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Opening Address at The Singapore WSH Conference 2026

Dinesh Vasu Dash, Minister of State for Manpower, Sands Expo and Convention Centre

Mr Abu Bakar, Chairman of the Workplace Safety and Health Council,

Mr Tan Hee Teck, President, Singapore National Employers Federation,

Tripartite and industry partners,

Ladies and gentlemen,

  1. I am pleased to join you today at the Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Conference 2026. This gathering is especially timely. We are now at the midpoint of the year, making it an opportune time to take stock of where we are and what more we need to do.
  2. This year’s theme, “From Insight to Impact: Collective Effort for Stronger Workplace Safety and Health Outcomes,” captures exactly why we are here today. It reflects the collective effort of everyone represented in this room and highlights the importance of leadership, partnership and a strong safety culture.

     

  3. Today, I would like to focus on three key areas:

     

    1. Continuing to stay vigilant, even as we make progress in workplace safety and health.
    2. Adapting early to emerging risks arising from technological change, evolving workplaces and new industries.
    3. Acting together to turn insight into safer workplace practices.

       

  4. Over the years, Singapore has built a strong workplace safety and health system grounded in legislation, tripartite partnership and a genuine commitment to protecting workers.
  5. These efforts have yielded encouraging results. Workplace fatality and major injury rates have generally declined over the years. However, we must never become complacent.
  6. Most recently, we saw an uptick in workplace fatalities between April and July, particularly in June. These incidents prompted considerable reflection among the WSH Council and all of us involved in workplace safety.
  7. In response, the Ministry of Manpower introduced enhanced workplace safety measures with the support of the Multi-Agency Workplace Safety and Health Taskforce to reinforce safety practices across Singapore.
  8. The WSH Council has also reminded employers to address key risks, including vehicular safety and hazards arising from routine maintenance work. What we are seeing is that many of these incidents are no longer confined to traditionally high-risk activities. Increasingly, accidents are occurring during routine work.
  9. For example, there have been incidents involving vehicles rolling backwards because handbrakes were not engaged, or situations where earlier reporting could have prevented a tragedy.
  10. This tells us that we must go beyond focusing only on traditionally high-risk work. We must also pay close attention to routine tasks and ensure that necessary safety measures are consistently observed.
  11. I would like to place on record my appreciation to the Workplace Safety and Health Council for its proactive efforts over the past few weeks in raising vigilance and strengthening readiness. Thank you.
  12. The recent cases remind us that accidents can happen anywhere and at any time, particularly during routine work. This reinforces the importance of maintaining situational awareness. A momentary lapse can have fatal consequences.
  13. Sometimes shortcuts are taken. Sometimes basic safety procedures are overlooked. Sometimes hazards are not reported early enough. These are areas where we must continue to improve.
  14. Employers play a critical role in establishing safety standards. They must ensure workers are adequately trained, safe work procedures are implemented and followed, and supervisors intervene whenever necessary.
  15. Just as importantly, employers must create workplaces where workers feel safe speaking up whenever they observe unsafe practices. But workplace safety is never the responsibility of employers alone. Workers also have an important role to play.
  16. The WSH Council has been encouraging every worker to adopt the “I Choose Safety” mindset and practise “Look, Think, Do” before beginning any task, whether routine or high risk. Sometimes that brief pause can make the difference between life and death. Choosing safety also means reporting hazards early, and reporting incidents immediately when they occur so supervisors can intervene quickly and prevent situations from escalating.
  17. Beyond staying vigilant, we must also adapt early. Our workplaces are changing, and with them come new risks. That is why today’s plenary theme, “Shaping the Future: Navigating Emergent Risks in a New World,” is particularly relevant. Tomorrow’s workplace safety risks may already be emerging today.
  18. One example is heat stress. As temperatures continue to rise, many workers spend long hours outdoors. This makes proper rest, hydration and monitoring of workers’ wellbeing increasingly important.
  19. Another growing concern is work-related traffic accidents. During the first half of 2026, there were seven work-related traffic fatalities, already exceeding the total recorded for the whole of 2025. Four of these fatalities involved platform workers, compared with only two during the entire previous year.
  20. This is deeply concerning. Many platform workers already face greater risks simply because they spend extended periods on the roads. In some cases, the accidents were caused not by the workers themselves, but by the actions of other road users. To better understand these risks and identify targeted solutions, MOM has established a Platform Worker Safety Workgroup together with the labour movement and platform operators.
  21. Beyond preventing accidents, we must also ensure that workers remain safe, healthy and productive throughout their working lives. This means designing safer work, preventing injuries and strengthening return-to-work support so workers can continue contributing after illness or injury.
  22. I am therefore pleased to announce that MOM, together with NTUC and SNEF, will officially launch the open call for the Alliance for Action on Safety and Health for Employment Longevity, or AfA SHEL.
  23. Through AfA SHEL, we aim to catalyse innovation in three areas:
    1. First, injury prevention by addressing common workplace risks such as slips, trips, falls and work-related musculoskeletal disorders—particularly important as our workforce ages.
    2. Second, strengthening return-to-work support so workers can reintegrate successfully after illness or injury.
    3. Third, workplace adaptation through job redesign and safer work processes that better support a diverse workforce.
  24. I encourage employers, organisations and industry partners to participate. We welcome practical, scalable solutions—from digital tools to pilot projects and new services.
  25. Shortlisted participants will receive funding support, access to resource persons and guidance from dedicated account managers. You may submit your interest via the QR codes displayed on your tables or through MOM’s website.
  26. Finally, we must act together. Alongside vigilance and early adaptation, everyone must be equipped to contribute to workplace safety.
  27. Today, I am pleased to announce three new Workplace Safety and Health Council initiatives.
  28. The Top Executive WSH Programme will be enhanced from September 2026. It will become more interactive, incorporating additional case studies and CEO testimonials to help leaders better appreciate why workplace safety matters and how they can strengthen safety culture within their organisations.
  29. I am pleased to introduce SAGE—the Safety Advisory and Guidance Engine. SAGE is an AI-powered tool developed by the Workplace Safety and Health Council together with the Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO), in close collaboration with industry partners, including through MND’s Built Environment Action Teams.
  30. Using AI, SAGE can analyse workplace photographs to identify common safety risks, recommend relevant guidance based on similar scenarios and provide language support for migrant workers.
  31. These capabilities will help WSH professionals access relevant information more quickly while complementing—not replacing—their professional judgement.
  32. The WSH Council and SISO will invite WSH professionals to test the prototype over the coming months before its full launch, expected early next year.
  33. The WSH Council will also launch a new WhatsApp channel to provide timely workplace safety advisories and announcements through a platform that many people already use. I encourage everyone to subscribe using the QR codes on your tables and to help amplify this initiative.
  34. Whether you are from a small company or a large organisation, whether you are a main contractor or subcontractor, every one of us has a role to play in building a stronger workplace safety culture. Together, these initiatives will support a smarter, more connected and more responsive workplace safety and health ecosystem where every stakeholder contributes to better outcomes.
  35. We have come a long way, but much remains to be done. To sustain our progress, we must continue to stay vigilant, adapt early and act together, embedding safety into every workplace across Singapore.
  36. I hope today’s conference will spark fresh ideas and meaningful discussions.
  37. The Government stands ready to partner all of you as we work towards safer, healthier and more productive workplaces.
  38. Thank you very much.