Timely wake-up call on workers' safety

The recent rise in workplace accidents and deaths is clearly unacceptable. There have been 27 workplace fatalities so far this year - a troubling statistic because the number is close to double that of the same period in 2019. Among the 27 deaths, 10 were in construction, and six of the 10 deaths were related to smaller construction firms or projects. In response, it has been announced that more workplace safety and health (WSH) personnel will need to be deployed on the ground as the authorities undertake a review of current WSH requirements. At the same time, the Government will look into imposing heavier penalties on contractors with poor work practices, and give those with better safety records more business opportunities. This carrot-and-stick approach is required because the current WSH regulatory regime has been in place for more than a decade.

It is timely to review it. The purpose of the latest official initiative is to create a situation in which safer construction companies will have better business opportunities, and unsafe firms will be disqualified from competing with them for government contracts, or will have a tougher time getting foreign manpower because they have more demerit points. Certainly, there could be extraneous factors that have contributed to the fatalities and casualties. The reopening of borders following the worst of the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in firms facing greater challenges in supervising their workers. More experienced workers are eager to return home after a long absence, and are replaced by new workers who are less experienced and, therefore, need greater supervision. Yet, delivery timelines to which companies are committed to do not make allowances for these vagaries of the demand-supply equation, leading to manpower constraints.