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Issue<br />
JULY 2008 01<br />
S A F E T Y + H E A L T H I N V O L V E S E V E R Y O N E<br />
03<br />
WSH Guardian<br />
Steps Up<br />
04<br />
Ball Start for<br />
<strong>Safety</strong> Month<br />
06<br />
Transit of a<br />
40-foot<br />
Transformer<br />
09<br />
Taking Nothing<br />
for Granted<br />
11<br />
Making the<br />
Impossible<br />
Possible
STRATEGIC STRIDES<br />
ProBE 2008<br />
Takes on Limbs<br />
The <strong>Workplace</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
(WSH <strong>Council</strong>) was established on 1<br />
April 2008 to raise the workplace safety<br />
<strong>and</strong> health st<strong>and</strong>ards in Singapore. The<br />
<strong>Council</strong> comprises 16 leaders from the<br />
major industry sectors, the Government,<br />
unions <strong>and</strong> professionals from the legal,<br />
insurance <strong>and</strong> academic fields. The<br />
<strong>Council</strong>’s key thrusts are to build the<br />
capabilities of industry to better manage<br />
WSH, to promote safety <strong>and</strong> health at<br />
work, to recognise companies with<br />
good WSH records <strong>and</strong> to set acceptable<br />
WSH practices. There are five industry<br />
committees focusing on the areas of<br />
construction <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scaping, healthcare,<br />
logistics <strong>and</strong> transportation, marine works<br />
<strong>and</strong> metalworking <strong>and</strong> manufacturing.<br />
Two functional committees have also<br />
been formed to identify, champion <strong>and</strong><br />
implement initiatives in the areas of<br />
engagement <strong>and</strong> outreach <strong>and</strong> industry<br />
capability building.<br />
SHINE is a quarterly newsletter on<br />
workplace safety <strong>and</strong> health issues.<br />
MICA (P) No. 261/06/2006<br />
Demolition works <strong>and</strong> work related to machines, cranes <strong>and</strong> hazardous substances<br />
join ‘work at heights’ to form the focus areas for this year’s Programme-Based<br />
Engagement (ProBE) initiative. These key strategic intervention areas were<br />
announced by Mr Heng Chiang Gnee, Deputy Chairman of the WSH <strong>Council</strong> at the<br />
Seminar on 2007 WSH Statistics <strong>and</strong> ProBE Areas 2008 held on 25 March 2008.<br />
In highlighting the trends in 2007 that saw among others a drop in overall workplace<br />
fatality rate to 2.9 per 100,000 employed persons, Mr Heng Chiang Gnee said “The<br />
2006 <strong>and</strong> 2007 ProBE results have been encouraging”. He emphasised that due to<br />
the ProBE initiative coupled with the industry’s commitment, a 22% drop in fatalities<br />
in the ProBE focus areas had been recorded in 2007. “Our success has spurred us to<br />
continue the ProBE initiative for 2008,” he added.<br />
High-risk Areas Targeted for 2008<br />
The limelight is on limbs this year as ‘Work<br />
Involving Machines Dangerous to H<strong>and</strong>s’ is a<br />
priority area for ProBE 2008. A 59% increase<br />
in the number of cases of permanent<br />
disablement was seen in 2007 compared<br />
to 2005 <strong>and</strong> largely originating from the<br />
manufacturing industry, especially in the<br />
metalworking sector.<br />
For contributions, feedback or more<br />
information, please e-mail to the WSH<br />
<strong>Council</strong> Office at contact@wshc.gov.sg<br />
Publisher<br />
<strong>Workplace</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
Address<br />
5 Maxwell Road, #20-00 Tower Block<br />
MND Complex<br />
Singapore 069110<br />
Contact<br />
Tel: (65) 6324 7206<br />
Fax: (65) 6324 7578<br />
No part of this publication may be<br />
reproduced or transmitted in any form or<br />
by any means without the prior written<br />
permission of the publisher.<br />
Yet another area of focus is ‘Work Involving<br />
Flammable <strong>and</strong> Hazardous Substances’.<br />
Accidents due to such substances accounted<br />
for 14% of workplace fatalities in 2007. A<br />
good example is a fire in an oil refinery last<br />
year that resulted in two workers being<br />
killed on site <strong>and</strong> two others suffering<br />
severe burns, of which one succumbed to his<br />
injuries subsequently.<br />
Two other new areas to be targeted are<br />
demolition works which saw three fatalities<br />
late last year <strong>and</strong> crane-related activities<br />
which took three lives more recently. With<br />
a noticeable uptrend in demolition work<br />
<strong>and</strong> construction activities due to the<br />
construction boom <strong>and</strong> increased collective<br />
property sales, the potential for things to<br />
go wrong will increase <strong>and</strong> hence the<br />
inclusion of these two work areas in this<br />
year’s programme.<br />
Last year’s initiative on ‘Work at Heights’ will<br />
extend into this year as this area contributed<br />
to more than one-third of all workplace<br />
fatalities. These incidents occurred<br />
predominantly in the construction sector.<br />
Commitment from All for Success<br />
The WSH <strong>Council</strong> will be employing creative<br />
methods to engage all affected parties to<br />
strengthen the safety <strong>and</strong> health st<strong>and</strong>ards<br />
in the ProBE 2008 focus areas. The success<br />
of this programme ultimately hinges on<br />
the commitment of all stakeholders via<br />
participation in activities organised <strong>and</strong><br />
implementation of workplace safety<br />
<strong>and</strong> health processes. Together, we can<br />
create safer <strong>and</strong> healthier workplaces<br />
in Singapore.
