MOM: First time Singapore hit Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) 2028 target
Fatal and major injuries across Singapore workplaces dropped to the newest low in a decade, according to new data from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
The workplace fatal injury rate decreased to 0.99 per 100,000 workers in 2023, down from the 1.3 in 2022.
This marks the first time that the state's workplace fatal injury rate has fallen below one per 100,000 workers in the past decade, except in 2020 when COVID-19 disrupted workplaces and the fatal injury rate fell to 0.9.
Source: Ministry of Manpower
This also makes it the first time that Singapore hit its Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) 2028 target, which is a fatal injury rate of less than one per 100,000 employees.
"The goal now is to sustain our WSH achievements. All stakeholders – employers, industry associations, unions, workers as well as the government – need to press on with our collective efforts to prevent workplace incidents and ensure that Singapore remains a safe workplace for all," MOM said in a statement.
"Only four OECD countries have achieved a workplace fatal injury rate of below 1 per 100,000 workers consistently – the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Sweden, Germany."
Major injury rate declines
Meanwhile, the workplace major injury rate also dipped to 16.1 per 100,000 workers, down from 17.3 in 2022.
This is also the lowest recorded rate in Singapore in the past decade, according to MOM.
"Singapore's 2023 WSH performance is a significant improvement from 2022, when a Heightened Safety Period was imposed," the ministry said.
It attributed the achievement to the Multi-Agency Workplace Safety and Health Taskforce (MAST) that was launched to strengthen WSH ownership and culture.
Source: Ministry of Manpower
Workplace incidents by industry
MOM said high-risk sectors in Singapore also saw improvements in workplace fatal and major injury rates.
Construction, transportation, and manufacturing sectors remained the top three high-risk industries for workplace deaths and major injuries, according to the data.
"Although there were improvements in the Construction and Transportation & Storage sectors," MOM said.
In the manufacturing sector, however, cases rose as more Machinery and Struck by Falling Objects incidents took place in 2023.
Source: Ministry of Manpower
To address the safety problem, MAST introduced a Demerit Point System in the manufacturing sector. The legal duties of manufacturers and suppliers of machineries will also be expanded later this year to ensure safety when using equipment.
"MAST will continue to pursue SAFE measures to drive home safety culture in every workplace and in every employer and worker," MOM said.
