Singapore has managed to keep workplace fatalities low in the first half of 2024 for a second year running, according to Workplace Safety and Health Report for the first half of 2024.
Tripartite partners, Manpower Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad and NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Melvin Yong, were encouraged that Singapore had done well in maintaining the low fatality rates.
But both believe that any fatality is still one too many.
There were 19 workplace fatalities in the first half of 2024. This translates to a rate of one fatality for every 100,000 workers.
The majority of these fatalities came from the construction, manufacturing, and the transportation and storage sectors.
Meanwhile, 293 workers sustained major workplace injuries in the first half of 2024, which is equivalent to a rate of 16 injuries per 100,000 workers.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) added that it will continue to uphold its enforcement efforts.
From January to June this year, the ministry conducted more than 3,000 inspections across various industries, including higher-risk industries such as construction, manufacturing and marine.
MOM also took enforcement action on more than 7,000 breaches of the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act and Regulations. This included 717 composition fines amounting more than $1.4 million.
Some 22 Stop Work Orders were also issued in the same period.
Mr Yong said that Singapore’s ability to maintain low-fatality rates is testament to the effort Singapore places on worker safety.
He said: “Employees, contractors, subcontractors and workers must all play their part to contribute to a strong safety culture … NTUC will continue to champion the well-being and safety of all workers because every worker matters, and every life matters.”
In 2023, Singapore became amongst the top five countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to keep their workplace fatality rate under one for every 100,000 workers.
The four countries that have managed to keep their workplace fatalities below one for every 100,000 workers on average for the last three years are Netherlands, United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany.
“Last year was the first time we were below one fatality for every 100,000 workers [excluding 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown] and we hope to maintain it again this year,” said Mr Zaqy.
