Workplace Study and Health Flashcards
What is the land area of Singapore?
719.7 km2
Total Population of Singapore:
5.607 million
Total employment of Singapore:
Employment: 3.673 million
Key Sectors (by % Employment)
- Manufacturing:14.1%
- Construction: 13.7%
- Services: 71.5%
- Others: 0.7%
Workplace Fatalities Rate in 2013 and 2016
- 2013: 2.1 per 100,000 workers employed
* 2016: 1.9 per 100,000 workers employed
What is the workplace safety and health act 1 Sep 2006
Under the regulations, employers, self-employed persons and principals (including contractors and sub-contractors) are responsible for identifying safety and health hazards at workplaces and to take appropriate actions to eliminate or reduce the risks associated with the hazards.
Under the rules, a first-time offender is liable to a fine not
exceeding $10,000 while a repeat offender could be fined up to $20,000 or imprisoned for a term not exceeding six months or both.
What are the 3 principle of the new framework for the workplace safety and health act?
It requires every person at the workplace to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure the safety and health of every workplace and worker
The 3 principle of the new framework are:
- Reducing risk at source by requiring all stakeholders to eliminate or minimise the risk they create at the workplace;
- Instilling greater industry ownership of OSH standards. The focus will be shifted from complying with the prescriptive requirements to making employers responsible for developing work and safety procedures suited to their particular situations in order to achieve desired safety outcome;
- Preventing accidents through higher penalties for poor safety and health management
What is the coverage of the workplace safety and health act
The WSH initially covered the more high-risk industries
Six new sectors were covered in the expanded Workplace Safety and Health Act in Mar 2008. They included:
• Services allied to the transport of goods, such as logistics, freight forwarding and cargo surveying services;
• Landscape care and maintenance service activities, such as grass-cutting;
• Water supply, sewerage and waste management, such as refuse disposal;
• Hotels and restaurants;
• Healthcare activities such as hospitals; and
• Veterinary activities.
Who is exempted from the workplace safety and health act
- The Singapore Armed Forces
- The Singapore Police Force
- The Singapore Prison Service
- The Internal Security Department
- The Central Narcotics Bureau
- The Immigration and Checkpoint Authority
- The Singapore Civil Defence Force.
Introduction of New Principles: To Change Mindsets & Culture
What are they?
- Reduce risk at source by requiring all stakeholders to minimise or eliminate risks which they create Occupiers, employers, suppliers, manufacturers, designers and persons at work will have responsibility to identify & prevent or mitigate risks at source
- Industry will be required to take greater ownership of safety outcomes From Prescription to Goal Setting for safety Standards and practices. Employers must develop actionable plans to achieve OSH desired outcome.
- Prevent accidents through higher penalties for poor safety management Greater financial incentives, disincentives and penalties
What are the 4 key features of the workplace safety and health act
The WSH Act has four Key Features:
• It places responsibilities on stakeholders who have it within their control to ensure safety at the workplace.
• It focuses on workplace safety and health systems and outcomes, rather than merely on compliance.
• It facilitates effective enforcement through the issuance of remedial orders.
• It imposes higher penalties for non-compliance and risky behaviour.
Who are the main stakeholders? (Of the WSH)
Employer
As an employer, you must protect the safety and health of your employees or workers working under your direction, as well as persons who may be affected
by their work.
Principal
A principal is any person or organisation who engages another person or organisation to supply labour or perform work under a contract for service.
Occupier
In workplaces registered or notified as a factory, the occupier is the person who holds the certificate of registration. In all other workplaces, the occupier is
the person who has control of the premises, regardless of whether they are the owner of those premises.
Manufacturer or supplier
As a manufacturer or supplier, you must ensure that any machinery and equipment or hazardous substances you provide are safe.
Employee
Self - employed
What falls under Critical Area # 1 – Effective Governance and Enforcement
(a) A Flexible and Practical Regulatory Framework
• Focus on reinforcing concept of ownership
• Placing responsibility for workplace safety on all stakeholders
(b) Delivering Practical Assistance
- Guidelines
- Technical advisors
- Approved code of practice
(c) Robust Inspection Framework
• ensure that basic safety standards are not compromised.
What falls under Critical Area # 2 – Creating a Progressive and Pervasive WSH Culture
Elevating awareness of WSH among new sectors
• A year-long engagement programme for face-to-face outreach to new sector employees and heartland employers
• HOW it is executed?
o Guerilla-style awareness building
o Performances in companies/association events
What falls under Critical Area # 3 – Embracing New Challenges in Safety and Health
Better Defined Liability Regime to Reduce Risks at Source
Factories Act imposed liability primarily on the registered factory occupier.
The WSHA assigns legal responsibility to those who create and have management and control over safety and health risks Occupier / Employer / Principal / Employee / Manufacturer & Supplier / Erectors & Installer
Legal Requirement Workplace Safety & Health Act
It requires every person at the workplace to take “reasonably practicable” steps to ensure the safety and health of every workplace and worker.
What is considered as reasonably practicable?
An action is considered to be practicable when it is capable of being done. Whether it is also reasonable usually takes into account:
• The severity of any injury or harm to health that may occur;
• The degree of risk (or likelihood) of that injury or harm occurring;
• How much is known about the hazard and the ways of eliminating, reducing or controlling it (what others’ practising, standards..); and
• The availability, suitability and cost of the safeguards.
What are the 3 sub tasks of risk assessment?
• Risk determination the probability of occurrence of risky
events and the likely consequences;
• Risk evaluation may be further divided into risk avoidance and risk outcome;
• Risk measurement usually involving complex quantitative measures of risk.
What is the definition of identified risk?
Identified risk: That risk that has been determined to exist using analytical tools. The time and costs of analysis efforts, the quality of the risk management program, and the state of the technology involved affect the amount of risk that can be identified.
What is the definition of unidentified risk?
Unidentified risk: That risk that has not yet been identified. Some risks are not identifiable or measurable, but are no less important. Mishap investigations may reveal some previously unidentified risks.