Speech at REDAS WSH Leadership Forum 2024
Senior Minister of State for Manpower, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay
Mr Tan Swee Yiow, President of Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (REDAS),
Mr Abu Bakar Mohd Nor, Chairman of the Workplace Safety and Health Council,
Distinguished panellists and speakers,
Industry leaders and professionals,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Introduction
1. Good morning.
a. Happy to see everyone again at this year’s REDAS WSH Leadership Forum 2024.
b. I spoke at this forum in 2022, and much has changed about the workplace safety and health (or WSH) landscape in Singapore these past two years.
Encouraging WSH outlook in Singapore
2. Back in 2022, the WSH outlook in Singapore was of concern.
a. There were a total of 46 workplace fatal injuries that year, which translated to a fatal injury rate of 1.3 per 100,000 workers, and 614 major injuries, or 17.3 per 100,000 workers.
b. However, following the Heightened Safety Period that was introduced in September 2022, we have made substantial strides forward with stronger measures to safeguard workplace safety.
3. Fast forward to two years after, Singapore’s WSH performance is now among the best globally.
a. Last year, we registered a record low workplace fatality rate of 0.99 per 100,000 workers and the lowest major injury rate of 16.1 per 100,000 workers in the past decade, excluding the Covid year.
b. It was the first time Singapore had achieved a fatality rate of below 1 per 100,000 workers, a significant feat, considering that only four OECD countries, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany and Sweden achieved this on a consistent basis.
4. For the construction sector, the fatality rate in 2023 was 3.4 per 100,000 workers in Singapore.
a. While we are performing better than some developed economies such as Switzerland, Japan, US and Hong Kong, we must not be complacent and think that we have arrived.
b. Our aim is to sustain these achievements and be among the best in class, and continually improve.
5. In part due to the higher risk nature of the construction sector, it remains one of the top contributors of workplace fatality and injury.
a. Last year, there were 36 fatalities, and 50% were from the construction sector.
b. Also, the construction sector accounted for about 25% of the 590 major injuries.
6. Therefore, it is crucial that all stakeholders continue our efforts and improve further.
a. MOM will continue to support the industry in improving WSH practices, and will not let up on enforcement efforts against errant employers.
b. The Multi-Agency Workplace Safety and Health Taskforce or MAST, has also been pressing on with efforts to build a stronger culture of WSH excellence in Singapore.
Introduction of more WSH requirements for the developers
7. To strengthen WSH ownership upstream of the construction value chain, i.e. the developers, we have enhanced the WSH requirements for public sector construction and construction-related projects in three key areas since April this year:
a. Firstly, all public sector developers have extended the Safety Disqualification Framework to cover more projects and layers of subcontractors.
(i) The MOM’s CheckSafe eService can be used to verify if contractors fall under the disqualification criteria.
b. Secondly, the minimum weightage of safety-related criteria in tender evaluations was raised to at least 5% of the overall score.
c. Finally, this is something the industry, including REDAS and SCAL, have suggested before in previous conferences and dialogues – to incentivise their stakeholders to perform well in WSH.
d. We want to reward good WSH performance in projects.
e. For public sector projects valued at $50 million and above, a WSH Bonus Scheme rewards good WSH outcomes during the construction phase.
f. Contractors must allocate a portion of the bonus to reward workers, acknowledging their efforts in upholding high WSH standards and fostering a reinforcing cycle of a strong safety culture.
8. These measures apply to the developers, because they are the apex pay-masters in the construction sector.
a. Developers’ procurement specifications shape contractors’ behaviour and can incentivise them to invest in safety.
b. Rewarding safer contractors sends a strong signal that good WSH is good for business, and is crucial in building a culture of WSH excellence.
9. The Government developers have taken the lead.
a. Today, I am heartened and grateful that progressive private developers are following suit to favour appointing safer contractors and to reward contractors with good WSH performance.
10. In consultation with several industry stakeholders, including REDAS, the WSH Council has developed a WSH Guidelines on Procurement in the Construction Industry, incorporating the public sector developer practices that favour and reward safer contractors, which private developers can emulate.
a. I understand that REDAS President, Swee Yiow and SCAL President, Kay Chai, spoke about WSH in procurement in the WSH Council’s inaugural podcast that will be released today.
b. I would like to urge everyone to watch this podcast after the event to gather some insights from both leaders from the industry.
11. On this note, I commend REDAS for stepping up and being amongst our earlier adopters, and look forward to witnessing REDAS members like Keppel, CDL, Far East Organisation and Pontiac Land take the pledge in adopting the Guidelines.
a. They are taking a very progressive step by adopting the Guidelines.
b. It may cost them more in the short term, but they have wisely seen these measures as an investment for a better outcome.
c. It will reduce the risk of potentially most costly accidents, work stoppages and reputational impact.
d. I therefore call upon all private developers to follow in their footsteps, if you have not done so.
Reminder to urge developers to continue taking ownership in Design-for-Safety
12. I would also like to take this opportunity to urge all developers to continue taking ownership and do more in Design-for-Safety (“DfS”).
a. Since the introduction of DfS Regulations in 2016, we have seen many developers being involved in DfS processes, convening DfS review meetings to eliminate or reduce foreseeable design risks upstream.
b. Some developers have implemented DfS even for those projects which are not mandated by law.
c. It is encouraging to see these developers appreciating the benefits of DfS and approaching it with a positive mindset, demonstrating care for the downstream workers.
d. We would like to see more developers doing the same, embracing DfS in terms of boosting WSH.
Other WSH measures for the contractors
13. Beyond the measures that are meant for the developers, we have also rolled out measures that focused on the downstream of the construction value chain, i.e. the contractors and their sub-contractors or suppliers.
a. We have mandated the adoption of Video Surveillance Systems (VSS) for construction projects valued at $5 million or more in June 2024, as well as the Stability Control System (SCS) for new lorry cranes from January 2025.
b. Once a contractor implements the VSS, developers and their consultants can also gain access to the video footages or analytics to monitor work progress as well as WSH situation on the ground.
14. All these measures along the entire construction value chain are put in place with the primary objective to sustain a safety and health culture and improve WSH practices in the construction sector.
a. We believe that the use of technology is the way forward to improve both construction productivity and WSH, but we need the collective efforts and commitment of key stakeholders to achieve a better WSH outcomes for the industry.
15. We want to emphasise that the focus on safety and health is not just about cost – the real question is the opportunity cost of not having these measures in place – the costs of stop-work orders, being blacklisted, reputational risk, medical bills of injured workers – but more importantly, every life is precious.
a. Protecting our workers is the right thing to do.
16. Economic progress and growth cannot be a reason to compromise on WSH.
a. In this respect, the government will help where we can for example, businesses can apply for the lorry crane stability control system grant which will help to defray costs by up to 70%.
b. There are other government grants available for contractors to adopt WSH Tech such as vehicular safety technology and electronic Permit-To-Work system.
c. I would like to urge the developers to also help the contractors adopt WSH technologies and better still if you can cater some budget for it.
Conclusion
17. In conclusion, each of us — whether as developers, contractors, or policymakers — holds a crucial role in promoting WSH.
a. I would like to thank REDAS for their leadership and ongoing commitment to enhancing WSH standards in the construction sector.
b. Let’s all continue working together to prioritise safety and ensure every workplace remains safe for our workers.
c. Wishing you all a fruitful conference ahead and thank you for being here this morning. Keep well, keep safe.
d. Thank you.