This presentation summarises the key regulations of the WSH Act, Singapore. And provides pragmatic advice about how employers can comply with them.

1. Understanding and Complying with The Workplace Health & Safety Act, Singapore Yogesh Tadwalkar , MSc, ACA, CUA President, Ergonomics Society of Singapore (ERGOSS) Managing Director, Synergo Consulting [email_address] www.synergo.com.sg Synergo July 29 2011, Singapore

3. About Synergo Consulting Synergo Holistic and Pragmatic WSH Consulting • Environmental Health and Safety (EH & S) Strategy • Risk Assessments and Safety Audits • Seminars and Training • Personal Ergonomics Assessments • Workspace Redesign • Product Design Reviews Synergo

6. Workplace Safety and Health Act • Enacted on 1 Mar 2006 • An Act relating to the safety, health and welfare of persons at work in workplaces • Key legal instrument to effect the principles of the new WSH framework ALL workplaces MUST comply before Sept 1, 2011 The Workplace Health and Safety Act (WSHA), Singapore Synergo

8. WSH Act and its recent Extension: The Driving Forces Synergo Nicoll Highway Accident, 2004 Prima Deli Food Poisoning, 2007

9. Workplace Safety and Health Act WSH Act and its recent Extension: The Driving Forces The rising accidents and claims related to workplace injuries: Synergo Year Temporary Incapacity Partial Incapacity Total Permanent Incapacity Fatal Total ($million) ($million) ($million) ($million) ($million) 2008 $3.98 $59.70 $2.32 $7.31 $73.31 2007 $3.82 $56.60 $2.02 $8.55 $70.99 2006 $3.77 $58.40 $3.19 $7.42 $72.78 2005 $3.83 $53.60 $2.11 $8.98 $68.52 2004 $3.33 $44.24 $2.69 $8.70 $58.96 2003 $3.06 $46.74 $2.28 $10.02 $62.10

10. WSH Act and its recent Extension: The Driving Forces Synergo Encouraging a balanced business thinking

11. • PERFORMANCE-BASED Workplace Safety and Health Act • • • • • LIABILITY REGIME PERSONAL LIABILITY ENHANCED ENFORCEMENT POWERS ENHANCED PENALTIES RISK ASSESSMENT - Not merely prescriptive like the Factories Act - Better defined - S trengthened - To deal with systemic weaknesses - To reflect the cost of accidents and poor safety management. – To focus on reducing risk at source The Key Features of WSHA Synergo

12. Workplace Safety and Health Act Performance based The law does not provide definitive or exhaustive list of measures to be taken “ … to take so far as reasonably practicable such steps to ensure the safety & health of any person” Thus, the onus of interpreting and proactively implementing the right measures is entirely on the organization. The Key Features of WSHA Synergo

13. Workplace Safety and Health Act Practicable – capable of being done Reasonable – takes into account the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. Severity of any risk of injury or harm to health that may occur Likelihood of that risk of injury or harm occurring How much is known about that hazard and the ways of managing it Availability, suitability and cost of safeguards 1. 2. 3. Conduct Risk Assessment Take measures to eliminate or control risks Refer to – • • • Common industry practices; Best practices ; and Codes of practices Reasonably Practicable Measures Workplace Safety and Health Act The Key Features of WSHA Synergo

14. Occupiers Erectors & Installers Employers Duty Holders under WSH Act Manufacturers & Suppliers Principals Employees Workplace Safety and Health Act The Key Features of WSHA Liabilities percolate down.. the company as well as responsible officers are liable Synergo

15. Workplace Safety and Health Act Enhanced penalty Maximum Penalties • Individuals - $200,000 or/and 24 months’ jail • Corporations - $500,000 • For repeat offenders where a fatality occurs during a previous offence and a 2nd fatality is caused, the Max. fine is doubled Workplace Safety and Health Act The Key Features of WSHA

