A new Tripartite Guideline on Permit-to-Work for the OPEC cluster was recently launched to maintain the high workplace safety and health (WSH) standards.
A ground up initiative, the guideline was jointly developed by NTUC and its unions under the OPEC cluster, the Singapore Chemical Industry Council (SCIC) and Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in consultation with key management partners.
Prevention Better Than Cure
In response to feedback that a lack of clarity and communication on the roles and responsibilities of the workers on the ground could compromise their safety, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Director of NTUC WSH Secretariat, said: “NTUC’s WSH Secretariat pushed for the guidelines to be produced to ensure the industry’s safety systems and processes are clearly defined.
Industry Standard
The new guideline will serve as the industry standard for PTW systems that OPEC companies will have to adopt. It will clearly define the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, establish the knowledge and competency of persons in authority and ensure effective communication and clarity of expectations to all parties involved.
Mr K Karthikeyan, Chairman of NTUC OPEC Cluster said: “Maintaining high standards of health and safety of our workers has always been a priority of the Labour Movement. I strongly urge our OPEC companies to continually review their safety policies and make use of these new guidelines to uphold a high safety standard in the industries.”
The full Tripartite Guideline on Permit-to-Work for the OPEC Cluster is available for public access on the MOM website, under workplace safety and health systems.
