Written Answer by Mr Tan Chuan-Jin, Acting Minister for Manpower & Senior Minister of State, National Development, to Parliamentary Question on Holistic Health and Safety Measures at the Workplace

Ms Faizah Jamal: To ask the Acting Minister for Manpower with Singapore's recent ratification of International Labour Organisation's Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, what steps will be taken to ensure that health and safety measures in workplaces include those relating to psychosocial risks such as violence, bullying and sexual harassment.

Mr Tan Chuan-Jin:

Singapore’s ratification of the International Labour Organisation’s Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention (or C187 convention) reinforces our commitment to place the safety and health of workers as a national priority.

Our aim is for our workers to remain safe and healthy at the workplace. To do this, everyone must take ownership of Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) outcomes and we must cultivate a strong WSH culture so that all stakeholders have the right mindset and attitude. In a culture where everyone values safety and health, all stakeholders will actively look out for WSH risks and address them. With employers taking proactive steps to protect their workers and everyone looking out for each other, we seek to minimise and eliminate incidences of violence, bullying, or harassment.

The WSH Council has developed a CultureSAFE programme to help businesses go beyond the development of WSH infrastructure and competency, and cultivate the right mindset and attitude in every employee. Under the programme, eligible SMEs can apply for funding to defray the costs of their culture building efforts. I encourage businesses to participate actively in the programme and to tap on the funding available.

Ms Faizah raised concerns specifically with regard to the mitigation of psychosocial risks at the workplace. The WSH Council has incorporated recommendations in several guidelines, to help companies and workers address this, including aspects of workplace harassment and violence. Let me share two of the recommendations. The first is to establish a clear set of protocols to guide workers to deal with encounters of harassment and violence. Workers must be equipped with the knowledge to deal with such situations. Only then can they help themselves and their co-workers during such encounters. The second is to implement a proper incident reporting system for such encounters. Workers must have a proper channel to escalate such incidents so that the relevant authority is aware and appropriate actions can be taken. I encourage companies to consider implementing these measures.

In addition, should workers encounter sexual harassment in the workplace and if an appropriate complaint channel within the company is not available, they can contact the Tripartite Alliance Fair Employment Practices (or TAFEP) for advice and assistance. Serious cases can be referred to the police to be dealt with under the penal code.

Let me end off by saying that to effectively address psychosocial and WSH risks, everyone in the workplace must believe that they can make a difference and to proactively establish a culture where all stakeholders work together and look out for each other. Only then will we be able to achieve quality workplaces where workers work productively and go home safely to their families each and every day.