Singapore - MOM to look into dedicated regulations for Work at Heights

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is exploring the introduction of a dedicated set of Work at Heights regulations.

This includes making Fall Prevention Plans for all workplaces compulsory and extending the Permit-to-work system, which already exists for Scaffold operations.

Last year alone, 17 workers died from falls from heights and nine died from slips, trips and falls accidents. These account for about 40 per cent of all work fatalities.

While deaths due to falls have gone down from 15 in 2010 to 11 in 2011, within the construction and marine industries, they continue to account for almost half of all fatal falls.

There was also a notable increase in accidents resulting from falls in other industries such as manufacturing and logistics.

To address this, the ministry will work with the Workplace Safety Health Council to formulate regulations to prevent such accidents.

A public consultation will kick off in the second quarter of this year.

Howard How, senior corporate safety manager at Boustead Projects, said: "I believe the turnout today is actually a good sign to show that people are getting ready or rather that they are exposed to all this because I have encountered many sub-contractors who are not even aware what is fall prevention plan."

Suresh Navaratnam, Director of Occupational Safety & Health at Manpower of Ministry, said: "It might take us a year to actually come up with the legislation, but along the way, we would have develop minor, smaller plans... so that the industry can start to comply. By the time we have the regulations in place, the industry is well prepared and compliant."

- CNA/fa

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