Question 1 Safety Management System (Maximum 400 words) Risk Management is to identify, analyse and control (preferably to eliminate) workplace hazards to an acceptable or tolerable level that may...

Question 1
Safety Management System (Maximum 400 words)
Risk Management is to identify, analyse and control (preferably to eliminate) workplace hazards to an acceptable or tolerable level that may otherwise threaten the organisation or business. The then Minister for Manpower, in the reading of the Bill for the new WSH Act (2006), said that there should be higher penalties (fines and jail sentences) for poor safety management system and (safety) outcome.
The fatality rate in Singapore is noted to be stagnant or rising1. Most of the fatality is falling from height in the construction industry, accounting for about 40% of the statistics. This rise is against the backdrop of increased surveillance by Safety Inspectors as well as the mandatory audit of the Safety Management System. Something is clearly wrong.
(a) Describe what acceptable or tolerable level of risk means in Risk Assessment.
(1 mark)
(b) Give TWO (2) reasons for the increasing fatality trend in the construction industry despite the mandatory audit scheme and surveillance.
(4 marks)
(c) Discuss what can be done in relation to the fatality trend described in Question 1(b) with explanations on how to arrest the rising trend. There must be TWO (2) proposals for each of the 2 reasons given in Question 1(b) and how these proposals are related to the specific sections of SS506. For example, if you think that one of the failure in the safety management system is that workers do not use safety harnesses whilst working at height, then more training (#4.4.2) and surveillance (#4.4.6) are required to reduce the fatality.
(20 marks)
Question 2
SMEs AND SMS (Maximum 200 words)
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)2 are often regarded as the backbone of the economy, employing 70% of the workforce and contributing to nearly 50% of Singapore’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Given that the safety management system (SMS) is important in recognising and controlling all workplace risks under the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSH Act) and its Regulations, all SMEs are required to comply with the Act.
(a) Discuss if majority of SMEs in Singapore is complying with the requirement of establishing a safety management system and taking safety responsibility. Give FIVE (5) possible reasons for non-compliance.
(5 marks)
(b) Illustrate how you can provide TWO (2) viable interventions or programs to assist SMEs in their compliance with the Act.
(10 marks)
Question 3
Performance Indicators (Maximum 400 words)
Your company had a series of accidents and incidents in the past year (with at least one a month) regarding slip trip and fall, mainly at the same level. The accident last week was particularly serious when a young worker ran across the wet road in the factory when it was raining, slipped and fell backwards right in front of the path of the forklift truck. The forklift driver’s view was partially obstructed by the high loads but managed to stop in time to avoid running over the fallen young worker. Unfortunately, the load on the forklift shifted, toppled and broke the content within the boxes which cost a tidy sum of $30,000 and delayed shipment. The young worker, fell backward and hit the back of his head and suffered a mild concussion. He was hospitalised one day for tests. Having ascertain no additional medical issues, the worker was discharged and was given five days of medical leave. The injured worker had graduated recently and joined the company for hardly a week with no prior work experience before the accident.
There are several factors that directly contributed to the accident, including, but not limited to, the weather, visibility, human factors such as the attitude of both the forklift driver and the injured, the condition of road surface and the high load on the forklift. The forklift driver, an elderly man, was diagnosed with cataract and chronic hypertension during a medical examination as part of the accident investigation.
You are tasked to ensure similar accidents do not happen again.
(a) Describe the sequence of actions to be in place following the accident fulfilling the requirements of the Singapore Standard SS506:2009 “Occupational Safety and Health Management System” and the WSH Act and Regulations.
(20 marks)
(b) Discuss FIVE (5) control (or operating) procedures to be implemented to inculcate safety expectations. A simple explanation for the control implemented is necessary. For example: mandatory safety induction for new employees to set safety expectation of new workers.
(10 marks)
(c) Describe how you would re-conduct the risk assessment to incorporate the well-being component in TWSH3 (Total Workplace Safety and Health) given the discovery of chronic medical condition of the workers that may affect the company’s safety performance.
(15 marks)
(d) Performance indicators are important to ensure the corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) in the implementation of the controls are effective and on target to meet the objectives. Suggest FIVE (5) indicators, comprising a mixture of leading and lagging types that you will use to monitor the progress of the CAPA. You are required to give a reason for the choice of each indicator.
(15 marks)