building wsh competency report_v7

7/30/2019 Building WSH Competency Report_V7

1/13

2018

competencies in Singapore

WSHbuilding

WSH


2/13

INTRODUCTION 01

In 2007, the Workplace Saety and Health

(WSH) Advisory Committee and the Ministry o

Manpower (MOM) released the WSH 2015 Strategy

to guide stakeholder eorts in improving WSH

standards and outcomes or Singapore. A key

prong in WSH 2015 is the building o strong

capabilities to better manage workplace saety

and health.

In April 2008, PM Lee Hsien Loong set a new

target or WSH, challenging stakeholders to bring

the number o workplace atalities to below 1.8

per 100,000 workers by 2018. In order to achieve

this outcome, capability building is even more

imperative. We must equip employers, employees

and WSH proessionals with the right skills and

capabilities to manage WSH and take responsibility

or WSH outcomes. Supporting institutions

such as proessional associations, industry bodies

and training institutions must also be in place

in order to identiy the skills required, and guide the

development o such capabilities.

CONTENTINTRODUCTION

THE WSH TRAINING LANDSCAPE

TARGETED OUTCOMES

STRATEGIES

CONCLUSION

1

2

8

11

19

building WSH competencies in Singapore

Our original aim had been to halve the workplace atality rate to 2.5 by 2015. This looks well within

reachwe should set a more ambitious goal, to reduce the rate to 1.8 within a decade. We should aim

not only or as good a saety record as the developed countries, but to have one o the best workplace

saety records in the world. I am condent that we can achieve this, because i we analyse the accidentswhich are taking place, we can nd many creative and innovative ways to tighten up saety standards

and practices, to put right what we are still not doing properly, and to get our employers and workers

trained and imbued with saety consciousness.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

at the Launch of the Workplace Safety and Health Council, 29 April 2008


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03

WSH 2018

Industry is a diverse group that includes

business and employer associations such

as the Singapore National Employers

Federation, Singapore Business Federation

and Association o Small and Medium

Enterprises, trade associations such as

The Singapore Contractors Association

Limited and Association o Singapore

Marine Industries, and broader industry-

led bodies such as the WSH Council. Given

its intimate knowledge and experience

o the environment and processes at the

workplace, industry is best placed to chart

out the relevant WSH skills and capabilities

required by workers in order to meet the

demands o the job. Industry stakeholders

also play a critical role in providing an

environment which emphasises and rewards

WSH excellence.

Unions represent the interests o workers,

and they are well-placed to proactively

promote WSH awareness and WSH training.

Together with industry, unions play a critical

role in jointly creating an environment that

emphasises and rewards WSH excellence.

Employers, in particular the senior

management, play an inuential role in

raising WSH capabilities within the company.

They are accountable or the WSH outcomes

o their organisations, in the same way that

they are accountable or other business

THEWSH

THEWSH

TRAININGLANDSCAPE

TRAININGLANDSCAPETHE WSH ECOSYSTEM

Prior to the establishment o the new WSH

ramework in Singapore, WSH was largely seen

as the sole responsibility o the Government,

given its oversight on diverse issues such as

standards setting, training delivery, outreach and

promotion, and enorcement. Today, the

Government remains an important stakeholder

within the WSH ecosystem, given its role in

overseeing the general direction o WSH through

its policymaking, as well as its regulatory and

enorcement role. However, it is recognised that

to improve WSH standards and outcomes, we

must involve and engage other stakeholders in

the WSH ecosystem as well:

Government

Industry / Business and

Industry Associations

Unions

WorkersEmployers

WSH Proessionals

and Specialists

Proessional

Educational Institutions

and Service Providers

A sae and healthy

workplace or everyone; and

a country renowned or best

practices in WSH



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WSH Training or the Workorce

In 2008, the total size o the Singapore workorce was

about 2.9 million, o which 1.9 million were residents

and 1 million were non-residents.

*Source : Ministry o Manpower:Labour Market 2008

Approximately one-third o the workorce has

received some orm o WSH training. Most o themare workers and supervisors in riskier sectors such

as construction, shipbuilding and ship-repair, oil

and petrochemicals and metalworking, where WSH

training is mandated by law. The ocus o the training

through courses such as the Construction Saety

Orientation Course or the Forklit Drivers Training

Course is to educate the workers and supervisors

on the risks inherent in their work and how they can

manage these risks to work saely. WSH proessionals

and specialists are another key group o recipients o

WSH training.


