BIZSAFE CONVENTION GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE WORK-AT-HEIGHT
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FEBRUARY 2019 bizSAFE bizSAFE PARTNER ENTERPRISE AWARD PROGRESSIVE AWARD bizSAFE ENTERPRISE bizSAFE EXEMPLARY CHAMPION AWARD AWARD 02 BIZSAFE CONVENTION 2019 08 GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE WORK-AT-HEIGHT ISSUE 09 SAFE HANDS CAMPAIGN - TAKE TIME TO TAKE CARE
2 STRATEGIC STRIDES BIZSAFE - CREATING SAFE, HEALTHY AND SECURE WORKPLACES Ensuring the safety, health and security of workers is crucial for business success. As of The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council was established on 1 April December 2018, 41 workers did not make it home to their families and over 12,000 2008 to raise the workplace safety other workers were injured at work. The costs of such workplace accidents and injuries and health standards in Singapore. The are significant not only to the workers and their families, but to businesses as well Council comprises 18 leaders from the such as: major industry sectors, the Government, unions and professionals from the legal, insurance and academic fields. • Loss of production output due to absenteeism or project delays The Council's key thrusts are to build • Additional costs for training of replacement workers and re-hiring industry capabilities to better manage • Adverse impact on corporate image and reputation WSH, to promote safety and health at work, to recognise companies with good WSH records and to set acceptable Such losses are often underestimated as some are not immediately felt or are difficult WSH practices. There are seven industry to quantify. committees focusing on the areas of construction and landscaping, healthcare, logistics and transport, marine works, Safety at work requires the commitment of everyone at the workplace. As workers chemical, metalworking, manufacturing spend most of their days at work, companies must be responsible for setting the and hospitality and entertainment. direction on how safe practices should be implemented, practiced, documented and Three functional committees have also improved on a continuing basis. been formed to identify, champion and implement initiatives in the areas of engagement and outreach, workplace More importantly, every family has the right to expect that the breadwinner can return health and industry capability building. home safe and healthy. When that assurance is provided, workers will be happier and more productive knowing that they are working in a safe and healthy workplace. SHINE is a quarterly newsletter on workplace safety and health issues. Improving safety and health standards at the workplace For contributions, feedback or more information, please email contact@wshc.sg In 2007, bizSAFE was introduced to help companies take the first step in creating safe, healthy, and secure workplaces. Through the five-step programme, companies can PUBLISHER achieve quantum improvements in safety and health standards at the workplace by Workplace Safety and Health Council implementing a good workplace safety and health (WSH) management system and by ADDRESS building their risk management capabilities. 1500 Bendemeer Road, #04-01 MOM Services Centre Singapore 339946 In addition to improving WSH outcomes, bizSAFE also helps the company improve its business productivity, improve employee retention and increase the company’s reputation and standing. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher. Appearing on the cover: (Top row, left to right) bizSAFE Partner Award: Sunny Tan, Head of HSSE & Quality, C&W Services (S) Pte. Ltd., Jenny Khoo, Head of Asset Operations, Singapore, Lendlease Retail Investments 1 Pte Ltd. bizSAFE Enterprise Progressive Award: James Ng, General Manager, M & N Aviation Materials Pte. Ltd., Rajesh Kumar, Director, Tubetechs Offshore Pte. Ltd., Joe Lim, Business Development Director, Albedo Design Pte. Ltd. (Bottom row, left to right) bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Award: Chua Chian Hong, Director, Megastone Holdings Pte Ltd, Tan Boon