STRATEGIC STRIDES<br />
<br />
WSH Guardian Steps Up<br />
The <strong>Workplace</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Health</strong><br />
Advisory Committee, the guardians of<br />
workplace safety <strong>and</strong> health (WSH)<br />
in Singapore, became the statutory<br />
<strong>Workplace</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Council</strong><br />
(WSH <strong>Council</strong>) on 1 April 2008.<br />
Strengthened with an enhanced agenda<br />
<strong>and</strong> capabilities, the <strong>Council</strong> will<br />
spearhead the workplace safety <strong>and</strong><br />
health efforts in Singapore.<br />
The <strong>Council</strong> comprises 16 members who are<br />
leaders from key industry sectors (such as<br />
construction, manufacturing, petrochemical,<br />
logistics, etc), the government, unions <strong>and</strong><br />
professionals from the legal, insurance<br />
<strong>and</strong> academic fields. Under the <strong>Council</strong> five<br />
industry committees have been formed to<br />
address the specific WSH challenges in the<br />
varied sectors. They are the Construction<br />
<strong>and</strong> L<strong>and</strong>scaping Committee, <strong>Health</strong>care<br />
Committee, Logistics <strong>and</strong> Transportation<br />
Committee, Marine Industries Committee<br />
<strong>and</strong> Metalworking <strong>and</strong> Manufacturing<br />
Committee. Two functional committees have<br />
also been formed to identify, champion<br />
<strong>and</strong> implement initiatives in areas such as<br />
engagement <strong>and</strong> outreach <strong>and</strong> industry<br />
capability building.<br />
With a vision for “A safe <strong>and</strong> healthy<br />
workplace for everyone; <strong>and</strong> a country<br />
renowed for best practices in WSH” the<br />
guardians of WSH have a tall order to<br />
fulfil. Adding to the challenge is the aim to<br />
decrease the fatality rate to 1.8 by 2008.<br />
With the commitment <strong>and</strong> cooporation of all<br />
stakeholders, the <strong>Council</strong> is confident that it<br />
is a goal within reach.<br />
THREE KEY THRUSTs OF WSH COUNCIL<br />
Man with a Vision<br />
Heading the WSH <strong>Council</strong> Office as the new Executive Director is Mr Samuel Tso.<br />
The former Business Director ASEAN, DuPont <strong>Safety</strong> Resources, is a staunch safety<br />
advocate. He believes that all incidents can be prevented <strong>and</strong>, being a leader in the<br />
organisation, he must walk the talk to demonstrate his commitment to safety. He strongly<br />
upholds the safety messages he preaches, paying attention to finer details like being<br />
familiar with emergency exits at any venue he visits. Saying that he is proud to be able to<br />
contribute in Singapore’s journey towards excellence in WSH, he added that the difficulty<br />
lies in convincing Singapore businesses that safety is a good value <strong>and</strong> a strategic element<br />
to achieve business excellence. “<strong>Safety</strong> increases productivity <strong>and</strong> lowers costs, <strong>and</strong> can serve<br />
as a catalyst for achieving operational excellence <strong>and</strong> sustainable growth,” he enthused.<br />
Asked about his personal vision for the WSH <strong>Council</strong>, he said, “The <strong>Council</strong> is steering the<br />
transformation of workplace safety <strong>and</strong> health in Singapore. The initial WSH <strong>Council</strong> roadmap<br />
may have more pit stops as we will need to guide or even h<strong>and</strong>-hold industry efforts. In the<br />
long run, however, I envisage us having a smoother ride taking the backseat as the autodrive<br />
kicks in. I see the <strong>Council</strong> acting more as an advisor as the industry gradually takes on<br />
greater ownership <strong>and</strong> initiative to create their own roadmaps for continual improvement in<br />
safety <strong>and</strong> health in their businesses.”
