Workplace Safety and Health trainer sentenced to 10 months' jail under the WSH Act

1. Mr. Ramanathan Thamilselvan, a trainer with Work Safe Consultants Pte Ltd, was sentenced to 10 months’ jail for fraudulent offences under the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA) on 18 January 2018 by the State Court.
2. Mr. Ramanathan Thamilselvan was charged for forging the Building Construction Supervisor Safety (“BCSS”) course certificates/ safety passes for workers without conducting any training and assessment. These certificates/ safety passes were then sold to the workers. The fraudulent practices took place between January and March 2016.
3. Offenders found guilty under Section 53 of the WSHA shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both, per charge.
4. Two Directors from two other WSH Training Providers had earlier been sentenced each to 10-month imprisonment under the WSHA in August 2017 and September 2017 respectively for forging certificates/ safety passes. Mr. Sellachamy Somasundaran, Director of Maha Safety Training Centre Pte Ltd, and Mr. Md Abu Zahin Mostafizur, Director of Pioneer Skill Training Centre Pte Ltd had similarly forged the Building Construction Supervisor Safety course certificates/ safety passes to workers without conducting any training and assessment for them. The fraudulent practices took place between August and December 2015.
5. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) had since cancelled all fraudulent BCSS certificates issued by the three training providers and revoked their status as accredited training providers. Foreign workers who bought the fraudulent BCSS certificates were barred from performing supervisory roles. They will not be allowed to renew their work pass upon expiry and are banned from working in Singapore.
6. The purpose of the BCSS is to provide persons who carry out oversight or supervisory work in a worksite with the adequate safety and health training. By completing the BCSS, a person is considered to have received adequate safety and health training for the purpose of Regulation 9(2) of the Workplace Safety and Health (Construction) Regulations 2007. Under this regulation, an employer should not allow any person who has not completed the BCSS or its equivalent to oversee or supervise any work in the worksite.
7. MOM takes a very serious view of any breach to the Workplace Safety and Health Act as workplace safety and health issues directly affects workers' lives, safety and health. Regular audits on the training providers are conducted to ensure full compliance and competency of the training providers. Anyone who is aware of any malpractice by any training provider can notify MOM immediately via www.mom.gov.sg/contact-us.