Singapore Ministry of Manpower Labour Inspection: A Great Workforce, A Great Workplace

1. LABOUR INSPECTION IN SINGAPORE Mr Tan Fang Qun Assistant Director (Ops Planning)/Head(International Collaboration),OSH Division 13 October 2010 ASEAN Labour Inspection Conference Ha Long, Vietnam A Great Workforce A Great Workplace

2. PRESENTATION OUTLINE • Singapore Ministry of Manpower (MOM) • Key Labour Legislations • Labour Inspection Framework • Labour Inspection Strategies: • Employment Standards • Workplace Safety & Health • Conclusion

3. I. Singapore Ministry of Manpower Vision A Great Workplace, A Great Workforce Mission To achieve a globally competitive workforce and great workplace, for a cohesive society and a secure economic future

4. I. Singapore Ministry of Manpower • Strategic Outcomes: • A Globally Competitive Workforce • Financial Security and Lifelong Employability for Singaporeans • Progressive Workplaces • Safe and Healthy Workplaces • Good Employment Standards • Progressive HR Practices • Harmonious Industrial Relations

5. II. Key Labour Legislations

6. III. Labour Inspection Framework • Inspection units divided into Functional Areas to effectively address the unique issues • Employment Standards: Labour Relations & Workplaces Division (Standards Compliance) • Workplace Safety & Health: Occupational Safety & Health Division • Pro-active inspection approach Intelligence / Accidents Planning / Investigations Enforcement / Licensing Monitoring & Surveillance • Coordination between inspection units to enhance effectiveness • Intelligence sharing • Joint operations

7. IV. Labour Inspections – Employment Standards Four-Pronged strategy to achieve good employment standards and practices Engage (Network & rapport) Educate (Awareness) Enable Enforce

8. Security Cleaning Food & Beverage Landscape IV. Labour Inspections - Employment Standards Ensuring Compliance with Employment Laws - Targeted Approach • Improving employment standards through regular inspections in targeted industries with high incidences of vulnerable workers.

9. IV. Labour Inspections – Employment Standards Ensuring Compliance with Employment Laws Sectoral Approach

10. IV. Labour Inspections - Employment Standards Ensuring Compliance with Employment Laws - Other Industries • Triggers from complaints by member of public and referrals from external agencies. • Monthly pro-active inspections (non-industry specific) to ensure compliance of employment laws.

11. IV. Labour Inspections - Employment Standards - Sectoral Approach – Security Sector • Regular dialogues and forums. Briefings sessions and forums to educate on employment laws and regulatory requirements attended by trade associations and union. Information booklet on employment laws customised for security officers. • Targeted Enforcement. Targeted enforcement was conducted on this sector on employment standards.

12. IV. Labour Inspections - Employment Standards - Sectoral Approach – Security Sector • Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) for Security Sector. Skills standards introduced in 2006. All security officers are required to undergo training and pass two mandatory modules. • Security officer Identification Card introduced in 2009. Improve image, public confidence and professionalism. • Job Redesign. Some security guard agencies came on board the “Advantage – Security Job Redesign” programme to enhance productivity through adoption of technology. • Mandatory Grading of Security Guard Agencies (SGA). Promote security awareness amongst buyers. Motivate SGAs to improve their professional standards.

13. IV. Labour Inspections - Employment Standards - Sectoral Approach – Security Sector • Some Results: • Greater compliance of employment laws. Fewer employment disputes and claims observed. Improved working conditions for security officers. • More Professionalised. Better skilled, better image. • More females officers are joining the industry. The improved working conditions have attracted more females into this industry. • Improved salaries. Higher salaries for security officers with higher skills qualifications.

14. IV. Labour Inspections - Raising Workplace Safety & Health Standards Strategies, Programmes and Interventions

15. 1. Identify key areas of concern at start of year(e.g. Falling from heights) 2. Inform and prepare the industry with dialogue sessions, checklist before inspections 4. Monitor the performance of companies IV. Labour Inspections – Workplace Safety and Health Standards Programme –Based Engagement (ProBE) 5 Key Phases 5. Communicate with industry on the findings for ProBE 3. WSH Inspectors will carry out inspection on area of concern

16. IV. Labour Inspections • Workplace Safety and Health Standards • Cluster Operations (COPS) • Focus on specific geographical region or issue over a specific timeframe • Based on issues that arise over the course of the year • Leverage on media to increase reach • Poor performers are highlighted • Create greater awareness to ensure continued vigilance

17. IV. Labour Inspections - Workplace Safety and Health Standards Exercise Swift • Enforcement response tool for critical situations • Spats of Accidents • Critical risk that was previously unknown • Enforcement presence is felt on the ground • Intensive and extensive enforcement exercise on the issue

18. IV. Labour Inspections - Workplace Safety and Health Standards Accident Investigations • Detailed investigation conducted for serious accidents to determine the root cause • Identify corrective actions (at company and industry level) to prevent future accidents • Serious WSH Act violations will result in prosecution including individuals

19. IV. Labour Inspections - Workplace Safety and Health Standards Business-under-Surveillance (BUS) • Close monitoring of companies with poor WSH performance • Regular visits from OSHI inspectors • Progress updates on WSH action plans • Stiff enforcement actions are used to secure: • Strong management commitment • Ownership of WSH outcomes • Marked improvement in WSH standards • Company must be able to manage WSH satisfactorily before exiting from programme

20. IV. Labour Inspections - Workplace Safety and Health Standards Complaints Investigation • Complaints received from various sources – e.g. Safety hotline, email • All complaints are attended to • WSH conditions that result in imminent danger are investigated immediately • In less severe cases, companies are required to show documentary proof of implemented measures • Ensures continued vigilance on WSH issues

21. 90 80 Number of workplace Fatalities 70 60 50 Actual Fatality rate 40 30 Target 20 10 IV. Labour Inspections - Workplace Safety and Health Standards Results 6.0 Workplace Fatalities, 2004 - 2009 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0

22. V. Conclusions Aspects of labour inspection strategy: Holistic approach - Engage, Educate, Enable, Enforce Proactive and targeting where it matters Strong inter-agency collaborations and tripartite co-operation