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Written Answer by Minister for Manpower Dr Tan See Leng to PQ on Expediting the ACOP

Workplace safety and health

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1328 OF 2022 FOR THE SITTING ON 12 SEPT 2022 

QUESTION NO. 3343 FOR ORAL ANSWER CONVERTED TO WRITTEN ANSWER

MP: Mr Melvin Yong

To ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry is able to expedite the release of the Approved Code of Practice for Company Directors’ Workplace Safety and Health Duties in view of the continuing rise in the number of workplace fatalities.

Answer:

Following the spate of workplace fatalities, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) had announced in June 2022 that the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) on Chief Executives’ and Board of Directors’ Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) duties would be expedited from Q1 2023 to Q4 2022. MOM and WSH Council have just concluded the public consultation and industry engagements on 8 September 2022. We are reviewing the feedback received and will gazette and bring into effect the finalised document by October 2022.

In the interim, top management can refer to the public consultation document on the WSH Council’s website, on the key principles and recommended measures to maintain oversight and uphold good WSH standards.

In addition to the ACOP, as part of the new "heightened safety" measures from 1 September 2022 to 28 February 2023 to address the spate of workplace fatalities, if MOM finds serious WSH lapses such as unsafe workplace conditions or poor risk controls following serious or fatal workplace accidents, MOM will require Chief Executives to personally account to MOM and take responsibility for rectifications.