WSH 2018

outcomes. Management sets the overall

goals and standards or WSH and decides the

directions and strategies needed to achieve

those goals. It is thereore critical that this

group o WSH stakeholders is equipped with

the appropriate skills to lead WSH eorts in

their organisations.

Workers orm the group that oten suers themost when saety and health lapses occur

at the workplace. Failure to observe WSH

procedures at this level can also result in

adverse consequences. It is thereore critical

that this group is provided with adequate

training to understand the importance o

WSH and how to work saely.

WSH proessionals and specialists are another

important group o stakeholders, providing

assistance to employers in monitoring

and improving saety management at the

workplace. They can drive capability building

eorts, by identiying WSH gaps within the

organisation. WSH proessionals include WSH

auditors, ocers and coordinators, while

WSH specialists include diverse occupations

ranging rom industrial hygienists to noise

control ocers.

Proessional and educational institutions and

service providers play a supporting role withinthe WSH ecosystem. Proessional institutions

help set proessional standards and raise

the proessionalism o WSH practices by

providing continuing education and training

to their members. Training providers and

consultancies provide training and expert

advice to raise saety standards. The tertiary

educational institutions also provide WSH

training at the pre-employment stage and

through continuing education and also

conduct research into WSH issues.

1 These are doctors who have undergone training in occupational health and are registered with the Ministry o Manpower.2 Medical specialists registered with the Singapore Medical Council.

WSH Proessionals and Personnel Supporting the Industry05


Proessional and Competent PersonsEstimated

NumberAs o Year

Competent persons or management o hazardous substances 1511 2008

Competent persons or sampling and monitoring o airborne contaminants 390 2008

Designated actory doctors1 672 2008

Noise control ocers 348 2008

Noise monitoring ocers 994 2008

Occupational health nurses 205 2007

Occupational hygienists 20 2008

Occupational physicians2 32 2007

Occupational physiotherapists 500 2007

Occupational therapists 320 2007

Workplace saety and health auditors 161 2008

Workplace saety and health coordinators 2038 2008

Workplace saety and health ocers 1580 2008

Note:

The table above is not exhaustive as it does not include

supervisors who perform safety and health functions .

ConstructionWholesale&

RetailTrade

Transpor

t&S

torage

Manufac

turing

Finan

cialS

ervice

s

Community,Social&

PersonalServices

Inormation &Communications

Others 1%

20%

5%

3%

19%

12%

14%

7%6%

Busin

essS

ervice

s

13%

Hotels

&

Restaurants

Overview o the Singapore Workorce by

Industry 2008



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The Structure and Delivery o WSH

Training

There have been many changes to the WSH training

landscape in recent years. Up to 2005, MOMs

Occupational Saety and Health Training and

Promotion Centre had been the major provider

o WSH training in Singapore. It trained some130,000 workers, supervisors, managers and WSH

proessionals annually. It also accredited private

training organisations under the Accredited Training

Providers (ATPs) Certifcation Scheme to conduct

WSH training courses mandated under the law. In

2006, MOM devolved its training unction to the

ATPs in order to ocus on setting the curriculum and

standards or WSH training.

In September 2006, another step was made towards

greater industry involvement in WSH training, with

the establishment o the WSH-Manpower, Skills and

Training Council (WSH-MSTC) under the auspices o

WDAs Workorce Skills Qualifcations (WSQ) system.

The WSQ system is designed to acilitate adult

learning, make skills upgrading more accessible

to the workorce and provide career progression

pathways or them. The WSH-MSTC, which comprises

18 representatives rom industry partners, was

tasked to take the lead on manpower and capability

development issues relating to WSH. Its role includes

identiying the skills and capabilities required by

WSH proessionals, and a ramework to deliver them.

With the ormation o the industry-led WSH Council

in April 2008, industrys role in WSH training has been

urther strengthened.

Notwithstanding these shits towards greater industry

ownership and involvement in matters relating to

WSH training, MOM continues to play a signifcant

role in this area. The WSH Act requires employers,

as part o their duty to take reasonably practicable

measures to ensure the saety and health o their

employees at work, to ensure that their employees

have adequate training to perorm their work. It also

prescribes mandatory WSH courses or various groups

o workers, supervisors and managers. Moreover,

MOM continues to ensure the quality o the training

delivery through the ATP scheme, under which about

100 private training organisations are accredited

as o December 2008. In addition, MOM sets the

standard or WSH proessionals by regulating the

types o qualifcations and training they must attain

and prescribes through legislation the appointment

o such proessionals by companies.

WSH 2018


WSH Training Courses Currently Conducted By Accredited Training Providers


07

* Courses mandated under the law

Workplace Saety and

Health PersonnelManagers Supervisors Workers

Confned Space Saety

Assessor Course*

Risk Management Course

Basic Industrial Saety

and Health Course or

Supervisors

Compressed Air Works

Course (Man Lock

Attendant and MedicalLock Attendant)*

Industrial Audiometry

Course*

Saety Instruction Course or

Ship-repair Managers

Building Construction

Supervisors Saety Course*

Construction Saety

Orientation Course

or Workers*

Industrial Noise

Control Course *

Workplace Saety and

Health Management System

Course

Building Construction

Saety Supervisors

(Tunnelling) Course*

Explosive Powered Tools

OperatorsCourse*

Management o Hazardous

Substances Course*

Workshop or CEO / Top

Management

Formwork Saety Course

or Supervisors*

Forklit Drivers

Training Course*

Manhole Saety

Assessors Course*

Liting Saety Course

or Supervisors*

Marine Metal Scaolding

Course or Scaolders*

Noise Monitoring Course*Marine Metal Scaolding

Course or Supervisors*

Metal Scaold

Erection Course*

Occupational First Aid

Courses (ormerly Industrial

First Aid Courses)*

Metal Scaold Erection

Supervisors Course*

Oil/Petrochemical Industries

Saety Orientation Course

or Workers*

Saety Co-ordinators

Training Course*

Oil/Petrochemical

Industry Saety Course

or Supervisors*

Riggers Course*

Saety Ocers

Training Course*

Saety Instruction Course

(Manhole) or Supervisors*


(Manhole) or Workers*

Shipyard Saety Assessors

(Hot-work Certifcation)

Course*

Shipyard Supervisors

Saety Course*


(Tunnelling) or Workers*

Workshop or Saety

Auditors

Suspended Scaold

SupervisorsCourse *


or Workers (Metalworking)*

Shipyard Saety Instruction

Courses or Workers*

Signalmen Course*

Suspended Scaold

RiggersCourse*



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09

TARGETEDOUTCOMES

TARGETEDOUTCOMESSingapore needs people in our workorce with the necessary capabilities, to get to international

standards to compete efectively in the global arena... The Council will urther deliver a national

competency ramework to cover the WSH Proessionals and at least 30 trade-specic elds. Competency-

based training will be delivered by credible and competent training providers, who will be monitoredclosely to ensure proessionalism. Looking into the uture, the Council intends to engage educational

institutions to introduce workplace saety and health early to our younger generation. Exposing our

young early to saety and health beore they begin working will help set expectations, drive change

through the generations, and support raising o standards, as well as build a strong WSH culture.

Mr Lee Tzu Yang, Chairman of the Workplace Safety and Health Council,

at the Workplace Safety and Health Awards Ceremony 2007

In order to develop Singapore as a Centre o

Excellence or WSH and to attain our target o

bringing the number o workplace atalities to below

1.8 per 100,000 workers by 2018, we must frst create

a stronger and more inclusive WSH ecosystem in

which each stakeholder plays an eective role.

Good WSH outcomes can come about only through

the conscious eorts o all relevant stakeholders to

improve saety and health management. By 2018,

most members o the workorce should have a basic

knowledge o WSH issues relevant to their work.Workers in traditionally riskier sectors should be

equipped with the appropriate WSH competencies

to manage the risks in their work, while workers

in less risky environments such as retail shops or

oce environments could be equipped with a basic

awareness o saety and health at the workplace.

The WSH training provided to stakeholders should be

world class. This will ensure that our workers and WSH

proessionals are highly regarded internationally or

their understanding and management o WSH issues

and highly sought ater.

By 2018, we will see a larger pool o WSH proessionals

catering to the increased demand or their services

rom Singapore-based companies placing a growing

emphasis on WSH. We are targeting to grow the size o

the local pool o WSH proessionals to 19,000-strong

by 2018. To attract new entrants to the proession, we

will work to position the proession as a choice career.