CENTRE STAGE<br />
Ball Start for<br />
<strong>Safety</strong> Month<br />
The National <strong>Workplace</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Health</strong> (NWSH) Campaign 2008, got<br />
off to a bouncy start at the Orchard@<br />
Atrium venue on 29 April 2008, with the<br />
endorsement of the new WSH <strong>Council</strong><br />
by 35 industry partners. The partners<br />
showed their support for the <strong>Council</strong><br />
by signing on grey <strong>and</strong> green balls,<br />
the colours of the WSH <strong>Council</strong> logo.<br />
The balls were later used to complete<br />
a fabricated WSH <strong>Council</strong> logo placed<br />
onstage with the last ball being placed<br />
by the Guest of Honour, Prime Minister<br />
Lee Hsien Loong thus unveiling <strong>and</strong><br />
launching the new WSH <strong>Council</strong> <strong>and</strong> its<br />
logo. He also went on to officially launch<br />
the NWSH Campaign 2008.<br />
A Milestone in WSH<br />
Mr Lee Tzu Yang, Chairman of the WSH<br />
<strong>Council</strong>, described the launch of the<br />
statutory WSH <strong>Council</strong> as a significant<br />
milestone in the WSH l<strong>and</strong>scape of<br />
Singapore. PM Lee in his speech said,<br />
“<strong>Workplace</strong> safety systems around the world<br />
have shown that better safety outcomes<br />
can only be achieved if all stakeholders are<br />
fully engaged.” He added that the <strong>Council</strong><br />
is therefore an important initiative with<br />
the broad representation from employers,<br />
professional associations <strong>and</strong> the unions.<br />
Elaborating on the three main <strong>Council</strong><br />
agenda of setting safety st<strong>and</strong>ards, building<br />
new capabilities <strong>and</strong> changing mindsets,<br />
PM Lee said, “The biggest challenge for the<br />
<strong>Council</strong> lies in its third area of responsibility<br />
– outreach, engagement <strong>and</strong> ultimately,<br />
changing mindsets. To bring about a<br />
quantum improvement in our safety <strong>and</strong><br />
health outcomes, every individual must take<br />
ownership of safety issues <strong>and</strong> see this as<br />
his own responsibility.”<br />
Describing the early efforts by the<br />
<strong>Workplace</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Health</strong> Advisory<br />
Committee as encouraging with fatality rate<br />
hitting an all-time low of 2.9 in 2007 he<br />
set a more ambitious target for the <strong>Council</strong><br />
from 2.5 fatality rate by 2015 to 1.8 fatality<br />
rate by 2018. “We should aim not only for<br />
as good a safety record as the developed<br />
countries, but to have one of the best<br />
workplace safety records in the world,”<br />
he added.<br />
<strong>Safety</strong> Starts with Me<br />
As if echoing PM Lee’s message that<br />
everyone has to take ownership of<br />
workplace safety issues, this year’s<br />
campaign theme was “<strong>Safety</strong> Starts with<br />
Me”. As Mr Lee Tzu Yang aptly described,<br />
“Your safety <strong>and</strong> the safety of all who are<br />
around you at work, is related to all that<br />
you do.”<br />
Targeting to create this awareness in<br />
the masses <strong>and</strong> especially workers, the<br />
launch event was followed by a threeday<br />
roadshow. Visitors were treated to<br />
an array of activities including a 40-foot
CENTRE STAGE<br />
<br />
container exhibition (see article on page<br />
6) that was unveiled at the NWSH launch<br />
event, booths set up by training providers,<br />
Singapore Workforce Development Agency,<br />
<strong>and</strong> exciting stage events hosted by the<br />
effervescent Y.E.S. 93.3FM DJ Bukoh Mary.<br />
Over 3,000 people visited the three-day<br />
roadshow <strong>and</strong> more than 200,000 workers<br />
are targeted for outreach when the<br />
container exhibition hits the roads <strong>and</strong> visits<br />
over 50 venues in Singapore over the year.<br />
Running alongside for the month will be<br />
over 60 activities such as conferences,<br />
seminars, workshops organised by WSH<br />
<strong>Council</strong> industry partners. This year sees<br />
dedicated activities held for the six sectors<br />
newly covered under the WSH Act. Events<br />
catering to among others, employees in<br />
the hotel <strong>and</strong> food <strong>and</strong> beverage sector<br />
as well as in the healthcare sector have<br />
been planned.<br />
First Batch of Graduates<br />
Another first for the NWSH Launch event was<br />
the awarding of certificates to the inaugural<br />
batch of over 50 graduates who participated<br />
in the improved WSH Officers course under<br />
the new WSH Professionals Workforce Skills<br />
Qualifications (WSHP WSQ) framework.<br />
The graduates had undergone 240 hours<br />
of the WSQ diploma in WSH course over<br />
a period of six to eight months to earn<br />
their qualifications. Also launched was the<br />
Professionals Coversion Programme for WSH<br />
Officers. The Programme aims to provide<br />
a training pathway <strong>and</strong> opportunities for<br />
professionals, managers, executives <strong>and</strong><br />
technicians for a mid-career switch to<br />
become WSH professionals.<br />
A Creative Closure<br />
Providing a creative twist to the closing<br />
cum appreciation ceremony for the partners<br />
of the NWSH Campaign on 30 May 2008<br />
was the presentation of the awards to<br />
the winners of the <strong>Safety</strong>@Work Creative<br />
Awards. Running into its fourth year, <strong>and</strong><br />
open to tertiary students, the competition<br />
comprises two categories, the poster <strong>and</strong><br />
the animation competitions. A total of 14<br />
awards were presented in this competition<br />
jointly organised by Singapore Technologies<br />
<strong>and</strong> WSH <strong>Council</strong> in collaboration with the<br />
Ministry of Manpower.<br />
This year has seen many a first, a new<br />
<strong>Council</strong>, an exciting 40-foot container<br />
exhibition, fresh sectors embraced by the<br />
WSH Act, eager graduates from a new WSH<br />
Course <strong>and</strong> a challenging target for the WSH<br />
<strong>Council</strong>. These beginnings are harbingers<br />
of more firsts to come as the WSH <strong>Council</strong><br />
rolls out more programmes <strong>and</strong> initiatives to<br />
make Singapore a record breaker in WSH.<br />
Deserving<br />
Special Mention<br />
The NWSH Campaign actively<br />
sought <strong>and</strong> received encouraging<br />
sponsorship for its cause. We wish<br />
to thank our sponsors <strong>and</strong> supporters,<br />
especially our main sponsors SembCorp<br />
Marine <strong>and</strong> Keppel Offshore <strong>and</strong> Marine<br />
for their valuable contribution to<br />
the NWSH Campaign 2008.
