view of this technological
advancement and to align with the overarching
WSH legislative framework, OSHD conducted
a review of the regulatory framework for the
operators under the Factories (Persons-inCharge) Regulations and Factories (Certificate
of Competency-Examinations) Regulations.
The review led to the revocation of these
Regulations in which MOM ceased to license
the operators by transiting from a licensing to a
competency-based regime.
In summary, the respondents were generally
supportive and agreed to the promulgation of a
dedicated set of regulations on WAH as the new
set of regulations would raise industry standards
in the long run. The Regulations put in place a
systematic and rigorous regulatory structure to
ensure proper execution of control measures and
safe work procedures for WAH. The key features
include establishment of a Fall Prevention Plan,
implementation of a Permit to Work System for
WAH and legislative requirements governing
the use of industrial rope access system. The
Regulations were gazetted and came into
operation on 01 May 2013.
On 03 May 2013, OSHD signed a Memorandum
of Cooperation with Singapore Polytechnic,
appointing latter as the body issuing the
Certificate of Competency (COC) for Steam
Engineers and Boiler Attendants. Eligible
candidates, who have the necessary experience
on operation of steam boilers, can obtain COCs
from Singapore Polytechnic after they have
successfully attended and passed the required
training courses and examinations.
47
OSHD 2013 WORK
OVERVIEW
OSHD Annual Report 2013
Workplace Inspections
Licensing
Penalties
Workplace Inspections form the backbone of
the regulatory and enforcement framework of
the Occupational Safety and Health Division
(OSHD). Through workplace inspections, we
help to ensure that workplaces have basic
safety and health standards in place and
stakeholders are proactive in their safety and
health management.
OSHD leverages on licensing as an enforcement
tool to control access to activities deemed to
have a significant impact on WSH in Singapore.
Licences fall into five broad categories:
• Factory Notification & Registration;
• Licensing for Equipment;
• Licensing for Equipment Operators;
• Licensing for Safety Professionals; and
• Licensing for Service Providers.
Penalties are essential part of the OSHD’s regulatory and enforcement
framework. Stakeholders who contravene any provision of the WSH
Act or subsidiary legislations may be subjected to various forms
of penalties such as fines, debarment from hiring foreign workers,
suspensions, revocation of registration, and a jail-term. Two key
programmes that form part of OSHD’s enforcement framework
include the Demerit Points System and Business Under Surveillance.
Under our licensing framework, stakeholders
must demonstrate sufficient levels of competency
before they are allowed to perform the controlled
activities. They are also expected to maintain
their competency levels through participating
in activities like attending courses or engaging
firms to conduct independent audits of their
WSH Management Systems at regular intervals.
Licensing criteria and conditions are reviewed
regularly to ensure their relevance to industry WSH
developments, and the licensed organisations
and persons continue to possess knowledge and
skills that meet industry needs. For example,
amendments were made to the Accredited
Training Provider Terms and Conditions to
strengthen assessment systems and processes,
improve accountability and clarify ambiguities.
The Demerit Points System (DPS) was introduced in 2000 to encourage
construction contractors with poor WSH records to improve on their
performance. They will receive a warning if they accrue more than 18
demerit points across all their worksites in a 12-month rolling period.
If any of their worksites accrue a further 18 points, the worksite will be
barred from hiring foreign workers.
Sustaining the inspection and enforcement
presence has been an uphill battle for OSHD.
With the extension of the WSH Act to cover all
workplaces in September 2011, and the general
increase in business activity due to economic
growth, the number of worksites that need to
be inspected has been growing. It has become
more critical for OSHD to ensure that our
limited resources are allocated strategically so
that we can continue to maintain a regular and
sustained inspection and enforcement presence
in both the current and newly covered sectors.
Auxiliary Enforcement Agency
The utilisation of Auxiliary Enforcement Agency (AEA) services
complements OSHD’s enforcement efforts and extends its reach to low
risk sectors that are not covered by our own inspectors at OSHD. AEA
inspectors are trained to perform inspections of low risk workplaces
and hence allowing OSHD to optimise resources by deploying its own
inspectors strategically, focusing enforcement efforts on the higher risk
and more critical sectors.
Since the engagement of AEA from May 2011, OSHD observed good
compliance rates in the workplaces visited. The visits conducted by
AEA helped to foster an increased awareness of OSHD’s enforcement
presence in the industry and inculcate mindsets towards safer and
healthier workplaces.
Joint Inspections
OSHD also conducts workplace inspections together with other
divisions within MOM and with external agencies such as Energy Market
Authority and Housing Development Board.
