British Safety Council praises measures in Singapore

Singapore is targeting a reduction in fatal injuries at work to 1.8 per 100 000 workers by 2018, an ambitious goal that Alex Botha, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, is in full support of.

“Singapore has made significant strides in improving occupational safety and health, demonstrated by reduced fatal injuries at work,” said Botha, who is in Singapore to press the safety message home. “In the last ten years the approach has been to place greater ownership on industry to manage the risks they create. With such improvements Singapore is in a good position to achieve its admirable long-term goal...”

Botha points out that this approach to risk management has been successful in Great Britain, adding: “I look forward to sharing our experiences with colleagues while I am in Singapore. With an estimated 4% of global GDP lost due to health and safety failure, with over 2.3 million people senselessly killed each year, we know that key to delivering improvements is to convince leaders – both in business and politics – that there are economic as well as moral reasons to protect workers.

“Our recent report into the business benefits of health and safety shows that employers – and society more generally - gains so much from a healthy and safe workforce. Productivity is increased, wastage reduced, public reputation for delivery without the disruption of poorly managed risks is enhanced. This is the message that needs to be better known and acted upon in all parts of the world.”

Singapore has set out its approach to occupational safety and health in its National Strategy for Workplace Place Safety and Health 2018. The 2018 Strategy is strongly supported by the Ministry of Manpower, the Singapore National Employers Federation and the National Trades Union Congress and aims to have one of the best safety and health records in the world.

Adapted from press release by Katherine Guenioui

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/asia-pacific-rim/24092014/british-safety-council-praises-measures-in-singapore-542/