CENTRE STAGE<br />
Transit of<br />
a 40-foot<br />
Transformer<br />
Rolling out to a workplace near you <strong>and</strong><br />
hoping to captivate minds to create greater<br />
awareness of workplace safety <strong>and</strong> health<br />
hazards is the WSH <strong>Council</strong>’s 40-foot<br />
Transformer; a container that opens to<br />
reveal an informative <strong>and</strong> interactive WSH<br />
exhibition within.<br />
The container exhibition, first unveiled at<br />
the launch of the National <strong>Workplace</strong> <strong>Safety</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>Health</strong> Campaign at the Orchard@<br />
Atrium on 29 April 2008, has been wellreceived<br />
by the public who thronged the<br />
three-day roadshow held there, thereafter.<br />
A brainchild of the WSH <strong>Council</strong>, the ordinary<br />
container was transformed to include six<br />
safety <strong>and</strong> health stations dedicated to<br />
critical workplace hazards including manual<br />
h<strong>and</strong>ling <strong>and</strong> work at heights. To hike up the<br />
excitement factor, interactive games to test<br />
visitors’ knowledge on hazard prevention<br />
<strong>and</strong> an enthralling 3D hologram depicting<br />
case studies of past work accidents have<br />
been installed.<br />
This is the first time in Singapore that<br />
a unique avenue to create workplace<br />
safety <strong>and</strong> health awareness has been<br />
employed. Taking more than a month from<br />
conceptualisation to actual production,<br />
the container exhibition had to undergo a<br />
rigorous risk assessment process to ensure<br />
structural <strong>and</strong> operational integrity prior to<br />
the launch.<br />
To extract more mileage from this project,<br />
the container will be plying to over 50<br />
locations isl<strong>and</strong>wide including industrial<br />
estates to spread the message to Singapore<br />
workplaces. An offshoot of this container<br />
exhibition is the modular exhibition<br />
whereby two of the stations amenable<br />
to easy transport <strong>and</strong> set-up have been<br />
duplicated to be displayed at locations which<br />
have space <strong>and</strong>/or structural constraints<br />
<strong>and</strong> cannot cater to an entire container. An<br />
additional 50 locations have been targeted<br />
for the modular exhibitions. For more<br />
information on the 40-foot Transformer’s<br />
road trip <strong>and</strong> when it will be visiting a<br />
location near you, log on to the WSH <strong>Council</strong><br />
website at www.wshc.gov.sg
CENTRE STAGE<br />
<br />
H<strong>and</strong>ling Chemicals<br />
A True Story - Worker<br />
Falls off Scaffold<br />
A 22-year-old scaffold erector<br />
was working at height but did<br />
not anchor his safety harness to<br />
a secure point or safety line. He<br />
subsequently lost his balance<br />
<strong>and</strong> fell 30 metres from the<br />
tower scaffold he was helping<br />
to erect onto the ground <strong>and</strong><br />
died on the spot. A simple step<br />
of hooking up his safety harness<br />
to an anchorage point could<br />
have saved this young life.<br />
All accidents are preventable,<br />
exercise caution at work, adhere<br />
to safe work procedures <strong>and</strong> help<br />
identify unsafe work practices<br />
<strong>and</strong> dangers at work.<br />
Carry Loads Properly<br />
Poor manual lifting methods can<br />
cause serious back injuries. Use<br />
mechanical lifting equipment<br />
to lift heavy loads. If you have<br />
to lift manually observe the<br />
following:<br />
• Distribute heavy <strong>and</strong> bulky<br />
loads into smaller <strong>and</strong> less<br />
heavy packages.<br />
• Have at least two persons to<br />
carry a heavy load.<br />
• Adopt proper lifting<br />
techniques – bend your<br />
knees <strong>and</strong> keep your back<br />
straight.<br />
Look, Think <strong>and</strong> Do<br />
You can help make your<br />
workplace safer <strong>and</strong> healthier by<br />
observing the following:<br />
• LOOK out for hazards. Some<br />
common hazards are falling<br />
objects, tripping hazards,<br />
electrocution <strong>and</strong> flammable<br />
<strong>and</strong> poisonous materials.<br />
• THINK about the safety<br />
measures to be taken.<br />
• DO everything you can to<br />
protect yourself such as<br />
wearing <strong>and</strong> using proper<br />
personal protective equipment<br />
correctly.<br />
WSH <strong>Council</strong><br />
Need more information on safety<br />
