Whistle-blowing over workplace safety breaches on the rise

The number of people flagging workplace safety breaches via whistle-blower channels has increased, as Singapore's workplace fatality and major injury rate dropped to a record low in 2023.

- Christine Tan

There were 1,505 reports made via the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) SnapSAFE portal in 2023, a 26 per cent jump from 1,194 reports in 2022.

SnapSAFE is MOM's online workplace safety reporting platform, which can be accessed via a web link.

An MOM spokesperson told The Sunday Times that the increase in reports was likely due to higher awareness of reporting unsafe practices following measures to strengthen a better workplace safety culture.

More than nine in 10 reports made in 2022 and 2023 were from members of the public.

One of them, who wanted to be known only as Mr Alessandro, 52, once saw workers without safety harnesses at a construction site while he was on his way to work in May 2023.

Mr Alessandro, who works in the data centre industry, called the construction project manager, who assured him they would address the issue immediately.

But the unsafe practices continued, and he reported the matter via SnapSAFE. MOM acknowledged his report and said it would be forwarded to the case inspector for assessment.

In June 2023, Ms Nurqurratua'yun Mohamed Abdul Wahab, 26, an environmental, health and safety engineer, sent a report to SnapSAFE when she saw a worker working at height without a harness. Similarly, MOM acknowledged her report and kept her updated about the case.

In both cases, MOM issued a composition fine or notice of noncompliance against the errant employers.

Mr Alessandro and Ms Nurqurratua'yun each received a certificate of commendation from the commissioner for workplace safety and health for their actions.