REACH 524 - What are your views on NEA's enhancement of its workplace safety practices and culture? How can we continue to ensure safety at the workplace and cultivate a positive workplace safety culture?
(SK)
09 Jan 2024 (10am - 7pm)
REACH
9/1/24, 3:27 pm - +REACH: *Dear Contributors,*
Welcome back! đ
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Megan đ
9/1/24, 3:29 pm - +REACH: đ˘ *Topic* đ˘
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu delivered a Ministerial Statement in Parliament this afternoon and shared that the National Environment Agency (NEA) has strengthened its workplace safety practices and culture following an explosion at Tuas Incineration Plant in 2021 that killed two of its officers and injured one.
Minister Fu said these measures involve operational enhancements at waste management facilities and a reassessment of the agency's workplace safety and health practices at an organisational level.
đŹ *What are your views on NEA's enhancement of its workplace safety practices and culture? How can we continue to ensure safety at the workplace and cultivate a positive workplace safety culture?*
đ _*What happened?*_
On Sep 23, 2021, three NEA officers were sent to troubleshoot a fault in the incineration plant. A control room at the incineration plant was unable to remotely switch off an industrial fan. The three men were in an electrical switch room when the explosion happened.
NEA has been accused of failing to take measures necessary to ensure the safety and health of its employees at work. Two senior officers were charged with negligently endangering the safety of others at the plant without reasonable cause.
Following the incident, Tuas Incineration Plant stopped receiving waste for incineration and was shut down immediately after the explosion, said Minister Fu. NEA was issued a Stop Work Order by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), during which NEA engineering officers completed checks on machinery and reviewed all safety procedures at the plant, she added. These were complemented by checks and tests from an external licensed electrical engineer.
đ _*Enhanced measures*_
Aside from fully cooperating with investigations conducted by the MOM, the Singapore Civil Defence Force and other agencies, NEA also convened its own internal investigation panel to ascertain the events which led to the incident, identify possible causes, and recommend additional measures to prevent a similar recurrence.
Measures are being suggested to strengthen the plant’s work system and processes involving high-voltage works. NEA has also strengthened work place safety and health, drawing from guidelines and best practices issued by the Workplace Safety and Health Council.
It is also conducting an operational review of its waste management facilities, which include not just the Tuas South Incineration Plant, but other facilities such as Semakau Landfill as well. In addition, it has appointed an external advisory panel comprising senior industry leaders who have experience managing large facilities and operators to strengthen operations and safety at its waste management facilities.
đ https://str.sg/wtFMc
đ https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/tuas-incineration-plant-fatal-explosion-nea-safety-practices-grace-fu-4033941
9/1/24, 3:30 pm - ~ REACH Singapore changed this group's settings to allow all members to send messages to this group
9/1/24, 3:32 pm - ~ REACH Singapore changed the group description
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9/1/24, 3:35 pm - +Poh S Lim: The incineration plant is just like any other workplace and should have been treated as such.
If NEA was the operator of the plant, then it is very disappointing that the incident even occurred as government organisations should be held to higher standards of compliance.
This means that there was a lot of complacency in the organisation and the highest levels should be held accountable.
9/1/24, 3:51 pm - +Thank You: Sad and sorry to say yes
9/1/24, 3:51 pm - +Thank You: Totally agree
9/1/24, 3:52 pm - +Thank You: As the office bearers (Chairperson/Secretary/treasurer) of the MCST we are liable to vice versus
9/1/24, 4:43 pm - +REACH: *Dear Contributors*
We want to *HEAR MORE* from you!
đŹ *What are your views on NEA's enhancement of its workplace safety practices and culture? How can we continue to ensure safety at the workplace and cultivate a positive workplace safety culture?*
Megan đ
9/1/24, 4:51 pm - +Frankie Wee: Stay safe workplacebare required
-Ensure stay healthy
-Ensure maintenance checklist alway duty
-play part of role in workplace environment and be responsibility
-de stress management at risk overwork levels.
9/1/24, 4:52 pm - +Frankie Wee: Be physically and mentally psychologically strong positivity
9/1/24, 4:55 pm - +Rama: All levels of staff must be trained in various levels of safety awareness according to their job scope. No short cuts or intimidation towards safety lapses.