hazards <strong>and</strong> what you can do<br />
to prevent workplace incidents<br />
Visit the WSH <strong>Council</strong> website at<br />
www.wshc.gov.sg<br />
Chemicals can cause severe<br />
allergy, burns, cancer, asthma<br />
<strong>and</strong> poisoning. Protect yourself<br />
from being harmed by chemicals<br />
by observing the following:<br />
• Read the labels on the<br />
chemical container <strong>and</strong> the<br />
safety data sheet for<br />
information on the harmful<br />
effects of the chemical.<br />
• Wear personal protective<br />
equipment when h<strong>and</strong>ling<br />
chemicals.<br />
Prevent Falls from<br />
Height<br />
Workers who fell from heights<br />
made up almost 40% of all<br />
workplace fatalities in 2007.<br />
Protect yourself while working<br />
at height by observing the<br />
following:<br />
• Ensure that there are barriers<br />
or guardrails at the open<br />
sides of a building under<br />
construction.<br />
• Use appropriate work platforms<br />
to reach higher places.<br />
• Wear <strong>and</strong> secure your safety<br />
harness.
FACT FILE<br />
Choosing<br />
Hearing<br />
Protectors<br />
Noise-induced deafness (NID) is the most prevalent occupational<br />
disease in Singapore. It accounted for an average of 73% of all<br />
occupational diseases reported annually between 1995 <strong>and</strong> 2006. The<br />
recent years have seen a significant increase in the number of NID cases.<br />
Many of the NID cases came from workplaces where there is a lack of<br />
good noise control measures, low awareness of the risks from excessive<br />
noise exposure, as well as, inadequate hearing protection. Hearing<br />
protection is critical to prevent NID <strong>and</strong> there are specific criteria to<br />
consider in selecting appropriate Hearing Protection Devices (HPD).<br />
Criteria for Selection<br />
Noise Reduction<br />
The first criteria to consider is the<br />
rated performance of the HPD which is<br />
determined by the amount of ambient noise<br />
it can reduce, measured in decibels (dB).<br />
However, in the real world, users usually<br />
get much less attenuation, especially when<br />
the HPD is not worn correctly. In addition,<br />
selection of a HPD with high noise reduction<br />
rating (NRR) may result in too much<br />
attenuation, thus affecting communication<br />
<strong>and</strong> reduced wear time. The attenuation<br />
ratings reveal only the capability of the<br />
hearing protector, not its effectiveness. This<br />
is because the HPD with the highest ratings<br />
may not always be worn correctly, may not<br />
necessarily fit well or worn all the time due<br />
to discomfort.<br />
Comfort Factor<br />
Comfort is another important consideration<br />
as greater comfort means better compliance<br />
<strong>and</strong> wear time which thus results in higher<br />
protection. Plugs are often preferred in<br />
warm climates <strong>and</strong> muffs may be preferred<br />
in cold climates. Studies have shown<br />
that even a few minutes of non-wear<br />
time dramatically affects effective noise<br />
reduction.<br />
Userability<br />
Ease of use is another criterion to consider<br />
when selecting hearing protectors.<br />
Compliance is reduced when the HPD<br />
is complicated. There are reusable <strong>and</strong><br />
disposable plugs available. Some styles<br />
of HPD are designed for workers who go<br />
between loud <strong>and</strong> quiet areas frequently.<br />
Other considerations include style;<br />
compatibility with other Personal Protective<br />
Equipment (PPE) such as respirators, safety<br />
eyewear <strong>and</strong> hardhats; availability of sizes<br />
to accommodate small, large <strong>and</strong> odd ear<br />
canals; <strong>and</strong> whether there is presence<br />
of diseases of the ear where the use of<br />
earplugs may not be feasible.<br />
‘Hear Safe’, wear ear protection devices<br />
at workplaces.<br />
Noise-induced Deafness<br />
Prevention Programme<br />
The NID Prevention Programme aims<br />
to identify noisy workplaces <strong>and</strong><br />
processes for targeted engagement,<br />
to raise awareness of workplace<br />
noise hazards <strong>and</strong> its prevention<br />
<strong>and</strong> manage noise hazards through<br />
implementation of an effective<br />
hearing conservation programme.<br />
For more information on the<br />
programme visit the <strong>Council</strong> website:<br />
www.wshc.gov.sg<br />
This article is contributed by 3M Technologies (S) Pte Ltd.
