At the first session of the 11th Parliamentary session in Singapore, Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Acting Minister for Manpower at measures are in place to curb further shipyard incidents and accidents.
In view of the many foreign workers in this industry, she also enquired whether adequate steps and action are being taken to ensure they comprehend all guidelines and safety regulations given in a certain language of instruction; and whether there are interpreters to assist them with the explanation.
In response, Mr Gan Kim Yong, the Acting Minister for Manpower said: "Worker safety at shipyards has been an important area of focus for MOM. In 2007, the fatality rate for the sector was 6.9 fatalities per 100,000 workers, a decrease from 9.8 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2006. Following the recent spate of accidents in shipyards, MOM has stepped up inspections on all 89 shipyards in Singapore. The inspections revealed that there were several areas where safety standards had fallen short. 47 shipyards were fined a total of $113,000. In addition, two shipyards were ordered to suspend operations for serious lapses. Follow-up inspections were also carried out to ensure corrective measures have been implemented by all the shipyards.
The industry-led Workplace Safety and Health Council and the Association of Singapore Marine Industries (ASMI) have also rallied the industry to implement an unprecedented safety 'time-out' from work, to review the safety processes in shipyards. The Council has also stepped up its outreach. It organised an industry forum to share how shipyards can build better safety systems and a strong WSH culture. The Council has also developed a WSH Manual for the industry's reference. The Council is currently working with the NTUC and the Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Employees' Union on a joint outreach programme to educate supervisors and reach out to every worker on the ground.
The Member has also expressed concerns about whether language proficiency could have affected the safety performance in shipyards. I wish to assure the House that all new foreign workers entering this industry must attend the Shipyard Safety Instruction Course and pass the Worker Safety and Well-being test before they can commence work. These are conducted in their native languages to ensure they fully comprehend the safety rules. Existing workers are also required to be re-certified every two years.
At the workplaces, employers have also developed ways to effectively communicate with the foreign workers. These include daily toolbox briefings for workgroup leaders conducted by supervisors before the start of work to explain the work processes for the day and relevant safety procedures. The workgroup leaders then explain and demonstrate the safety instructions to the workers, and translate them into their native languages if necessary. Many companies also have safety checklists or in-house educational videos in different languages.
MOM will continue to monitor closely the safety performance at shipyards. I urge all employers to tighten their safety systems and step up their communications with workers in the area of safety processes and procedures."