Our pool o locally-trained WSH proessionals will also

be supplemented by WSH expertise rom abroad;

even as some o our locally-trained proessionals

venture abroad to oer their services internationally,

our WSH institutions will serve as a magnet to attractWSH practitioners rom overseas to Singapore. The

ow o WSH expertise through Singapore will help

create a vibrant community o practitioners in which

a lively exchange o ideas and best practices on WSH

can take place.

Equipping a growing pool o WSH proessionals and

a broader range o stakeholders with core WSH skills

that are in tune with latest developments at the

workplace will entail a deepening o our capabilities

to provide WSH training and support. We will work

closely with WDA and other partners to increase our



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TARGETED OUTCOMES

WSH 2018

training capacity or WSH proessionals and other

stakeholders. By 2018, we will also see a strengthened

cluster o training providers, and the establishment

o new institutions to conduct research and training

and to provide advisory services on WSH.

By 2018, we will also see industry taking on a more

prominent role in driving the provision o WSH

training. While MOM and WDA will continue to play arole in WSH training through the WSQ ramework, the

trade associations and industry bodies will take the

lead in developing courses that could all outside the

WSQ ramework given their small target audience or

the depth o knowledge required. Such courses will

include those ocussing on topics such as landscape

orientation and occupational saety frst aid.

Apart rom strengthening industrys role in ensuring

WSH outcomes through the provision o training,

2018 will also see personal ownership o WSH

strengthened. All stakeholders will regard WSH as a

matter o course and view saety and health as a way

o lie, rather than as a set o rules and procedures

to be adhered to, with penalties imposed or non-

compliance. At the workplace, WSH management will

thereore be a team eort, rather than a supervisor-led

initiative, with workers watching out or one another

and proactively correcting any lapses in saety.

STRATEGIES


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and standards, the assessment o course

graduates across dierent ATPs and rom

dierent batches can be inconsistent. The

new WSH Proessionals WSQ ramework

addresses this issue by providing a common

benchmark against which the knowledge

and skills o dierent trainees rom dierent

ATPs can be measured objectively.

Providing A Defnitive Path For WSH

Proessionals To Upgrade Themselves

Under the design o the new WSH

Proessionals WSQ ramework, the training

curricula or WSH auditors, ocers,

coordinators and representatives are

complementary and build upon each other.

This provides a clear pathway or WSH

proessionals to upgrade their skills.

Greater Flexibility For WSH Proessionals

The ollowing eatures o the new training

ramework oers WSH proessionals greater

exibility:

WSH Proessionals

WSH Proessionals WSQ Framework

To equip WSH proessionals with the relevant

technical competencies, the WSH-MSTC has

developed a competency ramework under

the WSQ system. The new WSH Proessionals

WSQ Framework has the ollowing key eatures:

WSH 2018

STRATEGIES

Equipping Stakeholders With The Right

Skills And Capabilities

It is essential that WSH proessionals, management,

employees and other relevant stakeholders take

responsibility or WSH outcomes. For them to do

so eectively, they must be equipped with the

appropriate WSH competencies to manage WSH

issues. WSH competencies go beyond technical

knowledge o WSH matters. Specifcally, they reer

to the skills and behaviours that stakeholders must

demonstrate or acquire, in order to achieve high

levels o WSH perormance.

It is not enough, or instance, or a WSH ocer to

know in theory the various aspects that a saety

management system should cover. He should

also be able to communicate to his co-workers theprocedures required to eectively implement the

WSH management system in the company. Similarly,

it is inadequate or a construction worker to just know

the saety rules when working at height. Instead,

under a competency-based training ramework, he

must appreciate the need or the saety rules, like

donning a saety harness, and act accordingly in a

sae manner.

There are two prongs to our eforts to building WSH capabilities in Singapore:

Equipping stakeholders with the right skills and capabilities; and

Building strong supporting institutions to guide the identication and development o such skillsand capabilities.

13

Competency-Based Learning

Previously, WSH training courses ocused

on delivering technical knowledge o saety

management systems, rather than a set

o competencies or WSH proessionals

to manage their duties. The new WSH

Proessionals WSQ ramework places

emphasis on a competency-based, rather

than theory-based, approach to training, by

setting out expected competency outcomesor the various training modules.

