Speech at Logistics and Cranes Carnival 2018

Minister of State for Manpower Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Trade Association Hub

Mr Kay Kong Swan, Chairman, Singapore Logistics Association,
Members of the Logistics Alliance, Singapore Cranes Association, and the Workplace Safety and Health Council,
Ladies and gentlemen.

1. Good afternoon. I am very pleased to join you today.
2. This carnival brings the logistics and crane industries together to underscore the importance of safety and health at the workplace. These two industries involve the lifting and transfer of large loads. But we must never forget that the moving and lifting must be done safely, never at the risk of workers’ lives or health.
3. Crane related incidents may have decreased, but we must never be complacent. I am heartened to know that that technology adoption in the industry is increasing. One example is the use of data loggers fitted into mobile cranes. The data collected helps operators to formulate a more responsive maintenance programme, and allows better planning to ensure safer lifting operations at worksites.
4. The next generation of data loggers are currently on trial, and the Ministry of Manpower is working with industry stakeholders to test real-time alerts of unsafe operations so that immediate actions can be taken to prevent accidents from occurring.
5. While technology will be a key enabler in improving safety outcomes, we still need our workers and employers to always have a safety first mind-set. This mind-set is not limited to safety at the workplace, but extends to dealing with external threats, such as terror attacks. Workplaces must play their part to deal with this threat.
6. Businesses in the logistics and crane industries can do so by being part of the SGSecure movement. One important area to look into is the review of your premises’ security and measures to guard your vehicles to prevent them from being used as a mode of attack. You should also appoint a SGSecure representative to receive regular SGSecure@workplaces updates and disseminate information to your workforce. We must also remind workers to stay vigilant and, in the event of an attack, remain resilient and united. The ground deployment exercise conducted by the Singapore Police Force today will help raise our awareness on what must be done in the face of a terror attack.
7. This carnival is a good platform to emphasise the importance of workers’ safety, health and security. If workers are not healthy, they are likely to pay less attention to safety hazards at the workplace. Additionally, a healthy worker who feels safe and secure at the workplace contributes more productively at the workplace. I urge the associations to continue to encourage them to take the health and safety standards of both industries to new heights and take steps to secure workplaces.
8. Thank you.