Fewer workplace injuries in transport and logistics industry in 2023

SINGAPORE – The non-fatal workplace injury rate in the transport and logistics sectors went down in 2023 to 1,097 cases per 100,000 workers, from 1,204 cases per 100,000 workers in 2022.

Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat gave the statistics in his address at the SMRT Contractors’ Safety Forum at Orchid Country Club’s Grand Ballroom on Aug 20.

Transport operator SMRT recorded an average workplace injury rate of 648 cases per 100,000 workers annually since 2020, which is below the national transport and logistics industry rate.

As a whole, Singapore’s workplace fatality rate in 2023 was 0.99 per 100,000 workers, down from 1.3 in 2022. Excluding Covid-19-related disruptions in 2020, this is the first time that the workplace fatality rate has dipped below one per 100,000 workers.

Addressing the 200 attendees from 90 contractor companies and external agencies at the event, Mr Chee gave three suggestions to further improve safety.

First, set standards and build capabilities for the entire ecosystem and not just at the individual company level; second, use technology to improve workplace safety; and third, recognise that good workplace safety practices are essential for business.

“We want to make sure that we take good care of our people and our workers so that everyone can return home safely to our loved ones after work,” Mr Chee said.

But he said inculcating safety consciousness and safe work practices may not be natural for businesses, which have concerns about costs and lack the resources needed to do so.

SMRT said that since January 2024, it has required vendors to hold bizSafe Level 3 or higher certification from the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council.

There are five steps in the bizSafe programme, intended to help companies build workplace safety and health capabilities.

The operator said 90 per cent of the vendors it works with hold Level 3 qualification, up from 75 per cent a year ago. To be certified at this level, a risk assessment has to be conducted for every work activity and process at a company’s workplace in accordance to WSH regulations.

Mr Chee said good workplace safety practices are essential for business, citing the example of Power Automation, one of the companies recognised at the event.

The company, which maintains SMRT’s database server on the North-South and East-West MRT lines, requires its contractors to have a minimum of bizSafe Level 3 in its tendering process.

Mr Chee said the agencies under his ministry will continue to take into account contractors’ safety performance and commitment to safety in their tenders, adding: “In future, we will consider possibly placing more recognition on companies with higher bizSafe levels.”

Another company recognised at the event was NSL OilChem Waste Management, which collects toxic industrial waste at the transport operator’s rail and bus premises.

In 2021, it modified the tank used to collect the liquid waste by locating the inlet hose and installing a level indicator in a way that workers do not have to climb up more than 2m to the top of the tanker truck to perform their tasks.

NSL’s spokesman said the modification has improved workplace safety and increased its workers’ productivity.

To improve safety, NSL also installed all-round cameras on its tanker trucks to minimise blind spots for its drivers.

This is the second year that SMRT is holding the event and the first time that it is giving out safety awards to contractors.

On Aug 20, 10 companies were recognised for fulfilling the stringent safety standards, which include maintaining a track record of zero workplace injuries at all worksites in the past year.

Since the 2023 event, SMRT has conducted 10 dialogues with its contractors focusing on safety case studies and standards for high-risk activities like access to MRT tracks and working at heights.

Following the engagements, the operator announced a one-day programme for its contractors to help them with their safety enhancement efforts.

SMRT group chief executive Ngien Hoon Ping said the operator wants to achieve zero accidents through continuous improvement and share best practices with the wider public transport community.

Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we said that Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council, was a statutory board, rather than a statutory body under the Ministry of Manpower. This has been corrected. We are sorry for the error.