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OSH Programme
This section outlines the OSH programmes implemented by the Ministry of Manpower to enforce, engage, promote as well as build capability to achieve a safe and healthy workplace culture in Singapore.
Strategic Enforcement
Programme-based Engagement
Programme-based Engagement (ProBE4) is a key initiative of the Strategic Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Engagement Framework.
The aim of ProBE is to engage the industries in partnership, for the purpose of raising workplace safety and health competencies and awareness.
Business under Surveillance
The main purpose of the Business under Surveillance (BUS5) Programme is to help companies improve OSH mindsets, standards and practices, with the ultimate goal of preventing incidents at the workplace.
BUS takes a systemic approach, whereby a company's OSH weaknesses will be identified though inspections and meetings with the company's top management. It is also an opportunity for a company to identify any OSH risks that might be present in its operations/processes. Once a company has identified its OSH weaknesses and risk areas, it can take steps to address those issues.
Safety and Health Management System
The Safety and Health Management System (SHMS6) is a systematic process for managing workplace safety and health.
SHMS provides for goal setting, planning and measuring performance. It sets out clear management commitments, direction and approaches for workplace safety and health.
Hygiene and Medical Surveillance
Hygiene and Medical surveillance are part of the occupational health programme under the safety and health management system. Surveillance is important as exposure to health hazards such as excessive noise or toxic substances may result in occupational diseases or work-related illnesses. Click here to find out more.
Incident Reporting
Incident reporting is needed to help the Occupational Safety and Health Division identify workplace risks. Resources can then be channeled into the necessary areas in partnership with the industries, thus reducing workplace injuries and diseases.
An online incident reporting system (known as iReport) was introduced to replace the manual reporting of incidents. Through this reporting system, employers are now able to submit their incident reports to the Ministry for the purpose of the WSH (Incident Reporting) Regulations as well as for compensation purposes under the Workmen’s Compensation Act.
To find out more, click here
Information Dissemination
To disseminate OSH information, the Ministry of Manpower deploys a tool known as the “OSH Alert” to email subscribers. This is the main channel of publicising learning points from selected accident case studies, new legislative and policy changes, revelant OSH conferences, seminars and courses, guidelines and other relevant information. Click here to access archives of these OSH Alerts.
In addition, accident statistics, guidelines, case studies and other relevant documents are made publicly available on our internet (www.mom.gov.sg) for the purpose of disseminating and promoting safety and health awareness.
Capability Building
Under the law, employers are required to provide adequate instructions, information, training and supervision to their employees so that they can carry out their work safely. Thus, all employers should ensure that their workers, supervisors and managers demonstrate basic competencies in workplace safety and health. Click here to find out more.
Awards and Incentives
The Ministry of Manpower has also created several awards to recognise companies or organisations that have made great strides in ensuring Workplace Safety and Health. The award winners are encouraged to share their experiences, best practices and innovative risk control solutions with their industry counterparts as part of the learning and sharing for the industry.
To assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in implementing risk assessment, the government has set up a $5 million Risk Management Assistance Fund in April 2006 to help them defray the cost of engaging a consultant to help build up their internal capability to conduct risk assessments. Click here to read more about this fund