Parliamentary Speech at Adjournment Motion
SMS Zaqy Mohamad, Parliament House
- Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for sharing his concerns on ODs. While he was speaking, some of the Members have reminded me they have been here for 11 hours, and therefore, they asked if the Member can also advocate for shorter Parliamentary Sittings, so that we can reduce the risk of ODs for Members in Parliament!
- On a more serious note, tackling ODs is crucial for achieving a healthier and more resilient workforce in Singapore. Every worker deserves a safe and healthy work environment. I share the Member’s views that the latent nature of ODs is a major challenge in tackling them. This makes it a lot harder to pinpoint the source of ODs, such as noise-induced deafness or musculoskeletal disorder, which develop over time as workers move across different worksites or different employers.
- Employers may also attribute workers’ ODs to non-work-related sources, such as personal lifestyles or ageing, and this makes for a complex issue, which goes beyond the lack of awareness. I will touch on how we are addressing these challenges here in Singapore.
- First, we are strengthening our surveillance efforts to enable early detection and prevention of occupational diseases before they start to affect workers’ health. For this purpose, MOM had, in 2021, rolled out the Enhanced Workplace Health Surveillance programme to address two groups of occupational diseases, namely those caused by excessive exposure to noise or chemical hazards.
- Under the Enhanced Workplace Health Surveillance programme, companies with work processes that are noisy or involve toxic substances must monitor the noise or chemical levels of their workplace environments respectively. Such designated companies must also send their workers for statutory medical examinations to detect early signs of ODs, such as deterioration of hearing or elevated levels of heavy metals in the body. If any worker is found to be exposed to excessive noise or chemicals, the company must implement risk control measures immediately to protect their workers’ health. Companies with excessively high exposure levels must also undergo third-party audits to ensure the effectiveness of their workplace health programmes, and these audit reports would have to be submitted to MOM.
- With the introduction of the Enhanced Workplace Health Surveillance programme, the number of ODs reported increased from 659 in 2021 to 1,229 in 2023. The increased numbers are due to our enhanced surveillance rather than more reporting, but it also shows that it shows up in our numbers as we enhance our enforcement efforts or inspection efforts, and through reporting to the hospitals and polyclinics. Since June 2024, we have also commenced targeted inspections for industries, such as metalworking companies, where noise-induced deafness has been more prevalent since 2022. Hence, we are more targeted, we are more focused and therefore, we hope to intervene a lot quicker into specific sectors that are causing ODs.
- As suggested by the Member, the Government is also supporting companies to apply appropriate technologies that can help monitor and reduce workers’ exposure to OD risks. MOM publicises the use of such technology solutions on its website. The solutions include digital wearable devices, which can provide real-time monitoring of workers’ health, detect biomechanics and alert workers when they adopt unsafe postures or are exposed to body vibration transmitted from work tools for prolonged periods. Employers could then use the data collected by such digital wearable devices to pinpoint specific work activities and implement necessary interventions.
- Additionally, employers can use sound level meters to monitor the noise level real-time, so that they can implement measures to ensure that the noise levels do not exceed pre-set thresholds, thereby lowering the risk of hearing loss among workers. Eligible companies can apply for Government grants, such as the Productivity Solutions Grant, to adopt technological solutions that make our workplaces safer and healthier.
- Secondly, we are taking active steps to raise the awareness of OD risks, so that the industry can know how to protect their workers better. MOM and the WSH Council have developed and published several industry guidelines, including guidelines on the diagnosis and management of ODs, guidelines on hearing conservation programme and guidelines on improving ergonomics in the workplace. Companies may refer to the guidelines on workplace ergonomics to tackle work-related musculoskeletal disorders. We have also partnered the WSH Council to promote good workplace practices, such as installing noise barriers or insulation to reduce the noise emitted from machines, as well as switching to the use of safer chemicals for work processes.
- Apart from educating employers in high-risk industries, we collaborated with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to raise awareness in the medical community to detect and report ODs. This is very similar to what the Member shared earlier of what other countries, such as the UK, are doing, where we work with medical practitioners at hospitals and our polyclinics of the importance of reporting ODs to MOM. And this is also circulated by joint circulars by both Ministries, MOM and MOH. And this contributes towards MOM’s OD monitoring efforts and informs us on which OD we should target. So, taking in all the joint data from our polyclinics and hospitals enables us to watch trends, and look at sources and what kind of interventions might be needed and where the sources would be.
- The Tripartite Committee on Workplace Health also recently established a sub-committee on occupational health comprising representatives from healthcare, Government, businesses and worker groups to improve the detection, prevention and management of ODs in Singapore. The sub-committee will develop approaches to strengthen the prevention and management of occupational diseases, especially in high-risk industries.
- Sir, we remain committed to our Workplace Safety and Health 2028 goal to improve OD prevention and detection. This is not a task that we can achieve on our own. It will require the combined efforts of corporate leadership, industry associations, the medical community, union leaders and workers – and all of us here in this room. Together, we can protect our workforce from the dangers of these “silent killers” and make our workplaces safer and healthier for all of us.
- Question put, and agreed to.
- Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn."