Overseas Training Trial – Initiative to support strategy in WSH 2018

In Apr 2008, the Prime Minister (Lee Hsien Loong) had set a new challenge to the OSH framework – the new national target is to reduce to 1.8 workplace fatalities per 100,000 employed workers by 2018.

In order to achieve the challenge set in motion by the Prime Minister, the "WSH 2018: a National Strategy for Workplace Safety and Health for Singapore" was launched by the Minister for Manpower, Mr Gan Kim Yong during the National Workplace Safety and Health Campaign in April 2009.

The WSH 2018 strategy aims to achieve one of the best safety records in the world, by bringing down the national fatality rate to less than 1.8 per 100,000 workers by 2018.

The WSH 2018 literally spells out our national vision, the strategic outcomes and the strategies required for achieving the 2018 vision. It aims to synergize the efforts and resources of all stakeholders to achieve the vision of "A safe and healthy workplace for everyone"; and "a country renowned for the best practices in workplace safety and health".

Click HERE to download the WSH 2018 document.

Strategy 1 - Build strong capabilities to better manage WSH

With strong foresight and pro-active approach to work towards the new national target set by PM Lee, SQS self-initiated to begin discussion work with one of BCA approved overseas training centre (OTC) in China to conduct a trial run on the Construction Safety Orientation Course (CSOC) in Dec 2008.

SQS believed that by supporting the employer to build the capability of these foreign workers at their home ground to attain competency in WSH knowledge and skill to understand workplace hazards and how to manage risk at work will raised their WSH performance.

At the BCA approved overseas training centre, workers are trained and tested on the skill for the trade of work that they would be specialized in, for example: carpentry work, formwork, bricklaying, plastering and other skill evaluation certificates (SEC).

Workers from foreign country working in Singapore may not have in-depth understanding on workplace safety requirement that was established in Singapore for many years. Other challenges faced by them include cultural differences and language barrier.

SQS anticipated these challenges that these foreign workers may experience. Thus, SQS joint-effort with the OTC in China to conduct the CSOC to the trainees at the OTC in China. Modelled against the successful SEC principle, we believe that WSH competency of every foreign worker should be evaluated at their country of resident.

The objectives is to build their WSH capability and sharing with them the culture of Singapore so that they are more prepared mentally, and in knowledge wise are competently ready to carry out the work safely in Singapore.

In this manner, the foreigner workers who are able to successfully pass the CSOC at OTC can work safely in Singapore and they are well-trained and prepared before coming to Singapore. This pro-active approach of attaining WSH competency prior to arrival to work in Singapore plays an important part towards bringing down and keeping the workplace accident statistics low, as well as raising the safety standard for Singapore.

The trial run of the CSOC at the OTC in China was well received and successfully carried out in mid June 2009. SQS had pioneered this trial run project which is in line with Strategy 1 as spell out in WSH 2018. The feedbacks had been consolidated and forwarded to the relevant authorities for review.

SQS believes that with this initiative as a start, we all can do our part towards achieving the 2018 vision.