FACE TO FACE<br />
<br />
What made you decide to first embark<br />
on this as a career<br />
I started when the Personnel Manager of<br />
Far East - Levingston Shipbuilding Ltd gave<br />
me a call <strong>and</strong> enquired whether I would like<br />
to take up a position as a safety officer. At<br />
that time, safety was still new <strong>and</strong> being a<br />
state registered nurse, I thought safety was<br />
related to health <strong>and</strong> therefore, why not<br />
take up the challenge The interview took<br />
place <strong>and</strong> I was offered the job as well as<br />
running the first aid room in the shipyard.<br />
What does it take to be a safety officer<br />
<strong>Safety</strong> is now accepted by most, if not all,<br />
industries. At times, we hear company<br />
executives stating that they are unable to<br />
afford adequate health <strong>and</strong> safety measures.<br />
My belief is that if the company cannot<br />
afford safety, they should not be in the<br />
business. That is the challenge we put up to<br />
the managers <strong>and</strong> employees in Cameron<br />
Singapore – if we cannot plan <strong>and</strong> work<br />
showed that the company had accepted my<br />
efforts to make safety an integral part of<br />
business <strong>and</strong> supported my application for<br />
the award. Another memorable moment<br />
was when I retired in June 2007. Cameron<br />
Singapore offered me a contract to be the<br />
HSSE Advisor, which goes to show that they<br />
treasured my participation in the company.<br />
Has there been a change in attitude<br />
towards workplace safety <strong>and</strong> health,<br />
compared to a year ago<br />
Yes – practically all sectors – the government<br />
has put in much effort to drive <strong>and</strong> bring<br />
down the incident fatality rate. The<br />
formation of the WSHAC, <strong>and</strong> now the WSH<br />
<strong>Council</strong>, is another step. Industry players are<br />
also chipping in to make their workplace a<br />
safer one.<br />
As for Cameron Singapore, I can see changes<br />
in the management’s attitude towards<br />
workplace safety <strong>and</strong> health compared<br />
professional <strong>and</strong> be sought after by the<br />
management for input <strong>and</strong> advice. He must<br />
set priorities <strong>and</strong> act with urgency. He<br />
has to have perseverance, <strong>and</strong> challenge<br />
non-compliance. He has to be proactive in<br />
getting things done <strong>and</strong> take action <strong>and</strong><br />
be reliable. He should be a people person,<br />
influencing behaviour <strong>and</strong> being a good<br />
listener <strong>and</strong> communicator. Finally, he must<br />
have the personality to be seen around at<br />
the workplace. These are the eight Ps for a<br />
safety officer.<br />
Taking Nothing<br />
for Granted<br />
Mr Ong Ann-Pang, recipient of a <strong>Workplace</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Health</strong> Officer Award<br />
in 2007, gives us a brief glimpse into his rewarding career as a safety officer.<br />
Starting out in the profession back in 1971, it is no mean feat for Mr Ong, who<br />
has 37 years of experience in this field, to get to where he is today, as he tells us<br />
in an interview that being a safety officer means “taking nothing for granted”.<br />
safely, we should not proceed with the job.<br />
My key challenges are ensuring all staff<br />
adhere to <strong>and</strong> take responsibility for<br />
workplace safety <strong>and</strong> health requirements<br />
<strong>and</strong> procedures. I also have to ensure<br />
compliance to legal requirements <strong>and</strong><br />
changing the behaviour of employees so that<br />
they adopt safe behaviour in their daily work.<br />
Share with us some of your most<br />
memorable moments along the road in<br />
your safety career.<br />
One would be when I received the WSHO<br />
Award from the Minister of Manpower. It<br />
to a year ago. The top management<br />
continuously pushes for safe operation<br />
<strong>and</strong> targets set for safety achievement<br />
were raised to a higher level than<br />
last year’s.<br />
If someone wanted to become a<br />
safety officer, what advice would<br />
you give him<br />
It is important that he must have the<br />
passion for safety work <strong>and</strong> be fully<br />
committed to improve on safety culture.<br />
He must be patient <strong>and</strong> prepared to<br />
answer lots of questions. He needs to be
10 SAFETY PROFILE<br />
Confined Space Work<br />
on <strong>Council</strong> Radar<br />
Creating beeps <strong>and</strong> flashes on<br />
the WSH <strong>Council</strong> radar were two recent<br />
unfortunate incidents at shipyards<br />