These joint inspections form a basis for leveraging on the knowledge and
experiences of the entities involved, and allow for information sharing
and better understanding of the requirements of different departments
and agencies. Joint inspections also ensure that the safety and health
standards required by each agency are aligned such that the required
benchmark on safety and health is achieved.
48
Demerit Points System
To allow public and developers to access the performance of contractors
through DPS, the MOM website maintains a list of contractors with accrued
demerit points. Construction companies that demonstrate satisfactory
WSH performance and do not accrue any further demerit points for a
continuous period of more than 12 months will be removed from the list.
In 2013, a total of 76 companies were issued demerit points and 20
companies received warning letters after accruing 18 demerit points or
more. No company’s worksite accrued further demerit points to result in
the debarment of foreign workers.
At the same time, licensing systems and processes
are constantly being reviewed and streamlined,
so as to improve work efficiency and customer
experience. The initiative allowing customers to
make payments for OSHD bills or apply crane
operator licences at any 10 SingPost branches
strategically located across Singapore won the
"Most Impactful Rules/Services Reviewed Award. "
Positive customer feedback was also gathered
for the renewal of WSH Officer online registration
system that was enhanced in October 2013. WSH
Officers are now able to submit the WSH activities
they have participated during their registration
period for the purpose of Safety Development
Units required for renewal.
Competent organisations and persons that do
not comply with WSH legislations or terms and
conditions of registration may have their licenses
suspended or cancelled. In 2013, 20 competent
organisations or persons received various
forms of penalties, including official warnings,
suspensions or cancellations for non-compliance.
49
OSHD 2013 WORK
OVERVIEW
Business under Surveillance
Th e B usin ess un d e r S ur ve illa n ce (B U S)
programme is a targeted enforcement programme
that targets poor performing companies for close
surveillance. Companies on the BUS programme
would have typically recorded serious accidents,
attracted numerous enforcement actions such
as Stop Work Orders, or were warned under
the Demerit Points System. The programme is
designed to help these companies raise their WSH
standards to a sustainable level so that they can
effectively manage the risks associated with their
work activities.
The BUS programme consists of two phases –
Assessment and Surveillance. The Assessment
phase involves rigorous and methodical audit
review on companies that are of concern
to ascertain the effectiveness of their Risk
Management programme as well as the strength of
their WSH Management Systems. Companies that
do not meet the criteria of the Assessment would
then be placed under the Surveillance phase.
During the Surveillance phase, OSHD works
closely with the senior management and WSH
personnel of BUS companies to carry out a gap
analysis and to develop outcome-based action
plans and closely monitor the companies’ WSH
performance. BUS companies can only exit from
the programme upon successful completion of
the implementation of their Action Plan, achieving
satisfactory audit outcomes and favourable
accident records.
In 2013, BUS helped to address the systemic
weakness of more than 55 companies.
50
OSHD Annual Report 2013
Accident
Investigations
Strategic
Intervention
Accident investigations are another key pillar in
OSHD’s regulatory framework. OSHD strongly
believes that learning from past accidents and
mistakes is critical in driving WSH improvements.
We will carry out investigations of serious
workplace incidents, such as fatalities and
dangerous occurrences. The investigations aim
to uncover the root cause(s) of the incidents so
as to guide the development and implementation
of effective control measures and systemic
interventions to prevent recurrence.
With the help of risk profiles and other measures,
we are able to identify groups of stakeholders
who have the greatest need for intervention
and tailor measures to suit their needs.
Critical findings and lessons learnt from accident
investigations will be disseminated to various
industry stakeholders for learning purposes. This
is done through the WSH Council’s WSH Bulletin
(a free e-newsletter featuring incident alerts, case
studies, WSH articles and announcements) as well
as through publications and videos. Investigations
also help OSHD to determine the culpability of
parties responsible for the incidents so that the
appropriate punitive action can be sought either
administratively, or based on the WSH Act.
Operation Skylark
Crane Safety continued to be an enforcement
priority for OSHD in 2013 . A specialised
enforcement operation “Operation Skylark” was
launched by the Engineering Safety Branch.
The island-wide blitz commenced from July to
September 2013, covering 90 worksites and
focusing on lifting operation of mobile cranes,
overhead travelling cranes and gantry cranes.
Errant companies were subjected to stringent
legal actions for contravention of the various
regulations. Key findings of the enforcement
operation were shared with the Industry at the
Crane Symposium held on 29 October 2013.