Poh, Senior Manager of Health and Safety, Bok Seng Logistics Private Limited, Tan Eng Loo, Vice President, Marina Properties Private Limited, Peter Tham, Managing Director, Sixty-Six Switchgears Co Pte Ltd, Edward Wee, Managing Director, Wee Chwee Huat Scaffolding & Construction Pte Ltd, Chang Chew Kient, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Greatearth Corporation Pte. Ltd. Shawn Ong, Chief Operating Officer, Galmon (S) Pte Ltd. bizSAFE Champion Award: Sandy Tan, Senior Executive, Galmon (S) Pte Ltd, Tomabo Jiao, Manager, Sixty-Six Switchgears Co Pte Ltd. For the full list of bizSAFE Awards 2019 recipients, visit www.wshc.sg/bizsafeawards
STRATEGIC STRIDES 3 Deliver Excellence Involvement in WSH Recognition Management System WSHMS audited Acquire Capability in Managing WSH Systematically WSHMS Champion attends 4-day course Implement Risk Management Company RM plan is audited RM plan to include measures against terror threats* Acquire Risk Management Capability RM Champion attends 2-day course Course will include RM capabilities in managing terror incidents* Demonstrate Top Management Commitment Top Management attends half day bizSAFE Workshop Company’s WSH policy to include SGSecure objectives* *SGSecure components The bizSAFE programme consists of five levels of increasing requirements and commitment. Upon achieving all five bizSAFE Awards 2019: levels, the company will be awarded the bizSAFE STAR status. Companies can proudly display the bizSAFE accreditation logo on The bizSAFE Awards 2019 recognise bizSAFE companies their business collaterals as a reflection of their commitment for their commitment and dedication to the bizSAFE to safety. programme and their effective management of risks at the workplace. There are three main award categories: bizSAFE Convention 2019 a. bizSAFE Partner Award The WSH Council organises the bizSAFE Convention annually The bizSAFE Partner Award recognises bizSAFE Partners to celebrate the achievements of the bizSAFE community and which are proactive and committed in bringing help companies understand how bizSAFE can improve their WSH organisations on board the bizSAFE programme by standards and business. incorporating WSH efforts as part of their business models (e.g. having bizSAFE Level 3 as a criteria in This year, the theme for the bizSAFE Convention is “Take Time to procurement contracts). Take Care”, which serves to remind everyone to take a moment and think of how we can keep ourselves and others safe and healthy at work, so that all workers can go home safe and b. bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Award healthy to their family. The bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Award recognises bizSAFE Level STAR enterprises based on their Into its eleventh run this year, the bizSAFE Convention recognises outstanding WSH performance (e.g. did not have 50 bizSAFE Awards recipients; 11 bizSAFE Partner Awards, 24 any accident that had caused death and dangerous bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Awards (including two Gold Award occurrence, no Stop Work Orders). Enterprises that recipients), nine bizSAFE Champion Awards and six bizSAFE won the bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Award for three Enterprise Progressive Awards. consecutive years shall be conferred the Gold Award. bizSAFE Champion Award For more information and resources, The bizSAFE Champion Award is a sub-category of visit www.wshc.sg/bizsafe the bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Awards. This Award recognises individuals who have been proactive in improving the WSH performances as well as raising the risk management capabilities in their organisations. These individuals are employees nominated by recipients of the bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Award. c. bizSAFE Enterprise Progressive Award The bizSAFE Enterprise Progressive Award recognises bizSAFE Enterprises for their efforts in improving WSH and dedication to the bizSAFE programme. These Enterprises would also have progressed from bizSAFE Level 1 to Level 3 within six months.