involving confined space work. They<br />
also serve as a stark reminder that more<br />
has to be done at shipyards to protect<br />
workers engaging in such work.<br />
<strong>Safety</strong> Lapses Onboard<br />
On 8 June 2008, a fire broke out on board a<br />
vessel causing the death of two workers <strong>and</strong><br />
seriously injuring four others. At the time of<br />
the accident, four workers were inside four<br />
separate ballast tanks carrying out spray<br />
painting works in the interior of the tanks.<br />
Another four workers were on the deck of<br />
the vessel to assist them. In yet another<br />
incident on 17 Jun 2008 five workers were<br />
injured <strong>and</strong> two died. The workers had been<br />
carrying out hot-works within two tanks of a<br />
vessel at the time fo incident. In the absence<br />
of fires, it is suspected that the collapse<br />
may have been due to a lack of oxygen or<br />
exposure to toxic gases.<br />
<strong>Council</strong> on Marine <strong>Safety</strong><br />
In the light of the above incidents, the WSH<br />
<strong>Council</strong> will be going all out to engage<br />
the industry to improve safety st<strong>and</strong>ards<br />
<strong>and</strong> work processes at shipyards. First up<br />
were visits to the accident sites by the<br />
Chairman of the WSH <strong>Council</strong>, Mr Lee Tzu<br />
Yang together with industry leaders to offer<br />
assistance <strong>and</strong> to find out key leaning points<br />
for the industry. Saying that he is deeply<br />
saddened by the recent accidents he added,<br />
“As more work <strong>and</strong> projects are being taken<br />
up by shipyards, it is critical that they remain<br />
vigilant <strong>and</strong> ensure that the necessary<br />
measures are in place. These measures are,<br />
in fact, not new but in the face of mounting<br />
workload, the <strong>Council</strong> is concerned that<br />
they may not be followed as closely as<br />
they should be. Therefore, the <strong>Council</strong> will<br />
undertake the task to remind shipyards<br />
of their role to keep workers safe.” Plans<br />
underway to educate the industry include<br />
technical advisories on confined space<br />
work <strong>and</strong> prevention of fires <strong>and</strong> explosions<br />
tol be distributed in upcoming industry<br />
events. Concurrently, the WSH <strong>Council</strong><br />
Marine Industries Committee is working on<br />
educational materials, including manuals<br />
<strong>and</strong> videos that will be distributed directly<br />
to shipyards to educate workers on key WSH<br />
issues. The marine industry is also being<br />
encouraged to review their existing work<br />
procedures to safeguard their workers.<br />
<strong>Safety</strong> Tips for<br />
Confined Space Work<br />
C In confined space work such as in a<br />
tank where toxic gases or liquids can<br />
enter, ensure that a work system is in<br />
place to positively isolate the source<br />
of such toxic gases or liquids to<br />
prevent the entry of these substances.<br />
C Ensure all personnel working in confined<br />
spaces <strong>and</strong> those working near or around<br />
the area adhere to all the safety<br />
procedures in place to prevent possible<br />
leakage or inadvertent release of toxic<br />
gases or liquids.<br />
C Provide adequate training <strong>and</strong><br />
communication to all personnel on the<br />
risk of working in such an environment<br />
<strong>and</strong> the precautionary measures to take<br />
at work <strong>and</strong> in an emergency.<br />
C Have in place a warning system <strong>and</strong> an<br />
emergency preparedness programme <strong>and</strong><br />
have it tested on a regular basis to ensure<br />
that they are effective.<br />
C Before work can be carried out, risk<br />
assessment must be conducted to<br />
identify <strong>and</strong> mitigate the risks involved.<br />
All stakeholders must be aware of these<br />
risks <strong>and</strong> the safety measures to adopt.<br />
C A Permit-to-Work must be issued by a<br />
ship repair manager after a qualified<br />
safety assessor has ascertained that all<br />
reasonably practicable measures have<br />
been taken for work safety.<br />
C All practical measures must be taken<br />
to remove any flammable paint vapour<br />
or ender them non-flammable for<br />
spray painting.<br />
C Equipment <strong>and</strong> fittings used in potentially<br />
flammable <strong>and</strong> explosive environment<br />
must be explosion/flame proof or<br />
intrinsically safe.<br />
C Workers carrying out spray painting<br />
onboard vessels must be provided<br />
with suitable breathing apparatus such<br />
as airline respirator where there is a<br />
continuous supply of fresh air.
