Health and Safety in Singapore

[Barnsley]

Its in the news lately , but is there the equivalent of the Health and Safety executive here?
I know there is a lot of construction going on so maybe the accident rate is low, the ones in the past couple of days sound like basic procedures are not being followed.

How often do sites get inspected and firms audited?

Do they even have health and safety officers?

Health and Safety is often accused of putting up costs. However countries that have strong H&SE tend to have the best records.

[sundaymorningstaple]

https://www.wshc.sg/

[QRM]

Have a look at those huge flat bed trucks on the roads, they are carrying massive concrete or steel loads and its all tied down with an old frayed single ratchet strap.

Pick up trucks, licensed to carry 16 people and it only has 3 seats! H&S is better than the neighbouring counties, but still in the dark ages.

I suppose the logic is that it is cheaper to pay compensation to the dead and injured than the cost of making it all safe.

[Steve1960]

At the other end of the scale there is health and safety gone mad in the UK. YoYo's banned in school playgrounds, office staff banned from using kettles, playground sand pits scrapped, and it goes on and on!

[Barnsley]

At the other end of the scale there is health and safety gone mad in the UK. YoYo's banned in school playgrounds, office staff banned from using kettles, playground sand pits scrapped, and it goes on and on!

Some things do seem over the top, but workplace safety is workplace safety no matter what the work place is.

I think the UK is number 1 in the world for workplace safety.

The smoking ban in enclosed areas is a Health and Safety in the workplace issue and not an anti-smoking issue.

[the lynx]

Its in the news lately , but is there the equivalent of the Health and Safety executive here?
I know there is a lot of construction going on so maybe the accident rate is low, the ones in the past couple of days sound like basic procedures are not being followed.

How often do sites get inspected and firms audited?

They have construction sites audited once a month IIRC. As for the firms themselves, I'd assume they have ISO and other quality management audits running regularly every 2 years or so.

Do they even have health and safety officers?

Yes it is mandatory.

Health and Safety is often accused of putting up costs. However countries that have strong H&SE tend to have the best records.

[x9200]

I suppose the logic is that it is cheaper to pay compensation to the dead and injured than the cost of making it all safe.

Not sure. It can be very pricey. IIRC only the fines for more serious negligence can reach half a million.

The work safety is tightly regulated from 2006 and the regulations are IMHO an overkill but the reasons why they are not followed are probably different: (1) the law is not executed; (2) majority does not know that something has changed after 2006.