9/1/24, 5:10 pm - ☸️ Danny ĺż:
1. Understand that this incident is now under the court jurisdiction to uncover what actually went wrong.
2. External advisory panel comprising experience expertise is also convene to review its operational procedures.
3. Various government agencies including SCDF and NEA is conducting its own internal investigation on its operational process.
4. The purpose of the 3 prong approach to establish the cause, what went wrong, what additional procedures to be implemented and how to prevent future accidents - are the right step forward.
5. Pending the outcome of fact findings conducted by the 3 prong approach - we will see the full picture before we can comment objectively what should be the best steps forward.
9/1/24, 5:12 pm - +Rama: Not the first time a stat board fell short nor will it be the last!
9/1/24, 5:14 pm - +Poh S Lim: Safety culture is very dependent on attitude and ultimately behaviour-based.
There are tools which exists such as safety checklists, risk assessments, engineering controls, administrative controls and even PPE, but these tools only work if people use them consistently, conscientiously and thoughtfully.
9/1/24, 5:15 pm - +Rama: I am expecting a ownself check ownself, cover ownself, punish ownself outcome!
9/1/24, 5:22 pm - +Thank You: To think back who approved the TOP/CSC BCA SCDF and was there any Surveyor done can check from INLIS/SLA record. After being an office bearer I am so disappointed by how in the first place the TOP/CSC was passed through. Will have to look into this area too as the start is the crucial part. It should never had to be approved to usage in the first place hence BCA had also to answer for this!!!
9/1/24, 5:22 pm - +Poh S Lim: Safety culture requires one to be very disciplined, but sometimes we need an independent eye to see if we’re making mistakes
9/1/24, 5:23 pm - +Rama: How independent is independent!?
9/1/24, 5:25 pm - +Thank You: Yes that’s why even before operation/TOP (Temporary Occupation Period) various Govt agencies will go through check and eventually a surveyor will be involved. By back tracking on all the approval will be able to know where goes wrong.
9/1/24, 5:27 pm - +Frankie Wee: Independent or coordinating
9/1/24, 5:27 pm - +Frankie Wee: Independent need good leadership
9/1/24, 5:27 pm - +Rama: Who has oversight!?
9/1/24, 5:30 pm - +Frankie Wee: Leadership fail then whole system failed information.
9/1/24, 5:32 pm - +Rama: Don't expect frank outcome in Parliament or from ministry/minister .
9/1/24, 5:33 pm - +Frankie Wee: Sometime worker feeling unhappy when leadership or supervisor give order duty. Do not self centre and overdone.
9/1/24, 5:34 pm - +Poh S Lim: Independent usually meaning a supervisory role… not the worker himself or a coworker doing the same task.
9/1/24, 5:35 pm - +Rama: Independent means right to point out publicly facts without prejudice.
9/1/24, 5:37 pm - +Redzuan: Perhaps not just Incinerator, Powerplants, and others too.
Likely higher management they did not even go down to site and do surprise inspections.
previous examples, like the case with MRT. Old Sump pumps and old train repair machines. It shows profit but did not look at the last end mile employee and equipment at the ground.
đŤŁđ¤
9/1/24, 5:41 pm - +Poh S Lim: Higher management can go down, but they probably don’t know what to look for or how to do a proper inspection because they may not have the know how.
The organisation needs a technical manager and a team of competent safety supervisory staff to patrol safety aspects
9/1/24, 5:41 pm - +Rama: This message was deleted
9/1/24, 5:42 pm - +Redzuan: Yup true bro <This message was edited>
9/1/24, 5:47 pm - +Frankie Wee: They have education and experience familiar work in heavy industries.
9/1/24, 5:51 pm - +Frankie Wee: Human error or Ai replacement job.
9/1/24, 5:51 pm - +Frankie Wee: đł
9/1/24, 5:52 pm - +Poh S Lim: Not always true. Higher management are usually academically better but are usually not the pragmatic kind of people.
Safety incidents and accidents usually are of physical or chemical nature and if paper pushers are put in charge of an organisation, they are clueless of consequences of physical or chemical risks.
9/1/24, 5:53 pm - +Rama: Need higher mgmt with previous technical and operational background expertise!
9/1/24, 5:53 pm - +Poh S Lim: That’s right!
