Speech at Closing Ceremony of the National Workplace Safety and Health Campaign 2007
Mr Hawazi Daipi, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower, The Chamber, The Arts House@Old Parliament
Ms Kala Anandarajah
Chairman, Workplace Safety and Health Engagement and Publicity Advisory Subcommittee
Members of the Workplace Safety and Health Advisory Committee
Supporters of the National Workplace Safety & Health Campaign 2007
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
I am pleased to join you today at the closing ceremony of this year's National Workplace Safety and Health Campaign.
Great support garnered for the national battle plan – WSH 2015
2. This year's campaign has centred on WSH 2015 – Singapore's ten-year battle plan for workplace safety and health. Throughout the month, more than 52,000 stakeholders, including top management, safety professionals, supervisors and workers, have pledged to play their part in WSH 2015. The encouraging number of pledges reflects the successful efforts of the Workplace Safety and Health Advisory Committee in promoting workplace safety and health. I am confident that the committee will continue this important work.
Preventing accidents require sustained efforts
3. However, as we recognise the progress we have made in building commitment for workplace safety and health, we must also press on with efforts to translate this into the right behaviour and practices. In early May, industry suffered a sequence of serious accidents involving the operation of lifting equipment or industrial fires. MOM had in March this year identified lifting equipment operations as an accident hotspot and unveiled plans to embark on Programme-Based Engagement (ProBE) for the area later this year. We will bring forward the ProBE on safe lifting operations and share with industry lessons learnt from the recent accidents to help prevent future similar occurrences. The Information Sharing Session organised by the WSH Advisory Committee this afternoon is part of this effort. MOM has also stepped up its inspections to ensure that appropriate measures have been undertaken to prevent similar accidents.
4. It is often simple steps like having proper risk management and ensuring that each individual worker knows how his work impacts the safety of others that make the biggest difference. As we step up efforts to arrest current problems, we will continue with our WSH 2015 strategy to develop a stronger workplace safety and health culture to enable sustainable safety performance.
WSHAC introduces new WSH Officers Award
5. The shaping of the safety culture at the workplace often lies not only in the hands of top management, but that of the people who work tirelessly to put systems in place, think of creative ways to communicate and translate messages to the ground and personally hold themselves responsible for safety and health in their workplaces. I am referring to the Workplace Safety and Health Officers.
6. The job of a WSH Officer carries a noble cause. As stakeholders place an increasing premium on workplace safety and health, WSH Officers have risen to the task by taking on greater responsibilities, finding new opportunities to value-add to industry and the community and, most importantly, protecting the lives of their colleagues, customers and the general public. Such professionalism should not go unrecognised. I am therefore pleased to note that the WSH Advisory Committee will be introducing a new award for outstanding WSH Officers at this year's Annual Awards for Workplace Safety and Health. The new WSH Officer award is significant as the WSH awards have, up till now, been awarded only to companies. As we work towards building a strong safety culture at workplaces, it is timely and appropriate that we recognise exemplary individuals in this field.
Closing
7. Let me thank the WSH Advisory Committee and the supporting organisations for their commitment in spreading the message of safety and health with a month-long campaign. This year's campaign may be ending today but with the announcement of the WSH 2015 ten-year plan, the journey for better workplace safety and health has just begun. I count on all stakeholders to continue working with us in strong partnership for safe and healthy workplaces in Singapore and to realise the vision of WSH 2015. Thank you.