Singapore's Manpower Minister Proposes Increased Transparency of Workplace Health & Safety Records

Speaking at the Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Conference on August 29, Manpower Minister and Second Minister of Home Affairs Mrs. Josephine Teo presented a proposal to increase the transparency of companies’ workplace health and safety (WSH) reports.

The aim of the proposal is to make WSH a key consideration in business decisions. “The objective is not so much to penalise the laggards but to encourage those who do well to keep up their efforts,” Teo said. “This will give substance to the idea that good WSH is good for business, and promote greater ownership of WSH outcomes at all levels of the company, particularly at the top.”

Teo also stated that the WSH Council and the Health Promotion Board are collaborating to adopt a “Total Workplace Safety and Health” approach. She said that while currently WSH professionals focus on how workplaces affect workers’ health and safety, they often do not consider how workers’ individual health issues impact safety and productivity for themselves and others in the workplace. The Total WSH approach aims to address this gap.

Finally, Teo mentioned that the Ministry of Manpower is looking into incorporating technological advancements, such as data analytics, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and virtual reality, to further achieve its goals. Singapore aims to reduce workplace fatalities from the current rate of 1.8 per 100,000 workers to 1.0 by 2028. Read more here.