If your workplace is defined as a factory under the WSH Act, depending on the risk level of the activities performed, you must either notify or register the premises with MOM. You don’t need to register or notify a non-factory workplace.
Notification or Registration
All factories, in accordance with the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act, must either notify or register their activities with us before starting operations.
If your factory engages in high-risk activities, you will have to apply for a Certificate of Registration (CR).
If your factory engages in low-risk activities, you will have to submit a one-time Notification declaring your activities.
Non-factory workplaces are not required to be registered or notified with MOM.
Don't need to register construction worksites with MOM
From 1 April 2019, construction companies don’t need to register new worksites. MOM will not process factory registrations for construction worksites.
Contractors can start site preparation (e.g. erect hoarding, mobilisation for the construction worksite) and building operations (e.g. mechanical works, electrical and instrumentation (E&I) works, process modification works) in the worksite without factory registration. Risk management declaration is not required without factory registration.
BCA’s permit to carry out structural works is still required for building works as defined under the Building Control Act and its Regulations. Please refer to the BCA website for more information.
For existing construction worksites already registered with MOM, your certificate of registration will be valid until the registration is terminated upon completion of the project. Construction companies with valid certificate of registration can still update your factory details.
Construction worksites are required to implement a safety and health management system (SHMS).
Conduct review or audit for worksite
For a worksite with contract sum $30 million or more:
- Every 6 months, you must engage an SAC-accredited WSH Auditing Organisation to audit your SHMS based on ConSASS.
- If you have BCA permit, you must conduct audit within 6 months of getting the BCA permit.
- If you don’t need BCA permit, you must conduct audit within 6 months of starting operations.
For a worksite with contract sum less than $30 million:
- Every 6 months, you must conduct internal review of SHMS.
- If you have BCA permit, you must conduct internal review within 6 months of getting the BCA permit.
- If you don’t need BCA permit, you must conduct internal review within 6 months of starting operations.
Factories exempted from Notification or Registration
You don’t need to notify or register the workplace defined as a factory if you meet the following requirements:
Construction worksites
Your worksite premises is carrying out building operations or any work of engineering construction.
Note: In general, building operations include construction, demolition, structural alteration, repair or maintenance, lift replacement of building as well as site preparation, laying of foundation for an intended building.
Very low risk workplaces
Your worksite must meet all the following requirements:
- You have fewer than 10 employees working at your premises, regardless of whether they work at the same time.
- Your factory doesn’t use or create any of the following:
- Mechanical power, steam boiler, steam container, steam receiver, air receiver, refrigerating plant pressure receiver or gas plant.
- Any highly flammable or noxious substance.
General requirements
You must meet the following requirements before applying for Factory Notification or Registration.
Make MediSave contributions
Your MediSave contributions must be up to date if you are a sole proprietor or partner applying for Factory Notification or Registration.
To check whether you need to contribute to MediSave, visit the CPF website.
Engage licensed electrical worker
- You must engage a licensed electrical worker of an appropriate class to carry out any electrical work on site.
- You must get a licence from the Energy Market Authority (EMA) before the electrical installation can be operated or used.
For more information, visit the EMA website or call EMA at 6835 8060.
Hygiene monitoring requirements
Monitoring hazards by competent person
For workplaces with noise or chemical hazards, you need to engage a competent person to carry out baseline noise or toxic substances monitoring of your workplace, to assess the exposure of your workers.
Find out more about hygiene monitoring.
Medical monitoring requirements
Make regular medical examinations
Workers assessed to be exposed to occupational hazards need to be sent for regular medical examinations.
Find out more about medical monitoring.
Additional requirements for factory under Certificate of Registration
The following requirements apply depending on whether your factory is under:
- Group A
- Group B: renewal registration (excluding MHIs)
- Group C: MHI registration (from 1 September 2017)
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Group A |
- Shipyards
- Wafer fabrication factories
- Pharmaceutical factories
- Metalworking factories employing more than 100 people
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Group B: renewal registration (excluding MHIs)
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- Refineries
- Petrochemical plants
- Bulk storage terminals with storage capacity of 5,000 or more cubic metres of toxic or flammable liquid
- Chemical plants manufacturing fluorine, chlorine, hydrogen fluoride, carbon monoxide or synthetic polymer
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Group C: MHI registration (from 1 September 2017)
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Any premises deemed to be a Major Hazard Installation(MHI) under the Workplace Safety and Health (MHI) Regulations 2017.
- If your workplace is processing, manufacturing or has bulk storage of dangerous substances such as flammables and hazardous chemicals, your premises may fall under the definition of an MHI.
- You can use the MHI assessment form to check if your premises is an MHI.
- If your workplace has already been notified by MHD to be an MHI, you need to refer to the instructions in the letter.
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Requirements for Group A
New factories under this group must:
- Declare during registration that the factory has implemented risk management.
- Engage an SAC-accredited WSH Auditing Organisation to audit your Safety and Health Management System (SHMS) within 2 months of starting operations.
- Keep the audit report as record and be available upon MOM’s inspector request.
Requirements for Group B: renewable registration (excluding MHIs)
New factories under this group must:
- Declare during registration that the factory has implemented risk management.
- Submit process hazard analysis (PHA) studies during registration.
- Submit a quantitative risk assessment (QRA) to contact_mhd@mom.gov.sg at least 3 months before registration.
- Engage an SAC-accredited WSH Auditing Organisation to audit your Safety and Health Management System (SHMS) within 2 months of starting operations and submit the SHMS audit. Otherwise, the CR may be revoked.
Requirements for Group C: MHI registration (from 1 September 2017)
New MHIs under this group must:
- Submit the MHI assessment form during registration.
- Submit the safety case to MOM at least 6 months before the commencement of operations. Otherwise, the CR may be revoked, suspended or cancelled.
What workplace needs a Workplace Safety Health Officer
In accordance with Workplace Safety and Health (Workplace Safety and Health Officers) Regulations, the following types of workplaces must have a Workplace Safety Health Officer:
- Shipyards in which any ship, tanker and other vessels are constructed, reconstructed, repaired, refitted, finished or broken up.
- Factories used for processing petroleum or petroleum products.
- Factories in which building operations or works of engineering construction of contract sum of $10 million or more are carried out.
- Any other factories in which 100 or more persons are employed, except those which are used for manufacturing garments.
Relevant legislation