Companies in Singapore have been urged to partner their workers to build stronger competencies in workplace safety and health.
This will only result in win-win for both employers and workers.
Making the call at a plenary session on the final day of the 21st World Congress on Safety and Health At Work 2017 on 6 September 2017 was NTUC Vice-President K Karthikeyan. He also chairs NTUC’s Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Committee.
Active Participation
Speaking on the role of trade unions in enhancing WSH in Singapore, Mr Karthikeyan said an all round commitment from senior management, ground supervisors and workers is needed to raise the standards of WSH.
He shared some examples of steps taken by unions in the area of WSH.
In one case, the Chemical Industries Employees’ Union (CIEU) worked with a company’s management to identify a health hazard at the workplace.
An investigation revealed that choked filters had resulted in worsening dust levels at the production area.
The filters were cleaned and this improved the work environment.
The average days of sick leave taken by workers dropped from 10 to less than five per year.
Another example was the Singapore Airport Terminal Services Workers’ Union (SATSWU) which resulted in the need for greater surveillance on the ground to minimise accidents happening.
Union leaders together with the company’s safety team toured operational areas at the airport to identify work hazards, provide feedback on the working environment to the management and rectify the hazards
Ambitious Target
Meanwhile, speaking at the congress closing ceremony on 6 September 2017, Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say noted that the action plan for Singapore’s WSH 2028 target would be formulated by the tripartite partners.
Singapore aims to reduce workplace fatalities to 1.0 per 100,000 employees by 2028.
“This is, no doubt, an ambitious target. But it is a worthy aspiration that we, the tripartite partners of Singapore, are determined to achieve, so that more of our workers can return home safe and healthy every day,” concluded Minister Lim.
Source: NTUC This Week