9/1/24, 5:53 pm - +Frankie Wee: I agreed human is error not perfect 100%
9/1/24, 5:55 pm - +Frankie Wee: Industrial Indian workers most they are very exhausted. The future technology is advance with Ai assist human workers. Mean skill worker no longer
9/1/24, 5:56 pm - +Frankie Wee: Govt focus on a lot spent money Ai
9/1/24, 5:57 pm - +Rama: Forever work permit holders are always the scapegoat for cheap labour even if their qualifications can ve assessed and accepted!
9/1/24, 5:58 pm - +Frankie Wee: PSA tank driverless they use automatic transportation
9/1/24, 5:59 pm - +Rama: Within the yard.
9/1/24, 6:00 pm - +Frankie Wee: skill work but cheap labour sometime error
Smart worker fast and save time but spent on focus Ai
9/1/24, 6:00 pm - +Smiley face: Try Team work...
9/1/24, 6:00 pm - +REACH: đ˘ *Topic* đ˘
9/1/24, 6:00 pm - +Frankie Wee: Compliance’s ability team work
9/1/24, 6:01 pm - +Rama: Internally!
9/1/24, 6:06 pm - +Smiley face: Team dynamics and leadership at all levels.
Continuous education and training, 2 Safety measures and check & balance....
9/1/24, 6:08 pm - +Smiley face: Buddy system?
9/1/24, 6:08 pm - +Thank You: True
9/1/24, 6:09 pm - +Smiley face: 9 January, 2024
"Duties & Responsibilities"
"Rushing and/or hurrying to finish a job or a process or to deliver goods, these are some common areas of concern for human errors to happen and accidents to strike! A few minutes late doesn't matter, importantly, let's get the job done in a logical and safest ways and watch out for one another. Safety is always FIRST consideration with no exceptions!"
- - Safety First
9/1/24, 6:14 pm - +Frankie Wee: Human physical activity limit 8 hours in heavy industrial.
9/1/24, 6:15 pm - +Frankie Wee: Unknown how did they accidentally or human exhausted overwork
9/1/24, 6:33 pm - +Redzuan: Machines and humans got lifeline. Respect each other.
Karma is real. It's just when and how it will happen.
9/1/24, 6:46 pm - +REACH: *Dear Contributors,*
⏰ We will be closing the chat in *15 minutes* ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan đ
9/1/24, 6:58 pm - +Smiley face: 9 January, 2024
"Duties & Responsibilities"
"Rushing and/or hurrying to finish a job or a process or to deliver goods, these are some common areas of concern for human errors to happen and accidents to strike! A few minutes late doesn't matter, importantly, let's get the job done in a logical and safest ways and watch out for one another. Safety is always FIRST consideration with no exceptions!"
- - anonymity
Competent?
All workers must know their roles and be awarened of potential hazards and danger zones.
Workers are assumed to have minimum standard, adequately trained or certified, or having knowledge and experience in operating machines of any kinds from office equipments, construction equipments and tools, to the factory heavyweighted machineries.
Continuous education and training are two key driver of safety measures at the workplace especially for places were analytics have shown the higher if not highest chances for minor to major accidents. The construction worksites or at the Jurong Petrochemical Island. Both are areas of critical concern and safety is the number One priority to all workers working at these high alert places or jobs.
Fire is one common mishap not confining to the workplace and lately it has been happening in our own homes.
Complacent and careless?
There are cases of complacency or careless behaviors at the workplace so called work attitudes of "nothing new" or "I know my job!"
Accidents often happen when one individual or a few individuals were not alert and at the critical moment of slacking, thing's happened. Injury or death at the workplace can be minimised or to eliminate chance of accident from happening.
How to ensure the workplace or home safest for all?
Stay alert and look out for one another during working hours and pay extra attention when doing Overtime especially during Early hours of the morning and during Evenings or Nite shifts. All these "sleepy" timings or wee hours are potential timeline for human errors or lack of judgement that will likely cause a minor error or a major accident whereby workers are injured, lost of limbs or sadly, death. In a serious situation such as an explosion and followed by fire, the damaged will be enormous and lives may be lost!
- - in progress - -
9/1/24, 7:00 pm - +REACH: *Dear Contributors,*
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan đ
9/1/24, 7:01 pm - ~ REACH Singapore changed this group's settings to allow only admins to send messages to this group
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