Deadline for companies to conduct mandatory safety-time out extended to Sep 30: MOM

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has given companies 15 more days to conduct a mandatory safety time-out, after receiving feedback that more time is required to review safety procedures. 

This extends the deadline to Sep 30. From Oct 1, the Manpower Ministry will conduct compliance checks and will take debarment actions against companies that are found to have not completed their mandatory safety time-out, said the ministry in a Facebook post. 

MOM announced earlier this month that companies in higher-risk sectors would be required to conduct a mandatory safety time-out to review safety procedures from Sep 1 to Sep 15, as part of the measures introduced under the heightened safety period. 

Companies that failed to do so would be debarred from employing new foreign employees for a month. It was the first time a mandatory safety time-out had been imposed. 

The requirement applies to all companies in the construction, manufacturing, marine, process or transport and storage industries as well as industries that use heavy or industrial vehicles. 

MOM said on Wednesday that the ministry and the Workplace Safety and Health Council had received feedback that the industries were supportive of the heightened safety measures but needed more time to comply with the mandatory safety time-out to carry out a thorough review of their safety procedures. 

"Safety is our priority and MOM will partner the industries to build safer workplaces."

The ministry added that those that need guidance can refer to the safety time-out checklist at go.gov.sg/stochecklist. They can also sign up for the StartSAFE programme for a consultant to conduct a risk assessment at the workplace. 

A total of 28 people died in workplace incidents in the first half of the year, putting the fatality rate per 100,000 workers higher than two six-month periods prior.

More than half of the deaths reported from January to June this year were a result of falls from height and vehicular-related incidents . 

MOM said it was concerned with the high rate of fatality and called for a six-month period of heightened safety from Sep 1 to Feb 28, 2023.