4 BIZSAFE CONVENTION SPECIAL CREATING A SAFER These achievements did not happen overnight. To bring the employees on board, the management adopted a soft approach by hearing and addressing the employees’ concerns. The employees AND HEALTHIER were also encouraged to voice their opinions on how to enhance their work environment or improve their WSH practices after the company began screening safety videos to better demonstrate WORKPLACE how the changes can benefit them. Over a period of a year, employees began to witness and experience the health and safety benefits that came about from Galmon (S) Pte Ltd was first established in 1982 to provide safe the changes. In addition, there has been a reduction in the loss and reliable work-at-height equipment. Today, they are one of of man hours, increased productivity and lowered business the largest mobile elevating work platform providers in Asia and a opportunity cost. powered access pioneer in the region. WSH is a continuing journey. While Galmon continues to deepen its Safety for customers and employees is always a top priority for safety culture and refine workplace procedures, it is also expanding Galmon and when they first learnt about the bizSAFE programme its focus to enhance the health and well-being of its employees in 2010, it was only natural for them to embark on it. through fitness programmes and family days, incentivising its employees to stay active and healthy. Besides striving to deliver Since embarking on bizSAFE nine years ago, Galmon made small safer and better products to their customers, Galmon also creates a and steady improvements to their workplace safety and health safer and healthier workplace for its employees. (WSH) processes, policies and environment, and was hence able to provide a safer and healthier workplace for their employees. For more information about bizSAFE, visit www.wshc.sg/bizsafe To this day, Galmon has won the bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Award three times, and finally the Gold Award this year. A staff member was also honoured with the Champion Award. “Building a strong safety culture requires the effort of everyone. From top management, to supervisors and to the workers on the ground, we all have a role to play in championing safety.” Mr Shawn Ong Chief Operating Officer Galmon (S) Pte Ltd bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Award (Gold)
BIZSAFE CONVENTION SPECIAL 5 STRENGTHENING Mr Edward Wee, Managing Director, attributed the company’s success in attaining their bizSAFE STAR status to constant communication among staff. He recalls the extensive time and SAFETY effort expended to implement bizSAFE; how communication to the workers on the importance of WSH and the necessity to build up their knowledge through training had been challenging. Mr Wee KNOWLEDGE also took time to strive to be an inspiration to his workers; walking the talk and assisting them wherever he could. He would approach every situation with a winning smile, hence rousing confidence THROUGH in his workers. “Communication is the secret to our success, and through togetherness we achieved greater things,” he says. COMMUNICATION Wee Chwee Huat’s bizSAFE journey had been beneficial in many ways. Not only had the experience improved their WSH performance and productivity, it also improved workers’ competency through safety knowledge retention. Workers also learnt to put aside their Wee Chwee Huat Scaffolding & Construction Pte Ltd, a company differences and work toward a common goal. providing quality scaffolding services for over 25 years and an Approved Training and Testing Centre offering specialised trade With improved WSH standards, Wee Chwee Huat had gained the training, has always placed workplace safety and health (WSH) at trust of their customers and improved their reputation within the its core. industry, resulting in a bigger clientele and higher profits. At Wee Chwee Huat, staff of all levels from top management Looking ahead, Mr Wee hopes to achieve the next level of WSH down to the last worker play an active role in decisions that would accomplishments where his supervisors can be bizSAFE champions safeguard their lives. It is the company’s belief that employees too, and to apply for the National WSH Awards. who are involved in the decision-making process will take greater ownership of their own safety. This is evident, as the company For more information about bizSAFE, does not have any fatalities over the past 10 years. Productivity visit www.wshc.sg/bizsafe also improved as workers were empowered to take initiative in ensuring each project was completed in a safe manner. “An organisation will be able to overcome any challenge with efficient and transparent communication with its staff.” Mr Edward Wee Managing Director Wee Chwee Huat Scaffolding & Construction Pte Ltd bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Award (Gold)
6 BIZSAFE CONVENTION SPECIAL A CULTURE OF – prompted Mr Tomabo to start ‘Heart to Heart Talks’ (H2H) with workers without the presence of their bosses to understand their needs. This initiative was strongly supported by his management CARE AND and proved a success as it gave workers an opportunity to share any difficulties they are facing at work. This allowed him to understand the worker on a deeper level and to tailor specific KINDNESS measures to suit worker’s needs. One example was a worker who was absent from work for a week. Through H2H, Mr Tomabo realised he was grieving the passing Mr Tomabo Jiao joined Sixty-Six Switchgears Co Pte Ltd as an of his mother. Instead of suspending the worker, Mr Tomabo electrical engineer five years ago. As his first job, Mr Tomabo sought approval from the company’s management to implement wanted to make a meaningful difference in the company. While a new company guideline for workers who are emotionally unfit studying existing company