Workplace Safety and Health Officers are an integral members of the workforce in ensuring safety and health of personnel in the workplace. No one is immune from workplace injuries, whether they are general workers or top management. In one recent case, a director of a company fell through an opening on the floor while he was overseeing a jobsite.
So, who is a Workplace Safety and Health Officer (WSHO)?
You must be registered with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to practice as a WSHO. There are many paths to getting the necessary qualification to be a registered WSHO. The common route now is first to take the The Advanced Certificate in Workplace Safety and Health under WSQ framework to attain the WSH Level B qualification to be come a (WSH) safety coordinator.
Normally, after 2 years of industry experience, you can enrol for the The Specialist Diploma in WSH course (Level C). Depending on the training provider, this course is 6-9 months long (part-time). After completion of the course, you need to gain 2 years of WSH-related work experience in the industry. You can then apply to the Ministry of Manpower to be a registered WSHO. Some applicants will be called for an interview by MOM.
Another route some people take is to get a Bachelor degree in WSH from overseas universities which is provided by private institutions in Singapore. You will still have to demonstrate 2 years of WSH-related industry experience before applying for registration with MOM.
Now that you are a registered WSHO, what are your duties?
Duties of a Workplace Safety and Health Officer
The Workplace Safety and Health (Workplace Safety and Health Officers) Regulations spells out the requirements, duties and powers of a WSH officer. Some of the duties include (many of which not stated in the regulations but required of WSHO):
- to assist in carrying out the risk assessment in the workplace (companies are required to form RA teams, but in many instances, the team members may not be familiar with the RM process and will need guidance)
- act as a secretary to the Workplace Safety and Health Committee
- propose to the Management programs to enhance safety in the workplace and eliminate accidents
- lead the accident investigation in the workplace, identify the causes and propose corrective actions to prevent a recurrence
- carry out regular inspections of the workplace to identify unsafe practices and recommend improvements
- establish safety management system (many companies are required by law, others voluntarily adopt management systems conforming to ISO 45000)
- conduct safety training / briefings to employees, contractors
- monitor legal compliance with respect to permits, licenses of plant and equipment in the workplace
- ensure workers carrying out certain works are competent to do so, e.g. work at height, lifting team, confined space entry, etc.
- maintain proper documentation of briefings, trainings conducted, permits issued, SWP and risk assessments conducted, inspections carried out.
Savings: This list is not exhaustive.
Workers attending mass safety toolbox meeting
Who need to employ or appoint a WSHO?
This is again specified in the Workplace Safety and Health (Workplace Safety and Health Officers) Regulations
- Shipyards in which any ship, tanker and other vessels are constructed, reconstructed, repaired, refitted, finished or broken up.
- Petrochemical plants: Factories used for processing petroleum or petroleum products.
- Construction sites: Factories in which building operations or works of engineering construction of a contract sum of $10 million or more are carried out.
- General factories (manufacturing): Any other factories in which 100 or more persons are employed, except those which are used for manufacturing garments.
The regulations does not specify that the WSHO has to be a full-time staff of the company. There are many safety consultants that provide WSHO as outsourced staff or on part-time basis. Generally speaking (this is only from personal experience), it is recommended to engage a full-time WSHO if the workplace has more than 500 workers, or there are large quantities of hazardous substances in the factory.
What are your liabilities?
There are some who have attended the Level C course or other similar courses and qualified to become a WSHO, but do not register to be a WSHO in fear of the liabilities. The important point here is that everyone has to take due diligence in performing their duties. It should be noted that under the WSH Act, each person in the workplace, from the top management to the ordinary worker, has certain duties, failing to comply will result in being convicted.
Penalty stipulated in the WSH Act
Section 38: Any person who contravenes section 32, 36 or 37 of the Act shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.
- Section 32: approval required for practicing as a WSHO
- Section 36: to surrender the WSHO certificate if it has been cancelled
- Section 37: making false assumption
Recent Cases
In September 2020, a safety officer was charged under Section 15(3A) of the WSH Act for “negligent act which endangers the safety or health of himself or others …” and sentenced to 2 months imprisonment. This case was reported in the press.
A health, environment and safety specialist was sentenced to four weeks’ jail in November 2020 for accepting $6,000 in bribes for being lenient supervising work of a sub-contractor. He was also ordered to pay a penalty sum of $6,000, in default of which he will have to serve 20 days’ jail.
In February 2019, a safety officer was convicted under Section 53(i) of WSH Act for making a false declaration and sentenced to 1 week’s imprisonment.
It may be inferred from these cases that so long as a WSHO discharges his duties diligently, he does not have to worry about running foul of the law.