To disseminate the findings and learning points,
OSHD issued a press release on 29 October 2013
on Operation Skylark, covering the enforcement
operation which resulted in 61 companies being
issued with fines. 189 contraventions were
uncovered with 107 Composition Fines and 82
Notices of Non-Compliance issued. Mr Hawazi
Daipi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower
and Education, highlighted the key findings of the
Operation in his speech at the opening of the Annual
Crane Safety Symposium 2013.
In light of a number of high profile crane accidents
in September and October 2013, the media
was invited to one of the OSHD’s enforcement
operations. This allowed the media to cover and
publicise MOM’s efforts to improve crane safety.
This enforcement operation with wide media
coverage helped to emphasise OSHD’s strong
stance on crane safety and heighten industry
awareness in this area.
51
OSHD 2013 WORK
OVERVIEW
OSHD Annual Report 2013
Operation Flamingo
This would include blacklisting/debarring employers from hiring foreign
workers for various offences such as employer wilfully giving false
statement to jeopardise his injured worker’s claim, failure to pay injured
worker’s compensation, non-reporting of workplace accidents and/or
failure to maintain proper insurance coverage.
Following Operation Peregrine, another series
of intensified inspections named Operation
Flamingo, was also conducted over a period of two
weeks in October 2013. This operation focused
on scaffold safety, formwork safety, excavation
and work at heights in the construction industry.
A total of 268 inspections were conducted,
resulting in 5 Stop-Work Orders and over
300 Composition Fines and Notices of NonCompliance issued.
In the event of non-compliance, both errant employers and employees
can also be prosecuted when there are egregious breaches of the law.
Regular Inspections and
Audit Checks for Work
Injury Compensation
Insurance Compliance
In 2013, a total of 4 employees were convicted under WICA for
wilfully providing a false statement.
3 Employees paid
1 Employee went for
because of
False statement
because of
False statement
$2000 – $4000 fine
6 Weeks jail
The Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA)
requires all employers to maintain adequate Work
Injury Compensation (WIC) insurance for
(i) all employees doing manual work, regardless of
salary level; and
(ii) non-manual employees earning $1,600 or less
a month.
This insurance requirement is to help employers
meet their WICA liabilities in the event of an accident,
so that injured employees who are in this more
vulnerable group are assured of compensation.
For other employees doing non-manual work with
monthly earnings of above $1,600, employers can
decide whether or not to buy insurance for them. In
the event of a valid claim, the employer will still be
required to pay the compensation even if there is
no insurance coverage for this group of employees.
Operation Peregrine
Operation Peregrine, a series of intensified
inspections which targeted safety lapses in the
construction industry, was conducted from midAugust to September 2013. Unsecured openings
without barricades, unsafe scaffolds, and poor
housekeeping conditions continued to be the
main areas of construction work that were found
to have safety lapses from Operation Peregrine
inspections.
A total of 191 inspections were conducted, resulting
in 15 Stop-Work Orders and over 700 Composition
Fines and Notices of Non-Compliance issued to
errant companies.
52
MOM conducts regular inspections and audit checks
to ensure that proper WIC insurance coverage
is maintained. The Work Injury Compensation
Department (WICD) has engaged Auxiliary
Enforcement Agency (AEA) Inspectors to check on
valid WIC insurance coverage provided by companies
for its employees as part of their workplace
inspections. The purpose was to augment WICD’s
reach for inspecting companies to ensure adequate
insurance coverage is maintained. It is a good platform
for WICD to ensure employers’ compliance of the
WIC insurance requirement and raise the importance
of maintaining adequate insurance coverage.
In the same year,
6 employers were also prosecuted under WICA.
2 Employers paid
2 Employers paid
$1600 – $1800
fine
$6000 – $10,000 fine
because of Failure to
pay compensation
because of Failure to pay
compensation &
non-insurance
1 Employer went for
1 Employer went for
because of
False
statement
because of Failure to
pay compensation &
non-insurance
2 Weeks jail
6 Weeks jail
Tightening Work Injury
Compensation Investigations
and Enforcement Actions
On top of regular Inspections and audit checks
to encourage WIC Insurance Compliance, WICD
is also tightening its investigative efforts and
carrying out stronger enforcement actions against
errant employers and employees who flout the law
or game the overall WIC system so as to provide
adequate deterrence.
As we tighten WIC investigations and enforcement actions, WICD will
continue to work with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to ensure
that all injured workers in need are given the necessary assistance. We have
assigned dedicated officers to act as liaisons to the NGOs, giving them
prompt access to someone who can assist them. We also established an
NGO referral protocol so that NGOs can provide assistance to the worker.
