bizSAFE Workplace Safety and Health Act

Question 1

Which Singapore government agency is primarily responsible for administering and enforcing the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act?

Accepted Answer

Ministry of Manpower (MOM)

Answer

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is the primary authority responsible for administering and enforcing the Workplace Safety and Health Act in Singapore, supported by the WSH Council.

Question 2

Under Singapore's Workplace Safety and Health Act, who has the primary duty to ensure workplace safety?

Accepted Answer

The employer

Answer

The WSH Act places the primary duty of care for workplace safety on the employer. Employers must take reasonably practicable steps to ensure the safety and health of all persons at work.

Question 3

What is the key principle introduced by the Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Act compared to the previous Factories Act?

Accepted Answer

Responsibility for safety is shared among all stakeholders including employers, employees, and contractors

Answer

The WSH Act introduced a shared responsibility model, recognising that employers, employees, contractors, and other stakeholders all have a role in maintaining workplace safety, unlike the previous Factories Act which focused narrowly on factory owners.

Question 4

Under the WSH Act, what is the obligation of an employee regarding workplace safety?

Accepted Answer

To take reasonable care of their own safety and the safety of others, and cooperate with their employer on safety matters

Answer

Under the WSH Act, employees must take reasonable care for their own safety and the safety of others who may be affected by their actions, and must cooperate with their employer in fulfilling safety obligations.

Question 5

The WSH Act requires workplace risks to be managed to a standard described as 'reasonably practicable'. What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

Doing what is possible to reduce risk, balancing the level of risk against the cost and difficulty of control measures

Answer

'Reasonably practicable' means balancing the level of risk against the cost, effort, and difficulty of implementing control measures. Risks that are disproportionately costly to address relative to their severity may still satisfy the standard if other measures are in place.

bizSAFE Practice Test

bizSAFE Practice Test

bizSAFE Workplace Safety and Health Act