bizSAFE Certification Singapore WSH Act and Regulations Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the WSH (Risk Management) Regulations in Singapore, how often must a company review its risk assessments?
- At least once every year, or when there is a change in work processes.
- Only when a serious accident occurs at the workplace.
- At least once every 3 years, or when there is a significant change in work practices or an incident occurs. (Correct answer)
- Every 5 years, as stipulated by the company's WSH policy.
Correct answer: At least once every 3 years, or when there is a significant change in work practices or an incident occurs.
The Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations state that it is the duty of every employer, self-employed person, and principal to review and, if necessary, revise the risk assessment at least once every 3 years. A review is also required when there is a significant change in work practices or procedures, or after an incident has occurred.
Question 2: A construction company in Singapore has achieved bizSAFE Level 2. What is the key requirement they must fulfill to progress to bizSAFE Level 3?
- Train a WSH Management System (WSHMS) Champion and develop a full WSHMS implementation plan.
- Engage an independent, SAC-accredited auditor to conduct a Risk Management Implementation Audit. (Correct answer)
- Send the CEO to attend the Top Executive WSH Programme (TEWP).
- Achieve certification to an international standard like ISO 45001.
Correct answer: Engage an independent, SAC-accredited auditor to conduct a Risk Management Implementation Audit.
To progress from bizSAFE Level 2 to Level 3, a company must implement its documented risk management plan. The key step is to engage an independent auditor from a Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) recognised Auditing Organisation (AO) to audit the implementation of the Risk Management plan at the workplace.
Question 3: According to the WSH (Incident Reporting) Regulations, if an employee is involved in a workplace accident resulting in more than 3 consecutive days of medical leave, when must the employer submit a report to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)?
- Within 24 hours of the accident.
- Within 3 working days of the accident.
- As soon as is reasonably practicable, with no fixed deadline.
- Within 10 days of first having notice of the accident. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Within 10 days of first having notice of the accident.
The WSH (Incident Reporting) Regulations require an employer to submit an incident report to the Commissioner (MOM) within 10 days after the date they first have notice of an accident that leads to an employee being certified by a medical practitioner for more than 3 consecutive days of medical leave (not including the day of the accident).
Question 4: A manufacturing firm in Jurong with 150 employees has just formed a Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Committee. Which of the following statements about the committee's composition is correct under the WSH (WSH Committees) Regulations?
- The committee must be chaired by the company's CEO or Managing Director.
- The number of management representatives must be equal to or greater than the number of employee representatives.
- The appointed Workplace Safety and Health Officer (WSH Officer) is deemed to be the secretary of the committee. (Correct answer)
- The committee is only required to meet after a workplace accident has occurred.
Correct answer: The appointed Workplace Safety and Health Officer (WSH Officer) is deemed to be the secretary of the committee.
The WSH (Workplace Safety and Health Committees) Regulations 2008 state that where a WSH Officer is appointed for the factory, he or she is deemed to be the secretary of the WSH committee. The regulations also require the number of employee representatives to be not less than the number of management representatives.
Question 5: Which of the following is a primary duty of an employer under the Singapore WSH Act?
- To purchase the cheapest available Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for employees.
- To take, so far as is reasonably practicable, measures to ensure the safety and health of their employees and others affected by their work. (Correct answer)
- To delegate all WSH responsibilities to a junior staff member to manage.
- To report only fatal accidents to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
Correct answer: To take, so far as is reasonably practicable, measures to ensure the safety and health of their employees and others affected by their work.
The cornerstone of the WSH Act is the principle that employers have a duty to take all measures that are 'reasonably practicable' to ensure the safety and health of their employees at work. This is a broad, proactive duty that covers not just employees but any person who might be affected by the company's operations.
Question 6: A company is implementing risk control measures for a hazardous task. According to the hierarchy of controls promoted by the WSH Council, which of the following actions should be prioritized first?
- Providing all affected workers with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Implementing administrative controls like rotating jobs and adding more warning signs.
- Completely removing the hazardous process from the workplace. (Correct answer)
- Replacing the hazardous chemical with a less hazardous, but more expensive, alternative.
Correct answer: Completely removing the hazardous process from the workplace.
The hierarchy of risk controls prioritizes the most effective measures. Elimination, which means removing the hazard entirely, is the most effective and should be considered first. Substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, and finally PPE follow in descending order of effectiveness.
