Businesses should urgently assess and ensure that their particular WSH management system includes the following steps or checks, mentioned the WSH Authorities.
VISITORS MANAGEMENT PLAN (TMP)
A TMP should be implemented in order to minimise the risk of vehicle collisions and enhance the safety of all individuals at a petrol station, said the WSH Council.
Recommended risk controls range from the following:
- Implement a swiftness limit within the station and communicate this particular clearly via visitors signage
- Install road humps or rumble strips at strategic locations in order to slow down vehicle movement
- Post signage and/or road markings to remind drivers to keep a lookout for pedestrians
- Place convex decorative mirrors to eliminate blind spots inside the petrol station
- Provide pedestrian crossing(s) that are clearly noticeable to drivers in order to facilitate safe people’s movement to and from water pump islands
HAZARD COMMUNICATION
Workers needs to be briefed on probable workplace hazards and the dangers of sidetracked walking, such as strolling while looking at your mobile phone, at a petrol station.
Motion to and from pump islands should only end up being at designated people crossings, said the particular WSH Council, adding that each worker needs to be equipped with a high-visibility reflective vest.
PENALTIES
Under the Workplace Safety and Health Work, first-time corporate offenders may be sentenced to the maximum fine of S$500, 000, while individuals can either end up being sentenced to the optimum fine of S$200, 000 and/or the jail term of up to two years.
In September this past year, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) introduced a six-month heightened safety period with tightened measures to increase penalties and improve accountability from business management.
During this period, which will end upon Feb 28, MOTHER will impose severe actions for severe WSH lapses, which include debarment from hiring new work move holders, company leaders having to personally accounts to MOM and take responsibility just for rectifications, as well as the appealing of external auditors to conduct a comprehensive review of company’s WSH processes.
Within a Facebook post on Friday, Member of Parliament Melvin Yong (PAP-Radin Mas) noted that just one month in to 2023, three lives have been lost due to workplace incidents, which two are automobile related.
“This is very concerning as safety is something which we should never end up being complacent about, and company management must do all that they can to make sure that workplace safety plus health (WSH) is really a top priority for everyone in the workplace, ” said Mr Yong, who will be also assistant secretary-general of the National Trading Union Congress (NTUC).
“NTUC remains deeply concerned about the amount of preventable injuries plus deaths. ”
Mr Yong additional that he has filed a parliamentary issue for the upcoming sitting on Feb six, asking if MOTHER would extend the Heightened Safety Period beyond Feb twenty-eight.
He will also ask what more can be carried out to prevent workplace incidents.