Establishing A Common Framework For

Assessment

Previously, ATPs would adopt the course

outlines specifed by MOM but set their own

assessment rameworks. In the absence

o a common assessment ramework

The new ramework will adopt a modular

approach. For instance, where course

participants previously had to take an

entire course covering issues relating

to occupational saety, occupational

health and saety management systems,

they will in uture be able to break up

their learning into dierent modules onsay, investigation o WSH incidents, risk

assessment and hazard identifcation.

This allows WSH proessionals to better

manage their pace o learning. They

may also be exempted rom specifc

modules i they have demonstrated

competencies in these areas, thereby

allowing them to customise their learning.

Where previously, entry into the various

WSH training programmes was based

mainly on training and academic

credentials, the new competency

ramework recognises work experience.

The new ramework also oers industry-

specifc elective modules to allow WSH

proessionals in a particular sector todevelop specialised skills relevant to

their area o work. For example, courses

ocusing specifcally on risk management

in the construction industry could be

designed or WSH proessionals rom that

sector.

-

-

-



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15By providing a clear pathway or career progression

and upgrading, the ramework will raise the stature

and proessionalism o WSH practice, thereby

supporting our eorts to attract more people into the

WSH proession. To help bring more people into the

proession we will provide unding support or new

entrants to the proession such as scholarships

training under the WSH Proessionals WSQ ramework.

We will work closely with WDA and other par tners toincrease our training capacity on this ront.

Upgrading Competencies O Existing

WSH Proessionals

We will also provide support to existing proessionals

to upgrade their competencies. Companies sending

their workers or training under the WSH Proessional

WSQ ramework will be given unding support. We

will also introduce bridging courses or existing

WSH proessionals. These courses will help align

their competencies with those under the new WSQ

ramework, by addressing any competency gaps in

specifc areas such as the management o internal

WSH audits and behavioural saety programmes.

Strengthening Continuing Proessional

Development

The current continuing proessional development

(CPD) system is ocused on WSH ocers registeredwith MOM, awarding them credits when they

undergo relevant courses, which in turn count

towards the renewal o their registration. Moving

WSH Proessionals WSQ Map and Framework orward, the CPD system will be expanded beyondregistered WSH ocers, to include other WSH

proessionals such as WSH auditors and coordinators.

The awarding o credits will also be better structured

and geared towards ensuring that the competencies

o WSH proessionals remain relevant and keep

apace with the latest WSH developments. Firstly, to

encourage WSH proessionals to identiy and address

any competency gaps, more credits can be awardedor courses serving to plug such gaps. This is an

approach that has been adopted in the UK. Secondly,

to encourage WSH proessionals to strengthen their

sector-specifc competencies, more credits can be

awarded or courses that are directly relevant to the

industry that the WSH proessional is working in.

Thirdly, to help newly-qualifed WSH proessionals

or WSH proessionals who have switched industries

assimilate into their new roles, the CPD system can

award credits or on-the-job training.

Developing WSH Consultants And

Specialists

The WSH Council will also work with the relevant

proessional bodies to gradually expand the

competency ramework to address the proessional

development o not only WSH auditors, ocers,

coordinators and representatives, but also WSH

consultants and specialists such as industrial

hygienists and competent persons involved in the

assessment and control o WSH risks (such as noise

and chemical monitoring and control ocers).

WSH 2018

STRATEGIES STRATEGIES

WSH Auditor,

Lead Auditor,

Consultant, Specialist

Graduate Certifcate in WSH

5 Core Units + 3 Elective Units

WSH Ocer,Advisor, Specialist,

Manager, Executive

Specialist Diploma in WSH


WSH Representatives,

Promoter, Advocate

Certifcate in WSH

5 Core Units + 1 Elective Unit

WSH Audit Management

WSH Legislation

WSH Management SystemImprovement

Develop and Maintain WSHManagement System (eg.Investigation, WSH PerormanceManagement)

WSH Legislation

Behavioural and Saety Programme

Communication and RelationshipManagement

Manage Internal WSH Audits

Electives on Managing IndustrySpecifc Risks

Industrial Hygiene WSH Operational Excellence

Basic Hazard Identifcation andRisk Control


Accident Investigation Skills

Electives on Managing IndustrySpecifc Risks

Environment Management System

WSH Training

Managerial Skills and Techniques

Financial Management or WSH

Psychological Topics

Presentation Techniques

Problem Solving and InnovationTechniques

WSH Culture Promotion

Core(Key Elements)

