1,500 to be trained by May to help businesses reopen for operations safely and quickly, post Circuit Breaker

Model ID: f7d805c6-47ff-4b38-a543-54015b97537b Sitecore Context Id: f7d805c6-47ff-4b38-a543-54015b97537b;

To help companies implement a system of safe management measures at workplaces, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), supported by the Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute (OTCi) and NTUC LearningHub (LHUB), is facilitating union leaders, management partners as well as staff of NTUC and the unions to be trained as Safe Management Officers (SMOs). As a start, close to 1,500 union leaders, management partners as well as staff of NTUC and the unions would have gone through the 4-hour Safe Management Measures at the Workplace virtual classroom training programme by May 2020. 

 

Other than the 64 unions and associations affiliated to NTUC, we are also working with the Singapore National Employers Federation and the Trade Associations and Chambers to bring in employers’ support for this initiative. In addition, NTUC is also reaching out to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to help them put in place the necessary safety management measures so that they can quickly resume business. Through NTUC U SME, some 140 SME bosses will also be going through the necessary training for a start. 

 

Underlying the reopening of work premises post circuit breaker period is the need to concurrently contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Singapore will need to manage and balance the potential health risks that comes with reopening the economy, alongside the need for businesses to resume operations and for workers to continue working. As such, supported by the Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC), NTUC intends to continue the momentum and OTCi and LHUB are prepared to train at least 15,000 trainees per month to support both businesses as well as our workers as Singapore takes a phased approach in the reopening of workplaces. 

 

Training on Safe Management Measures at the Workplace
 

After undergoing the same training as their management partners, union leaders will be able to work with their management to co-develop the following to ensure that their workplaces can open as soon as they are allowed to, and in the safest possible manner:
 

i. Coordinate and implement safe management measures

ii. Conduct inspection and checks at workplaces 

iii. Take immediate action to remedy non-compliance 

iv. Facilitate on-site inspections and checks 

 

So far, there has been positive feedback and support from our unions regarding the training. One of the participants, Assistant General Treasurer of the Metal Industries Workers’ Union Sapiyah Mohamed said, “After going through the SMO training, we understand the different components needed to coordinate and implement Safe Management Measures at the workplaces. As union leaders, it is imperative for us to be equipped with the safe management knowledge so that we can look out for our fellow workers. With this knowledge, it will also help us to support our management to establish a system to minimise risks for all my colleagues.” 

 

As the SMO role is not limited to union leaders alone, NTUC hopes for as many persons as possible, be they union leaders, workers or management partners, to undergo the SMO training so that we can all take a collective approach to ensuring safe measures are effectively and properly implemented on the ground. For more details on the Safe Management Measures at Workplaces training, please refer to Annex A. 

 

SMOs as Important Function of Workplaces
 

“The SMOs play an important role to support their companies in implementing safe management measures at workplaces. In fact, I would encourage as many as possible to undergo the training as this is very crucial to the workplace safety and health of all workers as well as our efforts to revive the economy. If not done properly, we are putting our workers’ health at risk and will be susceptible to the re-emergence of community cases. Our unions will continue to work closely with employers and the Government to ensure that our workers remain safe and healthy as we get back on track, one step at a time,” said Melvin Yong, Assistant Secretary-General of NTUC, who is also a Member of WSHC.

 

“Tapping on the network of our unions initially, NTUC intends to train our union leaders and management partners in unionised companies so that they are equipped with necessary safe management knowledge to help companies reopen swiftly and safely. We intend to reach out to more companies in Singapore, especially SMEs, to help catalyse the restart of the economy safely,” said Steve Tan, NTUC Director-in-charge of SMO training. 

 

“SMOs will play a key role in helping us re-open our economy and ensure that workplaces are safe for both customers and staff. With the new safety management measures necessitated by COVID-19, it is vital for companies to be equipped with the right knowledge to implement them.  LHUB is glad to support NTUC and OTCi to ramp up this Virtual Live Class training programme, which will help guide learners on practical actions they can take to implement safety measures, rework existing processes and ensure compliance. Together, let’s help companies and workers reopen safely and swiftly,” said Kwek Kok Kwong, Chief Executive Officer of NTUC LearningHub.

 

Moving forward, NTUC will continue to work with our unions and other limbs of our network, namely the U Associate network of professional associations and guilds to reach out to professionals, managers and executives (PMEs); U FSE to reach out to freelancers and self-employed persons; and the Migrant Workers’ Centre and the Centre for Domestic Employees to reach out to migrant workers, and help raise awareness about safe management measures amongst workers in Singapore. To ensure that the SMOs are kept abreast of the latest updates on safe management measures, OTCi will be creating a Community of Practice to encourage the sharing of information and best practices.