16. WSH Act: The Penalties Synergo The penalties are REAL and getting stiffer

19. Workplace Safety and Health Act Risk Assessment (RA) A Systematic RA involves: Synergo

20. Workplace Safety and Health Act Risk Assessment (RA) Risk assessment, when carried out appropriately by qualified personnel, will allow comprehensive understanding of the risks present at your workplace and enable conceptualization their control measures. Synergo

23. WSH (Incident Reporting) Regulations What to report? • • The Regulations cover all workplaces . Specifies the responsibilities of relevant parties to report: • • • accidents; dangerous occurrences ; and occupational diseases Incidents to be reported Synergo

24. • >3 days MC (consecutive) Person affected Type of incident Fatal Who to notify ( immediately ) Employer Who to submit report ( within 10 days ) Employer WSH (Incident Reporting) Regulations • Hospitalised ( ≥ 24 hrs –for observation or treatment) Occupational disease Employee Employer Employer (within 10 days after Receipt of diagnosis letter) Doctor (within 10 days after diagnosis) • Self-employed • person not at work Occupier Occupier Fatal Treatment at hospital Dangerous occurrence Occupier Occupier Occupier iReporting Protocol Synergo

25. Presentation Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Workplace Safety & Health Act Risk Management Regulations Incident Reporting Regulations Things you can do to comply with the WSH Act Synergo WSH Incentives, Grants and Resources

26. BizSafe: A step-by-step program by MOM for WSH management in your company Synergo

27. Workplace Safety and Health Act Engage a qualified consultant for Risk Management Besides Risk Assessment, Risk Management also consists of other components such as Communication, Record Keeping and Implementation and Review. Synergo

28. Workplace Safety and Health Act Risk Assessment (RA) for Office Environments Sample RA in Office Environments Periodical RSI Surveys One-to-one Ergo Assessments, Recommendations and Redesign Synergo

29. Presentation Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Workplace Safety & Health Act Risk Management Regulations Incident Reporting Regulations Things you can do to comply with the WSH Act Synergo WSH Incentives, Grants and Resources

31. WSH (Risk Management) Regulations Workplace Safety and Health Act Other Grants Synergo The ADVANTAGE! Scheme provides a grant of up to S$400,000 for the cost of consultancy or staff salary (pro-rated to direct involvement in implementing the initiatives), equipment and Intellectual Property Rights. To assist companies who change their human resource (HR) practices, working environment and operational processes to recruit, retain or re-employ more mature workers. WDA ADVANTAGE! Scheme 1 · Up to 90% for the following costs: · Intellectual Property and Rights (e.g. licensing and royalties for processes etc) • salaries of company staff engaged in job redesign and consultancy fees paid to third parties for related job redesign • actual cost of leasing (up to 12 months) or purchase of equipment (specifically for persons with disabilities) and physical/building modifications • other items, e.g. adjustment programmes to integrate the persons with disabilities into the company • Up to 60% of actual apprenticeship allowance paid per person with disability per month for a maximum of 6 months, capped at S$600 per month. The Open Door Fund (ODF) encourages businesses to hire persons with disabilities by providing subsidies to implement job redesign and workplace modification, or run integration or apprenticeship programmes for persons with disabilities. SNEF Enhanced OPEN DOOR Fund (ODF) 2

32. MOM Website – http://www.mom.gov.sg/ WSH Resources Synergo WSH Council Website – http://www.wshc.sg WSH Bulletin – Subscribe on MOM Website Shine Newsletter - https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/cmsshine

33. Understanding and Complying with The Workplace Safety & Health Act, Singapore Yogesh Tadwalkar , MSc, ACA, CUA [email_address] Mobile: (65) 9847 5652 Synergo Thank You ! Synergo Consulting Pte Ltd, 20 Maxwell Road, #09-17 Maxwell House, Singapore 069113. Tel: +65 6852 9060. Email: [email_address] . Web: www.synergo.com.sg