The Singapore Contractors Association Limited (Scal) launched a new mobile app yesterday, in a bid to improve safety at the workplace.

The app shows photographs of good and bad safety practices at worksites and covers nine topics, including preventing electrocution and falls from height. Safety supervisors can use it to teach workers how to keep themselves safe.

More examples and captions in languages such as Mandarin, Tamil and Thai will be added as the app is improved, said Mr Lee Kay Chai, who chairs Scal's workplace safety and health sub-committee.

Scal, together with the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also published a 136-page report on productivity issues in the construction sector.

It will submit recommendations for improvements to the Building and Construction Authority in the next few months, said Scal president Kenneth Loo at a media conference to mark the start of the association's 80th year.

The report identifies causes of low productivity and makes eight recommendations to improve productivity, including minimising time wastage through poor planning or repetitive inspections.

Mr Dominic Choy, who chairs Scal's productivity and technology sub-committee, said productivity can be hampered by companies offering unrealistic bids that will lead to cutting corners elsewhere.

"Good safety, good quality and productivity, are all outcomes of good planning," he said.

Joanna Seow