practices, he stumbled upon bizSAFE for laborious work to take on light duty work for that time. Their and immediately saw its potential. supervisors will follow-up with the workers and ensure they will only return to their regular jobs when there are ready. Mr Tomabo believes that safety only can be developed by culture, and that culture must be cultivated through influence and showing Over the last five years, Mr Tomabo has noticed an increase in care; and it is through such a culture that the company may workplace productivity and efficiency. In addition, the company has advance further in its bizSAFE journey. One key impression that Mr had no manpower loss or workplace incidents since. Mr Tomabo Tomabo was determined to propagate among the workers was confidently believes that most of the workers have safety culture that accidents affect not just workers and the company, but also in their blood. their families as well. He hopes it would influence workers to take ownership to take care of their own safety. Sixty-Six Switchgears Co is also a recipient of the bizSAFE Enterprise Exemplary Award 2019. For more information about bizSAFE, Mr Tomabo started promoting the culture of care within the visit www.wshc.sg/bizsafe company by introducing short safety talks and semi-annually internal safety campaigns and sharing sessions on how their work impacts families during toolbox meetings. A valuable advice from his director – that there is always more than one side to a person "A company cannot maximise workers’ full potential with only monetary incentives. You need to show care and concern to employees. If workers feel that their company truly cares about their well-being, they will be more compelled to put in their optimum effort." Tomabo Jiao Business Development Manager Sixty-Six Switchgears Co bizSAFE Champion
STRATEGIC STRIDES 7 Create a safer, healthier and secure workplace for businesses What is bizSAFE? Introduced in 2007, the bizSAFE programme helps companies build up Workplace Safety & Health capabilities through 5 levels of bizSAFE recognition. Today, over 32,000 enterprises have participated in bizSAFE. It offers a competitive edge to its enterprises. Based on a 2013 study by WSH Institute, bizSAFE enterprises have better capabilities in managing WSH risks than non-bizSAFE companies. From 26 September 2017, bizSAFE levels 1 - 3 will be enhanced to incorporate SGSecure components that require enterprises to develop and implement a risk management plan against terror threats.
8 PROFILE GETTING TO THE fundamental safety and health management concepts and they will greatly improve work-at-height safety standards if companies invest in them. HEART OF THE “Organisations need to understand the core fundamentals of workplace safety and health,” says Dr Goh. “There is no magic WORK-AT-HEIGHT bullet in improving WSH outcomes. Companies should take ownership and re-examine existing concepts and processes and simplify them; the core is still risk management. This is a vital ISSUE first step.” While changing mindsets is challenging, Dr Goh believes mindsets can be influenced by sharing the stories of major Falls from heights have been an ongoing concern in the incidents through the victims’ eyes to connect individuals to the construction industry for many years. As the industry cause. He stresses how getting families involved is crucial in gets increasingly competitive, it is imperative that convincing the industry to pay more attention to WSH. construction companies do more to address workplace safety and health (WSH). Such accounts remind people of how workplace accidents and ill health affect not just the workers, but also their families. Dr Goh Yang Miang, Associate Professor at the NUS Department of Building, School of Design and Dr Goh also calls for organisations to relook at their WSH culture Environment, gives his take on the work-at-height issue. and exercise greater corporate social responsibility. Workers’ health is often neglected as the lifelong repercussions are not immediately seen. This is alarming as workers may continue to Starting at the core work even when they are in poor health and open themselves up to more risks. Dr Goh is a researcher with a longstanding interest in workplace safety and health management. He shares that the three areas “Many of the smaller companies know next to nothing about identified at the Workplace Safety and Health Conference safety and health management until something happens,” says 2018 – ownership, health and technology – are consistent with Dr Goh. He puts forth three aspects to change workplace safety culture: 1) connect with people by tugging at their heartstrings, 2) help people to understand the logic behind having safe workplaces, and 3) create a business environment where safety and health is expected and accepted as the norm. Harnessing technology to improve WSH outcomes Technology and innovation have the potential to transform the way WSH is tackled to achieve better outcomes. Dr Goh is currently working on different WSH technologies, including video analytics and predictive analytics, and says they could be significant game changers for the construction industry. Video analytics involves using CCTV cameras at construction sites to spot safety hazards at construction sites and alert relevant personnel. Trends can also be derived from the data gathered, and forecasts of potential incidents can be drawn up. Dr Goh notes how such technologies can be more reliable than human monitoring. Not only do they increase overall workplace efficiency by reducing the need to train observers to execute behaviour-based safety checks, they lessen the likelihood of a “Big Brother effect” where the worker being evaluated becomes exemplary only for that period of time. “There is a saying that safety and health is like riding a bicycle. If you stop peddling, it’ll just collapse,” says Dr Goh.
