Speech at 2nd International Advisory Panel for Workplace Safety and Health Plenary Session

Mr Lee Tzu Yang, Chairman of Workplace Safety and Health Council, Ritz Carlton Hotel

Acting Minister for Manpower Mr Gan Kim Yong,
Chair of the International Advisory Panel

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Mr Hawazi Daipi,
Co-Chair of the International Advisory Panel

Members of the 2nd International Advisory Panel,

Fellow Members of the Workplace Safety and Health Council,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Afternoon and Welcome

Thank you for joining today's plenary session with members of the 2nd International Advisory Panel (IAP) for Workplace Safety and Health. I see many top management representatives in our audience today, and I am delighted to see your keen interest in workplace safety and health. Such commitment bodes well for our collective vision, because as leaders we can make a difference and build a safe and healthy workplace for everyone in Singapore. 

2.   As part of the reform of Singapore's WSH framework, MOM formed the IAP in 2006. We want to tap on the rich experience of international experts and emulate the practices of the best performers. The industry in Singapore has made progress since the first IAP meeting in 2006, and the workplace fatality rate has come down last year to 2.9, from 4.9 in 2004. The WSH Council has worked to consolidate the efforts of the former WSH Advisory Committee, and assembled the elements to build WSH capability across industry, through initiatives like bizSAFE, the Risk Management Assistance Fund, and the WSH Competency Framework. Codes of Practice and Guidelines have been published and promulgated to fill knowledge gaps. Our promotion and outreach efforts have reached the wider community, and we continue to press the importance of safety and health on stakeholders.

3.   Today, we are pleased and honoured to have the IAP members here again, to advise on the next steps forward in our journey towards better WSH in Singapore. This is a good time to be inquisitive. We should aim to take "many leaves" from the books of the IAP members. In this way, we will benchmark ourselves against international standards, adopt the best WSH practices, and try to avoid any pitfalls by learning from others who have gone before.

4.   Over these past two days, the IAP members have had a demanding schedule, in examining the progress made since the last IAP visit and in scrutinising our plans for the way forward.  In particular, the IAP members were asked to review in depth our two strategy papers, "Building WSH Competencies for the Workforce" and "Improving Workplace Health Management in Singapore".  Both papers were drafted jointly by the Ministry of Manpower and WSH Council, with extensive consultation with the various stakeholders. 

5.   Today, we look forward to hear the members of the IAP share their findings, and I am sure we will have a fruitful and engaging session.

6.   Let me now invite Acting Minister for Manpower and Chairman of the International Advisory Panel, Mr Gan Kim Yong, to address us.