53
OSHD 2013 WORK
OVERVIEW
OSHD Annual Report 2013
Management of Hazardous Chemicals
Programme
Launched in 2011, the Management of Hazardous Chemical Programme
(MHCP) aims to prevent and control chemical hazards, and to protect
persons at work against such hazards. The ultimate objective is to
prevent illnesses, diseases and injuries resulting from exposure to
hazardous chemicals. One of the targeted outcomes of MHCP is 95%
of workplaces inspected have implemented an in-plant Hazardous
Chemical Management Programme by 2018.
Noise Induced Deafness
Prevention Programme
Noise Induced Deafness (NID) has been the most
prevalent occupational disease in Singapore,
accounting for about 80% of occupational
diseases. The Noise Induced Deafness Prevention
Programme (NIDPP) was launched in 2007
aiming to manage workplace noise hazard, and
reduce NID incidence. Since then, more than 500
workplaces have been identified to have excessive
noise and placed under the programme. These
identified workplaces are required to put in place
an in-plant Hearing Conservation Programme
(HCP) to conserve the hearing of persons who are
exposed to excessive noise. The HCP has five key
elements namely noise monitoring, noise control,
hazard communication, medical surveillance
and hearing protection. A set of HCP Guidelines
has been developed to provide guidance on
HCP implementation. As a result of targeted
interventions, many workplaces have eliminated
or controlled noise hazards. To date about 370
workplaces remains in the programme.
With the enactment of the WSH (Noise)
Regulations 2011, the HCP Guidelines were
revised in 2013 to provide updated information
on noise monitoring, noise exposure assessment,
noise report submission, and duties of persons
conducting noise monitoring. A Noise Forum
titled “A Fresh Approach to Managing Workplace
Noise” was held on 12 July 2013 at Toa Payoh’s
HDB Hub to update stakeholders on the updated
HCP Guidelines and the changes made to noise
monitoring and reports submission. The half-day
event attracted some 500 WSH professionals
and provided a platform for learning and sharing
on good practices on noise hazard management
at workplace. The forum also featured the
latest noise monitoring equipment and hearing
protection devices.
54
The key elements of the programme are:
!
Hazard
communication in
respect of labelling
and safety data sheet
Hazard assessment and
control in respect of
storage, handling and
disposal of chemicals
!
Workplace
monitoring and
medical surveillance
Training and
education
!
Personal
protection
Emergency
response
An audit exercise on management of chemicals was conducted at 24
chemical laboratories at two institutions of higher learning where a spate
of accidents occurred due to poor chemical safety management. The
audit findings indicated that all the laboratories audited have complied
with the key elements of the programme after the accidents.
In addition, an enforcement exercise was carried out at 21 workplaces
using corrosive chemicals such as acetic acid, nitric acid, sulphuric acid
and sodium hydroxide. A total of 2 composition fines and 36 Notices
of Non-Compliance were issued for non-compliance with the relevant
requirements of the WSH (General Provisions) Regulations. These
workplaces have implemented an in-plant MHCP after the intervention.
The Permissible Exposure Levels (PEL) of toxic substances as prescribed
in the WSH (General Provisions) Regulations are continually reviewed to
ensure their relevancy to protect workers and they are in tandem with
worldwide standards. In 2013, the PEL for hydrogen fluoride, toluene,
sulfuric acid, ber yllium,
epichlorohydrin, hydrogen
chloride,
acetonitrile ,
hydroquinone and acetic
anhydride were reviewed.
Th e review ta kes into
consideration the scientific
basis for establishing the
PEL and the corresponding
occupational exposure limits
set by industrialised countries.
Implementation of the Globally
Harmonised System of Classification
and Labelling of Chemicals
The Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling
of Chemicals (GHS) is a hazard communication system through
standardised classification of chemicals, labelling of containers and
preparation of safety data sheets. The implementation of GHS in
Singapore is coordinated by a multi-agency GHS Taskforce comprising
representatives from nine relevant regulators (Ministry of Manpower,
Ministry of Trade and Industry, National Environment Agency,
Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Police Force, Maritime and
Port Authority, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, Civil
Aviation and Authority of Singapore and Health Sciences Authority),
two industry councils (WSH Council and Singapore Chemical Industry
Council) and Singapore Institution of Safety Officers. Co-chaired by
Ministry of Manpower and Singapore Chemical Industry Council, the
Taskforce held regular meetings to deliberate on GHS implementation
through five key strategies namely:-
GHS
Promoting GHS
Building industry
capability
Establishing
regulatory
framework
Engaging
stakeholders
Developing strong
partnerships
National Asbestos Control
Programme
Asbestos is a hazardous substance of worldwide
concern . The National A sbestos Control
Programme was initiated with an objective to
protect persons against asbestos and eliminate
asbestos-related diseases. In Singapore, the
import and use of asbestos in buildings was
banned in the late 1980s. However, asbestoscontaining materials still exist in old buildings and
structures. Notification of work involving asbestos
materials is mandatory under the Factories
(Asbestos) Regulations.
