Singapore: According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), companies with poor workplace safety and health performance will face severe penalties starting Tuesday (June 14) after the increase in deaths this year.
The fine composition for violations observed during the MOM inspection doubles from S $ 1,000 to S $ 2,000 on average, up to S $ 5,000.
Companies that have been ordered to suspend work or have been seriously injured should hire an external auditor to carry out a thorough review of the process.
After a workplace safety check on Monday, Secretary of State Manpower Zaki Mohammad said, “We must move upstream and pluck buds before problems occur.”
So far this year, there have been 26 workplace deaths, more than the 23 recorded in the first half of 2021.
“We are closely monitoring the number of over 200 major injuries in the first four months of 2022, which is comparable to the same period last year and before COVID,” Zaqy said.
Accidents occur primarily in the manufacturing, construction and shipyard sectors, with 65% of fatalities and serious injuries involving small business workers, MOM said.
Enhanced enforcement
The Ministry of Personnel has stepped up enforcement, and inspections this quarter have nearly doubled compared to the same period last year.
According to Zaqy, more than 1,400 tests have been conducted since April and nearly 3,300 enforcement actions have been taken.
“The focus is on high-altitude work, machinery and vehicle safety, which are common causes of fatal or serious injury accidents this year,” he told reporters. Told.
During one of Monday’s inspections, MOM police officers found several revocations at the Goh SengLai Company, which specializes in setting up tents and stages for events.
Revocation includes the use of unlicensed forklift operators, the lack of floor guardrails over 2m in height, and wires exposed from circuit boards.
The company has issued a work suspension order.
Goh Beng Koon, director, said the company has faced difficult times since the COVID-19 pandemic and is in the process of relocating.
“The new site strives to meet MOM regulations, but the current site is also trying to meet them,” he added.
