WSH (Safety and Health Management System and Auditing) Reg 2009

These Regulations will come into operation on 1 March 2010.

It covers the following areas:

APPROVAL TO ACT AS WORKPLACE SAFETY & HEALTH AUDITOR

• Application for approval to be workplace safety and health auditor
• Requirements for approval as workplace safety and health auditor
• Register of workplace safety and health auditors

SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• Implementation of safety and health management system
• Workplace safety and health audit
• Internal review of safety and health management system
• Commissioner may direct occupier of workplace to appoint workplace safety and health auditor
• Duties of workplace safety and health auditor
• Powers of workplace safety and health auditor

WORKPLACES REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

1. Any premises which is a worksite.
2. Any premises which is a shipyard.
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.

New WSQ Forklift Operator Course from 1 Oct 2009

28 Sep 2009

Currently, any person who operates a forklift is required to complete the Forklift Driver's Training Course which at present is accredited by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). From 1 October 2009, the WSQ 'Operate Forklift' Competency Standard will replace the Forklift Driver's Training Course, which will cease to run wef 30 September 2009.
The new WSQ Operate Forklift Competency Standard was developed by the the industry and facilitated by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), MOM and the Workplace Safety and Health Council. This industry-endorsed standard provides a competency-based approach to training forklift operators. Trainees have to demonstrate their skills and knowledge proficiency before they are considered as qualified forklift operators.
Accreditation is put in place to ensure that the course is delivered by quality training organisations using qualified trainers and assessors. It also ensures that the approved course satisfies the competency requirements of the WSQ system and appropriate delivery modes are used. Approved Training Organisations (ATOs) are also required to continuously improve the quality of the design and delivery.
The new WSQ 'Operate Forklift' course will be offered by ATOs accredited by WDA. Existing forklift operators who have already completed the Forklift Driver's Training Course accredited by MOM will continue to be considered as qualified forklift operators.
For more information on the WSQ Operate Forklift Competency Standard, please click link.
Source: OSH Alert