SAFETY PROFILE<br />
11<br />
Making the Impossible Possible<br />
When it was announced that the<br />
Development Driller 3 (DDIII) would be<br />
built in 11 shipyards throughout Asia,<br />
there was concern that there wouldn’t be<br />
enough ‘h<strong>and</strong>s-on’ coverage to ensure<br />
all involved in the project complied with<br />
safety st<strong>and</strong>ards which GlobalSantaFe<br />
(GSF) members were accustomed to.<br />
The GSF <strong>Safety</strong> Team, <strong>Health</strong>, <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
Environment Training (HSET) Advisor Donny<br />
Hutchison <strong>and</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> Training Coordinator’s<br />
(STC) Ch<strong>and</strong>ramoorthi Subramaniam <strong>and</strong><br />
Mr Nathan Senthil quickly realised that<br />
without total cooperation from all the<br />
Keppel <strong>and</strong> subcontractor supervisors,<br />
the task was nearly impossible.<br />
When operations began in Benoi Singapore,<br />
the GSF team suggested contractor<br />
supervisors be trained in Advanced<br />
<strong>Safety</strong> Auditing (ASA) behavioral safety<br />
processes <strong>and</strong> take a greater responsibility<br />
for managing their own safety. “At first,<br />
the contractor management thought that<br />
we had redirected the supervisors from<br />
their usual tasks to more of a safety role,”<br />
Mr Ch<strong>and</strong>ra revealed. “We had to explain<br />
to the managers that the two roles go<br />
h<strong>and</strong>-in-h<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> lead to a more efficient<br />
workplace.”<br />
On 1 June 2007, 15 subcontractor companies<br />
formed the B288 (DDIII) <strong>Safety</strong> Watch Group,<br />
which, progressed from weekly meetings<br />
<strong>and</strong> work site audits to conducting daily<br />
cross-audits, weekly walks through project<br />
work areas <strong>and</strong> forming teams to address<br />
safety issues. Mr Ch<strong>and</strong>ra stressed, “As<br />
a team, it is easier to maintain a higher<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ard of safety quality <strong>and</strong> health<br />
because they will all work towards one<br />
goal.” It was deemed a success when the<br />
group members started a project, ‘Time<br />
Out for <strong>Safety</strong>’, to address house-keeping<br />
<strong>and</strong> cable management issues. The group’s<br />
enthusiasm led to its recognisation with an<br />
inaugural ceremony on 18 August 2007.<br />
Despite the multi-national workforce<br />
assigned to the project, the Watch Group<br />
successfully forged a strong team, partly<br />
due to the group’s own mixed nationalities,<br />
which assisted in communication, <strong>and</strong><br />
also due to new levels of cooperation. The<br />
group is assisted in administrative work<br />
by the Keppel Shipyard HSE department<br />
<strong>and</strong> supported by Mr Lim Ai Kok, the B288<br />
Keppel Shipbuilding Senior Project Manager,<br />
<strong>and</strong> GSF <strong>Safety</strong> Advisors.<br />
In addition, the group developed a new<br />
Fire Watch procedure among several other<br />
new measures. Said Mr Ch<strong>and</strong>ra, “It was<br />
very gratifying to see all of the contractors<br />
working in harmony with one another <strong>and</strong><br />
assisting with any problems that arose<br />
on site.”<br />
Following the success of the Benoi Watch<br />
Group, a new Watch Group was set up at<br />
the Pioneer yard. Its early days combined<br />
with a high level of activity <strong>and</strong> turnover<br />
of contractor personnel makes it difficult<br />
to obtain the same level of enthusiasm but<br />
there are gradual signs of acceptance. As<br />
Mr Ch<strong>and</strong>ra put it, “There are many levels<br />
of safety at the workplace <strong>and</strong> each level<br />
is equally important to promote a high<br />
level of safety consciousness, <strong>and</strong> when<br />
one can have a good night’s sleep <strong>and</strong> not<br />
worry about what has happened or what<br />
will happen, every day will be a milestone<br />
achieved.”<br />
A worker gets rewarded for his sfatey awareness <strong>and</strong> compliance<br />
with workplace safety procedures with a <strong>Safety</strong> Award from<br />
Mr Ch<strong>and</strong>ramoorthi Subramianiam.<br />
A worker being advised why a cutting disc, normally<br />
used for grinding, is not safe for side grinding as it<br />
may cause injury to the user.<br />
A UniVenture worker receives a <strong>Safety</strong> Award from the HSE<br />
Advisor for his compliance with PPE requirements on the<br />
B288 project.<br />
The <strong>Safety</strong> Watch Group <strong>and</strong> GlobalSantaFe personnel at the<br />
KFELS <strong>Safety</strong> Champions for the B288.
Salahuddin Mohammed Sona Miah,<br />
Scaffold Erector for 9 years
National <strong>Workplace</strong> <strong>Safety</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Health</strong> Campaign 2008<br />
Featuring Singapore’s first 40-foot WSH Container Exhibition<br />
This year’s campaign slogan “<strong>Safety</strong> Starts with Me” highlights<br />
the need for each individual to be safe at work.<br />
C<br />
B<br />
C<br />
FOLD UP<br />
A<br />
B<br />
A<br />
F<br />
E<br />
D<br />
D<br />
E<br />
F<br />
FOLD UP<br />
G<br />
FOLD DOWN<br />
G<br />
Create Your Own Miniature<br />
40-foot Container Exhibition<br />
Instructions: Simply tear along the perforated line<br />
<strong>and</strong> fold along the dotted lines to create your very<br />
own 40-foot WSH Exhibition Container.