The Singapore Armed Forces will re-examine its safety processes and put more pairs of eyes on the ground to ensure that everyone along the command chain trains safely. Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen made this assurance during Parliament on Monday.

At the top, it will set up a new directorate to review the SAF's training safety system. The director of the new body will report to the Defence Ministry's Permanent Secretary and the Chief of Defence Forces, and oversee review panels that submit the recommendations.

The first external review panel on training safety will comprise military men and professionals from outside the SAF. They will sign off on the SAF's safety practices and "determine if they match up with the best practices of industries and other militaries", said Dr Ng.

Further down the command chain, more officers will be deployed in the army's ground units to spot risks and safety hazards and ensure that soldiers comply with safety rules.

Other measures include beefing up the soldier feedback channel so they can bring up unsafe practices or near-misses.

Dr Ng also said more experienced regular commanders - commissioned officers and specialists - will also be deployed to training institutes and operational units to better train those in their first year of National Service.