WHAT'S NEW 9 SAFE HANDS CAMPAIGN The Safe Hands Campaign was launched on 10 January 2019 by Minister of State for Manpower and National Development, Mr Zaqy Mohamad. This is the third and last phase of the National Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Campaign 2018, aimed to raise awareness on prevention of machinery-related hand and finger injuries at the workplace. During the campaign period from January to March 2019, your company can show support for the campaign by: • Conducting a Senior Management WSH Walkabout • Organising a Corporate Mannequin Challenge with your employees • Sharing resources on WSH Council website with employees In appreciation of your support for the Safe Hands Campaign, you will receive a campaign collaterals bundle and be listed on our website after the campaign. “Take Time to Take Care” of your safety and health by pledging your support at www.wshc.sg/safehands today! JOIN THE SAFETY Preventing injuries and ill-health is possible when we take time to take care of ourselves and those around us. For example, workers must take time to think and adopt STARTS WITH ME correct work practices, get adequate rest and stay hydrated by drinking water regularly. By taking time to take care of ourselves, we protect our safety and health. COMPETITION! For this year’s “Safety Starts with Me” competition, we are looking for entries that convey a strong belief in the importance of safety and health in workplaces and compelling works that illustrate the message “Take time to take care of your safety and health”. Express your ideas in four different categories and stand to win attractive prizes of up to $2,500! • Creative Story Writing (secondary school and open category) • Creative Photography (open category) • Poster Drawing (primary and secondary school, tertiary, workers and open category) • Animation and Short Film (tertiary and open category) The competition ends 21 March 2019! For more details, go to www.wshc.sg/safetystartswithme
10 EVENTS LAUNCH OF THE WSH TECHTALK JURONG ISLAND ON WORK AT VISION ZERO HEIGHTS CLUSTER Held on 23 November 2018 at Jurong Town Hall, the launch of the Jurong Island Vision Zero Cluster was attended by more than 100 senior management and Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) personnel of Jurong Island companies and their subcontractors. The Jurong Island Vision Zero Cluster aims to bring together like-minded companies that share a common belief that every workplace injury and ill- health is preventable. Chairman of the Jurong Island Vision Zero Working Group, Engineer Lucas Ng, shared in his welcome address, the five safety and health related attributes that all Vision Zero companies should have - a prevention mindset, to be proactive, to be solution-oriented, to build collective ownership, and to go beyond compliance. He also On 28 November 2018, 100 senior and middle encouraged companies and stakeholders in Jurong Island management representatives from various industries to play their part by embracing these attributes to foster a attended the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council’s pervasive and progressive WSH culture. Lunchtime WSH TechTalk on Work at Heights. Organised as part of the Target Zero Falls 2018 campaign, the event was extended to companies that aimed to improve their WSH outcomes through greater awareness and adoption on fall prevention technology. Mr Chan Yew Kwong, Director (Special Duties), from Occupational Safety and Health Division, Ministry of Manpower, spoke on the use of technology for better WSH enforcement, such as using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for inspection, investigation and surveillance. He also shared the technologies of the future that can expand the reach and depth of WSH enforcement through real-time self-regulation, targeted predictive data analytics and enforcement interactions that have lasting impact. In his opening speech, Minister of State for National Speakers from Teambuild Engineering & Construction and Development and Manpower, Mr Zaqy Mohamad applauded Lendlease Singapore shared examples of the technology companies for their commitment to be part of the Cluster, they had implemented, such as the use of virtual reality in and called for more companies to come onboard. He also training programmes to improve workers’ capabilities and shared examples of companies who exemplify the five key competencies, i-Track and i-Safe technologies to monitor attributes, and how these companies have one common worker and vehicular movements, and digitalisation of trait – WSH is the first priority for their senior management. information (via Building Information Modelling) to ease He further highlighted that the cluster approach will present the planning and implementation of safety measures using additional benefits to the companies involved, whereby Design for Safety principles. rather than working individually, they can learn from one another’s experiences as well as share best practices and The event was supported by the Ministry of Manpower, innovations to improve their collective WSH standards. Teambuild Engineering & Construction, Lendlease Singapore and the Singapore Contractors Association Limited.
