Updated coverage of reportable and compensable occupational diseases (ODs) under WSHA and WICA

From 1 December 2025, the Second Schedules of the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA) and Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) will be updated to strengthen worker protection and provide clearer guidance to employers.

The changes enhance detection and reporting efforts to strengthen occupational health surveillance and occupational disease (OD) prevention. An OD is one that is found in the list of ODs. Any disease not found in the list but is due to exposure to chemical or biological agents at work is also an OD.

The updated lists of ODs will recognise a total of 38 diseases and align both Acts, ensuring the same list of ODs is reportable and compensable under both WSHA and WICA.

Who needs to take action?

Employers and platform operators must be aware of the updated coverage of ODs in WSHA and WICA to ensure timely reporting to MOM
Medical practitioners must recognise and report ODs in accordance with the revised Second Schedule of WSHA
Insurers must understand the revised coverage in WICA to process relevant claims accurately
Employees and platform workers should be aware of their entitlements under WSHA and WICA to seek appropriate support and compensation

Key changes to WSHA and WICA

1. Revision of OD coverage

The expansion of work-related musculoskeletal disorder coverage aims to provide improved coverage as back, spine and lower limb musculoskeletal disorders can also result from ergonomic risk factors coupled with occupational exposure.

The expansion of infectious diseases enhances coverage for all workers in healthcare, laboratory and research settings, as there is a higher risk of exposure to infectious diseases in these work settings.

2. Updated nomenclature of OD

To be clear that only work-related liver angiosarcoma is an occupational cancer and therefore is reportable, in line with the WICA’s and WSHA’s focus on safety and health issues arising from work or the workplace.

To be clear that only malignant mesothelioma is an occupational cancer and therefore is reportable, in line with the WICA’s and WSHA’s focus on safety and health issues arising from work or the workplace.

To better reflect the range of hearing impairment due to occupational noise exposure.

Exposure to ionising radiation at work, which includes particulate and electromagnetic radiation, including X-rays, has been assessed to be a risk factor for cataracts.

3. Alignment of reportable and compensable ODs across WSHA and WICA

This enhances the ease of reporting and fair compensation as all reportable ODs in WSHA will be compensable under WICA.

4. Removal of diseases arising from work-related accidents

These conditions are commonly caused by accidents rather than exposure to work-related risk factors. These would remain compensable under the WICA as work injuries, rather than an OD.

5. Reorganised OD schedule by categories

Categorisation by type of exposure agent, target organ system, and occupational cancers aims to facilitate reporting.

Updated list of ODs under Second Schedules of WSHA and WICA

The harmonised list of ODs facilitates ease of reporting and fair compensation. The updated Second Schedules of the WSHA and the WICA will be available from 1 December 2025.

List of Occupational Diseases in WSHA and WICA

Diseases caused by physical agents
1.	Barotrauma
2.	Cataract due to infra-red, ultraviolet or ionising radiation (previously “Cataracts due to infra-red, ultraviolet or X-ray radiation” and not in WSHA)
3.	Compressed air illness or its sequelae, including dysbaric osteonecrosis
4.	Diseases caused by excessive heat
5.	Diseases caused by ionising radiation
6.	Noise-induced hearing loss (previously “Noise-induced deafness”)
Diseases caused by chemical agents
7.	Poisoning by aniline (previously not in WICA)
8.	Poisoning by arsenic
9.	Poisoning by benzene or a homologue of benzene
10.	Poisoning by beryllium (previously not in WICA)
11.	Poisoning by cadmium
12.	Poisoning by carbamates
13.	Poisoning by carbon disulphide
14.	Poisoning by carbon monoxide gas
15.	Poisoning by cyanide
16.	Poisoning by halogen derivatives of hydrocarbon compounds
17.	Poisoning by hydrogen sulphide
18.	Poisoning by lead
19.	Poisoning by manganese
20.	Poisoning by mercury
21.	Poisoning by organophosphates
22.	Poisoning by oxides of nitrogen
23.	Poisoning by phosphorus
24.	Toxic anaemia (previously not in WICA)
25.	Toxic hepatitis
Diseases caused by biological agents
26.	Anthrax
27.	Glanders (previously not in WSHA)
28.	Leptospirosis or its sequelae
29.	Occupational infectious disease (previously “Tuberculosis”)
Musculoskeletal disorders
30.	Work-related musculoskeletal disorder (previously “Musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb”)
Respiratory disorders
31.	Asbestosis
32.	Byssinosis
33.	Occupational asthma
34.	Silicosis
Skin disorders
35.	Occupational skin disease
Cancers (Malignant diseases)
36.	Malignant mesothelioma (previously “Mesothelioma”)
37.	Occupational liver angiosarcoma (previously “Liver angiosarcoma”)
38.	Occupational skin cancer

Conditions removed from OD lists

1.	Poisoning by carbon dioxide gas
2.	Ulceration of the corneal surface of the eye

Reporting requirements for ODs under WSHA and WICA

The reporting requirements for ODs remained unchanged for all employers, platform operators and doctors.

Reporting requirements	Who needs to report?
Under WSHA	Employers Platform Operators Doctors
Under WICA	Employers Platform Operators

For more information, please refer to the following reporting requirements for ODs.

Revised WSH guidelines for diagnosis and management of ODs

Doctors may refer to the WSH guidelines: diagnosis and management of ODs for more information on proper diagnosis and confirmation of ODs.

Alternatively, they may refer complex cases to an Occupational Medicine specialist for further investigation if they are unsure if a disease is work related.

For more info

Press release - Singapore’s WSH performance in 1H 2025 reflects continued progress, with major injury rate at an all-time low