Public Consultation on Proposed Amendments to the Workplace Safety and Health Act

Introduction

1. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) invites members of the public to give feedback on the proposed amendments to the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA). The public consultation document can be accessed on the REACH website over the next four weeks (28 June 2017 to 25 July 2017).
2. The workplace fatality rate has declined from 3.1 per 100,000 workers in 2006 to 1.8 in 2014, but crept up to 1.9 in 2015 and 2016. In response to the stagnating performance, a “WSH 2018 Plus” plan was put together in 2016. It seeks to improve WSH performance by further strengthening industry ownership of WSH outcomes, and enhancing deterrence through more stringent WSH penalties. Amendments to the WSHA are proposed to support this plan.
   
   Key features of proposed WSHA amendments
   
3. The key features of the proposed WSHA amendments are:
   
   Strengthen Industry Ownership
   a) Allow the Commissioner for WSH (Commissioner) to make public a detailed incident learning report before prosecutorial actions are taken. Early release of the incident learning report will be key to preventing any recurrence of similar incidents. To allay affected parties’ concerns, the report will be made inadmissible in any legal proceedings.
   
   Enhance Deterrence
   b) Increase the maximum fine under the WSHA Subsidiary Legislation from $20,000 to $50,000. The new penalty will only be applied to the most serious offences that could result in death, serious injury, or dangerous occurrence.
   
   Other Technical Amendments
   c) Remove the requirement for the Commissioner to accredit WSH training providers with effect from 1 January 2019, as MOM progressively migrates the accreditation of WSH training providers to SkillsFuture Singapore and the Singapore Accreditation Council.
   d) Extend personal liability protection to the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, inspectors and authorised officers, for anything done with reasonable care and in good faith in the execution of their duties under the WSHA.
   
4. MOM welcomes all feedback to help ensure that the proposed WSHA amendments bring about a safer and healthier workplace for all workers.