June 27, 2018
In
Safety
What You Should Know About The Recent Ministry of Manpower Massive Crack Down?
In the month of April and May, there has been a series of enforcement actions taken by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) targeting machinery safety to address hand and finger injuries at work place. Here is a quick update on what you should know about the enforcement action taken.
- 850 enforcement actions were taken against 276 companies, including 6 Stop-Work Orders and 78 composition fines amounting to $91,000.
- In 2017, machinery-related incidents were the second leading cause of major injuries at the workplace with 74 cases, where workers are struck by, caught in-between, and cut or stabbed by machines and tools. About 90% of these cases resulted in amputation.
- In the five months of 2018, there were 30 machinery-related major injuries. Due to the lack of proper machine guarding in the workplace and improper risk management.
- From 2014 to 2017, construction, metalworking, and marine sectors were the top three sectors that accounted for most of the machinery-related cases.
- In WSH Act, companies that fail to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of their workers can be fined up to $500,000 for the first offence.
Many companies were caught off guard by this sudden crackdown. Don’t be a victim of such enforcement. Hefty fines and stop work orders are a huge price to may. Increase the safety awareness of your company today. Your staffs are one of the most valuable asset that your company could have. Raise their safety awareness today. Alternatively, you can find out more information here on how you can get them certified. A safety work environment begins with you.
