Behind every worker is a family waiting for them to return home safely. The recent spate of workplace accidents that claimed five lives and injured one within the past two weeks is cause for much sadness and grave concern.
It is crucial to ensure that safety and health are never compromised at the workplace. While workers have undergone mandatory safety orientation course and are properly trained, safety should still never be taken for granted. It is the employer’s duty to ensure that proper safety measures are in place and safety protocols are observed at all times and workers must also remain alert and practise caution at all times while at the worksite.
We strongly urge employers to carry out comprehensive risk assessments and enforce safety measures. We must inculcate a spirit of workplace safety and health. One way we can do this is to implement safety programmes and give incentives for workers who identify and report lapses. We will continue to strengthen our working relationships with employers and engagements with union leaders to minimise risks at the workplace through removing or controlling risks to workers at the workplace and raising awareness on the proper safe work procedures.
We are confident that the employers of the affected workers will discharge their responsibilities to provide their workers with the proper care and assistance that they need. In the case the employer fails to or is unable to do so, MWC will provide affected migrant workers with further assistance and care.
Every life lost, is one too many. Let us work hand-in-hand to make every workplace a safer workplace.
Yeo Guat Kwang
Director, Workplace Safety and Health (NTUC)
Chairman, Migrant Workers’ Centre