In 2013, 251 notifications were received by MOM
and strict control measures were imposed for
asbestos removal work. 10 Composition Fines were
issued for non-compliance with the regulations.
55
OSHD 2013 WORK
OVERVIEW
OSHD Annual Report 2013
Enhanced Regulatory Framework
via Technology
New technologies offer OSHD innovative methods to enable timely
intervention as well as more effective and efficient enforcement outcomes.
SNAP@MOM
SNAP@MOM is the first mobile application developed by MOM at the
national level, to provide an official feedback channel for any witnesses
of WSH issues or best practices.
Witness and submit
feedback via
SNAP@MOM
Mobile iOSH
Integrated Occupational Safety and Health System (iOSH) has been
our primary processing and transactional system in supporting all
OSHD business and processes. Notwithstanding, it is an application
on desktop and is not be able to support offsite processes such as
inspection, investigation, clinic visits, court hearing etc. These manual
intensive processes create bottlenecks and compromise our capability
to respond effectively and timely whenever the need arise.
With this mobile application, workplace occupiers are aware that
their WSH practices and workforce’s behaviour could be under the
scrutiny of the members of public. Hence, they will be more motivated
to enhance their WSH behaviour; system and practices which would
correspondingly lead to better WSH outcomes. Under this system,
any received feedback will be directed to the responsible workplace
occupiers for their immediate actions so risks at workplaces can be
quickly eliminated. Commendable practices of WSH at work can also
be highlighted to the respective workplace occupier.
Feedbacks uploaded
to backend
servers
Mobile iOSH is a game-changer that will fundamentally bring
transformation for improved performance and optimisation of
resources. With mobile capability, the initiative could address the
problem of our business deficiency by enabling our offsite processes
and digitising our inspection experience with seamless integration of
our mobile iOSH and iOSH back in office. This project will eventually
translate to high tangible business savings and will continue to generate
more exponential returns in the longer term.
OSH Command, Control &
Communications
Workplace
occupiers alerted
by email
Our investigation efforts form a big part of OSHD’s enforcement
framework and a more efficient investigation process produces better
enforcement efforts that directly translate to better business outcomes.
In tandem with this desired outcome, there is a need for the proper
management of OSHD’s resources when responding to a major accident
scene (i.e. crisis management). Hence, the OSH Emergency Operations
Centre (EOC) will be activated to fulfil the following:
a.Plan and coordinate all response actions;
b.Manage all information flow to and fro the accident site (including the
information release to the media and MOM senior management); and
c.Support the recovery and investigation efforts of the on-site team.
Workplace
occupiers carry out
follow up action
While this is a self regulating system put in place
for the industry, MOM retains oversight of the
entire WSH landscape and may take intervention
actions when necessary.
56
“OSH Command, Control and Communication” (OSHC3) is an effort to
enhance our existing crisis management capabilities to the next level by
leveraging on technology and best practices. OSHC3 comprises 2 phases;
the first involves physical setup of the infrastructure, the integrated video
display and incident management log system. The second phase involves
business intelligence capabilities such as hotspot recognition, time series
analysis and other geo spatial analytics. The 2nd phase is where we expect
to see potential productivity gains and costs savings. The system will aid
inspectors to pre-empt and identify critical problem areas to target our
enforcement efforts effectively.
VIDz@MOM
Envisioned under OSHC3 framework, VIDz@MOM is
one of the cornerstones of the JEDI (Joint Enforcement,
Detection and Intelligence) along with Snap@MOM,
Geo@MOM and Mobile iOSH. VIDz@MOM forms
the interactivity and mobility principle of OSHC3,
providing imagery for the purpose of managing
ground operations and investigations. The EOC team
shall operate from the OSHC3 command centre to
acquire full situational awareness and visibility. With
better appreciation and control of the on-site recovery
and actions through a live video feed, the EOC team
will be able to make prompt and informed decisions
that will help support the inspectorate team on site.
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