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Safety Updates

 

Workplace Safety & Health Act & Subsidiary Legislations

a. Workplace Safety and Health (Registration of Factories) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

There is an amendment related to Workplace Safety and Health (Registration of Factories) Regulations. This amendment, Workplace Safety and Health (Registration of Factories) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 revised the renewal period as follows: 

  • A certificate of registration for the following factories shall be valid for a period of 5 years:

  1. Any factory engaged in the processing or manufacture of petroleum, petroleum products, petrochemicals or petrochemical products.

  2. Factory engaged in the manufacture of —
    a. fluorine, chlorine, hydrogen fluoride or carbon monoxide; or
    b. synthetic polymers.

  3. Any premises where the bulk storage of toxic or flammable liquid is carried on by way of trade or for the purpose of gain and which has a storage capacity of 5,000 or more cubic metres for such toxic or flammable liquid.

  • A certificate of registration for the following factories shall remain in force from the date of its issue until such time as it is revoked in accordance with these Regulations:

  1.   Any premises where any building operation or works of engineering construction is or are being carried out by way of trade or for purposes of gain, whether or not by or on behalf of the Government or a statutory board, and includes any line or siding (not forming part of a railway) which is used in connection with the building operation or works of engineering construction.

  2.  Any yard (including any dock, wharf, jetty, quay and the precincts thereof) where the construction, reconstruction, repair, refitting, finishing or breaking up of ships is carried out, including the waters adjacent to any such yard where the construction, reconstruction, repair, refitting, finishing or breaking up of ships is carried out by or on behalf of the occupier of that yard.

  3. Any factory engaged in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products or their intermediates.

  4. Any factory engaged in the manufacture of semiconductor wafers.

  5. Any factory engaged in the manufacture of fabricated metal products, machinery or equipment and in which 100 or more persons are employed.

  • For factory which does not fall within any of the classes of factories described in Part I or II of the First Schedule but is by notice from the Commissioner to register as factory, the certificate of registration will be valid for a period of one year.

b. Workplace Safety and Health (Amendment) Acts 2008

This amendment is to mainly regularize the formation of Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC). It also spelt out the details such as the power and function of WSHC. With this regularization, WSHC has the power to issue, approve, amend and revoke any code of practices. This comes into operation on 1 April 2008.

c. Workplace Safety and Health (Workplace Safety and Health Committees) Regulations 2008

This regulation will replace the Factories (Safety Committees) Regulations. The following will be the main changes:

(a) Specific requirement on number of members is removed, example, 3 employee representatives & 3 management representatives where not more than 100 persons being employed;

(b) Frequency of meeting is once a month;

(c) Requirement of short instructional talk by members is removed; and

(d) Requirement of quorum is removed.

d. Workplace Safety and Health (Abrasive Blasting) Regulations 2008

Another revised Workplace Safety & Health subsidiary legislation released. Workplace Safety and Health (Abrasive Blasting) Regulations 2008 will come into operation on 1 February 2009. The following are the main changes/additions:

(a) removal of age limit to be employed for abrasive blasting related work;

(b) definition of duties defined for employer and principal;

(c) description of offence for parties who fail to comply with certain regulations; and

(d) compulsory inspection of related abrasive blasting system every 7 days.

e. Workplace Safety and Health (Explosive Powered Tools) Regulations 2009

This regulation replaced Factories (Explosive Powered Tools) Regulations. In this regulation, it emphases the duty of employer and principal. It also included a section on offence.

f. Workplace Safety and Health (Confined Spaces) Regulations 2009

A new regulation related to the management of Confined Spaces was enacted. This regulation will be coming into operation with effect from 01 Nov 2009. The following are some of the key requirements spelt out in this Workplace Safety & Health (Confined Spaces) Regulations 2009:

  • Identification of confined spaces in the premises and keep record of such identification

  • Compulsory elements to be specified in the Confined Space Entry Permit

  • Display of confined space warning signage

  • Stipulated definition & responsibilities of Responsible Person, Authorised Manager & Confined Space Attendant

  • Periodic testing of atmosphere in the confined space

  • Display of name or identification badge at the entrance for persons working in the confined space

  • Establishment confined space rescue plan

  • Inspection of rescue equipment at least once a month

  • Records of inspection and testing results to be kept for not less than 2 years

With this new regulation coming into operations, the requirement of confined space stipulated in Regulation 25 of Workplace Safety & Health (General Provisions) Regulations is revoked. This change is stipulated in the Workplace Safety & Health (General Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2009.

g. Workplace Safety and Health (Safety and Health Management System and Auditing) Regulations 2009

The above regulations was released on 11 December 2009 and will come into operation on 01 March 2010.

 Due to the above new legislation, related regulations, Workplace Safety and Health (General Provisions) Regulations, Workplace Safety and Health (Construction) Regulations and Workplace Safety and Health (Shipbuilding and Ship-Repairing) Regulations were amended to reflect the deletion of requirement related to Safety and Health Management System and auditing requirement.

 Under this new legislation (Workplace Safety and Health (Safety and Health Management System and Auditing) Regulations 2009), company with the following activities will require to establish a safety & health management system and be audited by 3rd party MOM Approved Auditor:

  1.  Any premises which is a worksite (need to have 3rd party audit if contract sum => $30mil).

  2. Any premises which is a shipyard. (need to have 3rd party audit if person employed is => 200)

  3. Any factory engaged in the manufacturing of fabricated metal products, machinery or equipment and in which 100 or more persons are employed.

  4. Any factory engaged in the processing or manufacturing of petroleum, petroleum products, petrochemicals or petrochemical products.

  5. Any premises where the bulk storage of toxic or flammable liquid is carried on by way of trade or for the purpose of gain and which has a storage capacity of 5,000 or more cubic metres for such toxic or flammable liquid.

  6. Any factory engaged in the manufacturing of (a)   fluorine, chlorine, hydrogen fluoride or carbon monoxide; and (b)   synthetic polymers.

  7. Any factory engaged in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products or their intermediates.

  8. Any factory engaged in the manufacturing of semiconductor wafers.

This new regulations also stipulated some requirement of Safety & Health Auditor, which includes, qualification, power, etc.

h. Workplace Safety and Health (Approved Code of Practice) Notification 2010

A new notification related to Approved Code of Practice was released and will come into operation on 1 February 2010.

With this notification, the old Workplace Safety and Health (Approved Code of Practice) Notification 2007 is revoked. The following are the Code of Practice newly approved by the Workplace Safety and Health Council:

  1. Code of Practice for Working Safely at Height 2009

  2. SS 537: Code of Practice for Safe Use of Machinery Part 1: General requirements 2008

  3. SS 531: Part 1: Code of Practice for Lighting of Work Places, Indoor 2006

  4. SS 531: Part 2: Code of Practice for Lighting of Work Places, Outdoor 2008

  5. SS 531: Part 3: Code of Practice for Lighting of Work Places, Lighting requirements for safety and security of outdoor work places 2008

  6. SS 548: Code of Practice for Selection, use, and maintenance of respiratory protective devices (Formerly CP 74:1998) 2009

  7. SS 549: Code of Practice for Selection, use, care and maintenance of hearing protectors (Formerly CP 76:1999) 2009

  8. SS 536: Code of Practice for the safe use of mobile cranes (Formerly CP 37:2000) 2008

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Disclaimer: The above information is accurate based on the best of our knowledge and QuESH Consultants (Pte.) Ltd. will not be held liable for any misinterpretation of the legislation and its subsidiaries.

 

News Classification :

  • SAFETY