EVENTS 11 REDAS WSH Mr Zaqy also urged companies to tap on technology, citing the examples of Building Information Modelling to enable tasks to be done faster and easier, Virtual Reality to familiarise workers to LEADERSHIP possible hazards during the construction process, and the usage of drones for building inspections to eliminate work at height risks. He commended REDAS on their commitment and efforts to SEMINAR 2018 raise their members’ workplace safety and health performance, and for taking the lead to draft a Design for Safety (DfS) Good Practice guide for developers. The guide will be ready in 2019. The REDAS WSH Leadership Seminar 2018 was held on 14 December 2018. Organised by the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (REDAS) and supported by the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council, the seminar aims to encourage stakeholders in the real estate industry to improve their WSH standards. In his opening address, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Minister of State for Manpower and National Development, shared that to encourage greater WSH ownership, companies need to transform the business environment to one that recognises WSH as an integral part of business success. He emphasised the importance Speakers from the Ministry of Manpower, Dragages Singapore of developers’ role in the construction value chain and their Pte Ltd, DP Architects Pte Ltd were also invited to share case involvement in preventing accidents at work sites, e.g. expecting studies and their perspectives on the implementation of DfS in good WSH standards as pre-requisite in their construction tenders. Singapore. WSH SYMPOSIUM ON CRANES More than 400 industry partners and workplace safety and health (WSH) practitioners attended the annual WSH Symposium on Cranes held at the Housing & Development Board Hub on 25 January 2019. The Symposium was jointly organised by the WSH Council and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). In his opening address, Minister of State for Manpower and National Development, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, identified three key areas where companies could adopt to make crane operations safer for workers. 1) Adopt technology: Mr Zaqy cited two examples of technological advances that helped to improve WSH outcomes and enhance (a) Updates to Safety Handbook for Riggers and Signalmen, productivity. First, companies in the landscaping sector eliminated (b) Updates to Safety Handbook for Lorry Crane Operators, and work-at-height risks by using mechanised cranes to cut trees. (c) First draft of the WSH Guidelines on Safe Use of Lorry Loaders Second, critical information captured by data loggers in mobile for public consultation. cranes helped companies plan for safer operations, streamline their maintenance regimes and achieve greater productivity. Since 3) Focus on health: Chronic diseases such as diabetes, the introduction of data loggers, the number of mobile crane- hypertension and high cholesterol could pose workplace safety and related Dangerous Occurrences reduced from 11 cases in 2015 to 3 health risks if not properly managed. Mr Zaqy stressed the need for cases in 2018. MOM is currently working with industry stakeholders crane contractors and companies to enhance care for their workers’ to test the next generation of data loggers which support real-time health by taking an integrated approach to managing work, safety monitoring and alerts. and health with Total WSH. 2) Invest in capability building: Mr Zaqy encouraged companies The Symposium facilitated cross-learning with a panel of speakers to build up the capability of their workers. He announced that an from MOM, WSH Council and industry partners who presented industry-led Work Group on Lifting Supervisors would be formed on various related WSH topics and shared some of industry best this year to look at ways to further enhance the capabilities practices. Exhibits from industry and academia were also on display of lifting supervisors. He also announced the release of three to encourage adoption of technologies for safer lifting operations. pertinent documents to guide lifting crews on safe operations:
12 FEATURE
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