New chairman for Workplace Safety and Health Council from April 1

SINGAPORE – Mr Abu Bakar Mohd Nor will be the new chairman of the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council from Saturday.

Mr Abu Bakar, 57, also helms the National Work at Heights task force, and has been deputy chairman of the WSH Council since 2018, according to a statement from the council on Friday.

He is the group chairman of consultancy company M Kapital Holdings, and was previously a managing director of Keppel Offshore and Marine, and president of the Association of Singapore Marine Industries.

He will be replacing WSH Council chairman John Ng, 63, who will be retiring after being in this role for six years.

On the leadership change, Mr Abu Bakar said this is a “crucial period” for WSH, adding that leading the council is a “significant responsibility and privilege”.

“I will build on chairman John’s good work over the last six years and look forward to working closely with the rest of the council members, stakeholders and industry partners as we head towards our WSH2028 goals.” The WSH2028 goals include reducing the fatality rate among workers in Singapore to below one per 100,000 workers by 2028.

During Mr Ng’s time as chairman, initiatives such as the Vision Zero movement and Workplace Mental Well-being Campaign were implemented.

The Vision Zero movement aimed to achieve zero workplace injuries in multiple industries such as chemicals, logistics and transport, while the mental well-being campaign sought to provide guides and templates on implementing mental well-being initiatives in the workplace.

“Workplace safety and health is a collective responsibility, and I am confident that under Mr Abu Bakar’s leadership, the council can better work with the industry to build a healthy workforce and safe workplace,” said Mr Ng.

Mr Vincent Phang will be appointed the new deputy chairman of the WSH Council from Saturday.

Mr Phang, 49, is the group chief executive of Singapore Post, and has been on the WSH Council since 2020.