Electives(Key Elements)

Typical Job Titles

and Qualifcations

WSH Coordinator,Supervisor

Advanced Certifcate in WSH


Administer and Coordinate theWSH System

WSH Supervisory Skills


Accident Investigation Skills

Electives on Recognition o Hazardsin Various Industries and ControlMeasures

WSH Training

Problem Solving and InnovationTechniques



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WSH 2018

17

STRATEGIES

The General Workorce

Members o the general workorce should be

equipped with the relevant broad-based, as well as

trade-specifc WSH competencies that will enable

them to manage WSH risks and respond to these risks

appropriately. However, the tools and competencies

that members o the workorce are equipped with

must be tailored to their respective roles within the

company as a leader, middle manager or a worker

on the ground.

WSH Competency Map For The General

Workorce

Senior Management

The commitment o senior management is

vital in driving WSH improvement eorts

towards the targeted WSH outcomes.

Commitment to WSH can be demonstrated

through various avenues, such as reinorcing

a companys WSH policy and goals and

publishing a companys WSH perormance in

its annual report, conducting management

audits on WSH and rewarding employees

or good saety outcomes. To acilitate the

exchange o ideas between industry leaders

on this issue, the WSH Council could launch a

CEO roundtable on WSH.

Line Supervisors, HR And Middle

Management

This group o employees is typically

responsible or translating management

commitment into concrete WSH eorts or

workers. They have a strong inuence on

workers behaviour and play an important

role in establishing a strong WSH culture

that permeates throughout the organisation.

Accordingly, they should be equipped with

proper use o personal protective equipment,

as well as sector-specifc training where

appropriate, to take into account the risks

present in the dierent industries.

For oreign workers, WSH training should

take into account the workers educational

and cultural backgrounds. Workplace hazard

communication should adopt an appropriatemedium o communication. We will also

explore refning the WSH training ramework

or oreign workers, or instance, providing

WSH training in the workers home countries.

This would ensure that workers would have

a strong grasp o WSH issues beore their

arrival in Singapore.

WSH management skills that will enable

them to identiy potential hazards in the

workplace, coach workers to deal with these

hazards and ensure that saety procedures

and programmes are properly implemented

on the ground. They will also need to be

trained in behavioural observation skills

to identiy and correct any unsae acts and

behaviours. To support the development o

these competencies, the WSH Council will

work with the industry and trade associations

to develop WSH management tools that

managers can reer to in their daily work.

This includes WSH management guidelines

to help managers understand and discharge

their WSH responsibilities such as the conduct

o observation audits on WSH practices.

The WSH Council and WSH MSTC will also

explore incorporating WSH modules into

the HR WSQ to help HR managers develop a

better appreciation o WSH issues and their

management.

Workers

All workers should be equipped with basic

WSH skills such as the identifcation o

sae and risky work behaviours to enable

them to perorm their tasks saely. They

should be educated on their rights to a

sae working environment. To give them

a better appreciation o the importance o

saety, WSH training should ocus on helping

workers understand the potential hazards in

their workplaces and thereore the rationale

or the protective measures they should

undertake.

Workers in riskier industries should receive

additional WSH training on issues such as the

Occupational

Skills

Industry Knowledge and Skills

Broad-Based Skills

WSH skills or workin specic conditions

(e.g. underwater welding or welding

at height)

WSH knowledge and skills relevant to an

industry cluster (e.g. welding in the marine sector)

Broad-based skills that are portable across all industries

(e.g. management skills and tools to build a WSH culture)

The competency ramework is organised into

industry-relevant and broad-based competency units.

Broad-based WSH competencies reer to the basic competencies and management tools that are

portable across diferent industries, such as developing WSH policies and procedures, managing work

behaviors, identiying and eliminating WSH hazards.

Meanwhile, WSH trade-specic competencies reer to WSH competencies required to work in a particular

industry such as construction or marine. An example o this would be signaling and rigging.

STRATEGIES

To inculcate saety consciousness in the general

workorce at an early stage, we will work towards

integrating WSH awareness modules into the pre-

employment training ramework, i.e. in the syllabi

o schools and tertiary institutions. Basic WSH

competencies can also be urther integrated into

the technical courses at tertiary institutions such as

engineering and nursing.

Building Strong Supporting

Institutions

Enhancing the Role o Industry Bodies

Greater industry ownership o WSH outcomes is one

o the key principles underpinning Singapores WSH

ramework. In parallel with recent moves or the

industry to play a more prominent role in various

aspects o WSH management, rom the setting o

acceptable practices to outreach and engagement,

industry has also been playing a larger role in WSH

competency building. Industry bodies such as the



11/13

CONCLUSIONWSH 2018

STRATEGIES

Creating a World-Class WSH Institute

The emergence o new technologies will bring

about changes to both the workplace and work

processes. Our capability building eorts must

keep pace with these changes to ensure that the

workorce is prepared to meet the challenges that

such shits may present. The creation o a world-

class WSH Institute ocussed on the pursuit o WSHexcellence in various areas such as training, research

and development and the provision o WSH services

will be an important aspect o such eorts. The WSH

Institute will bring together dierent stakeholders

and segments o the WSH ecosystem ranging rom

industry leaders to WSH proessionals to academics,

to exchange ideas and expertise on WSH matters. For

instance, these institutes can provide consultancy

and research services to industry, developing tailored

programmes and tools to address the WSH challenges

that companies may be acing. WSH practitioners

can upgrade their skills at these institutes through

specialised WSH programmes, or broaden their

exposure by working with researchers to translate

their experience into new tools and processes.

They can also be engaged as trainers to share their

experience on the ground. In summary, our vision is

or the WSH Institute to serve as a:

Providing resources to assist WSH practice

through the publication o codes o practice

and guidelines and the acilitation o practice-

oriented research;

Enhancing proessionalism within the sector

by taking the lead in the certifcation o

WSH proessionals, and setting and ensuring

standards or WSH proessionals in areas such as

qualifcations, training and codes o conduct;

Building proessional recognition or local WSH

practitioners by working with industry bodies

and proessional associations abroad to develop

a ramework to recognise the qualifcations o

local WSH practitioners;

Growing the WSH proession through the

provision o WSH scholarships, mentorships and

industrial attachments to eligible parties;

Facilitating proessional development through

the provision o WSH scholarships and

dissemination o inormation to local WSH

proessionals on the training and career

opportunities available in various areas o the

WSH proession such as teaching, research or

feld work. The range o courses recognised

under the CPD scheme can also be expanded;

and

Fostering a strong WSH proessional community

by providing platorms such as seminars and

workshops or networking and acilitating the

exchange o ideas and experiences between

proessionals rom dierent industries.

Provider o advanced and/or specialised WSH

training courses;

Centre or curriculum development and

world class research on WSH;

Nexus between academia and industry;

Resource centre or WSH; and

Platorm to showcase and eventually export

Singapores WSH capabilities.

WSH Council and WSH-MSTC now take the lead in

ormulating the training syllabi and assessment

strategies or WSH proessionals and the general

workorce. Moving orward, there is scope or the

WSH Council and WSH-MSTC to work with the

proessional and trade associations to support the

growth and development o the WSH proession.

Some o the collaborative eorts between the WSH

Council, WSH-MSTC and the proessional and tradeassociations can include:


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Published in May 2009 by the Workplace Saety and

Health Council in collaboration with the Ministry o

Manpower.

All rights reserved. This publication may not be

reproduced or transmitted in any orm or by any means,

in whole or in part, without prior written permission. The

inormation provided in this publication is accurate at

the time o printing. The Workplace Saety and HealthCouncil does not accept any liability or responsibility to

any party or losses or damages arising rom ollowing

this publication.

This publication is also available on the Workplace

Saety and Health Council website: www.wshc.gov.sg

CONCLUSIONThis document proposes initiatives to strengthen

and deepen WSH capabilities within the workorce.

It will guide our eorts - the Government, industry,

WSH proessionals, employers, workers and other

stakeholders alike - to achieve the new WSH targeto bringing the number o workplace atalities to

below 1.8 per 100,000 workers by 2018 and our vision

o a sae and healthy workplace or everyone and a

country renowned or best practices in WSH.

WSH 2018


13/13

published by

building wsh competency report_v7

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