Safe Management Measures

Are you prepared for the Safe Management Measures at the workplace after the Circuit Breaker period?

Do you know how to develop & implement a Safe Management Measures at your workplace?

Do you need any help in Safe Management Measures implementation?

Safe Management Measures at the workplace

From 2 June 2020, Singapore will exit the COVID-19 Circuit Breaker, and businesses will be allowed to resume activities in a 3 phased approach. Among many measures to minimise the risk of widespread re-emergence of COVID-19 in the community, companies are required to practice enhanced safe management practices at workplaces. Effective implementation of these measures will also help to avoid the need to restore tight restrictive measures subsequently.

Regulatory actions will be taken against errant employers who do not comply with the requirements. These may include issuing stop-work orders and financial penalties.

Hence, before you resume on-site operations, it is essential for your business to implement the Requirements for Safe Management Measures (SMM) at Workplaces and comply with sector-specific advisories and requirements for your sector.

To ensure COVID-safe workplaces, employers are required to:

1. Take care of your workers;
2. Take care of your workplaces, and;
3. Take care of those who may become unwell at your workplaces.
4. Implement a system of Safe Management Measures

1. Take care of your workers

• • Actively enable employees to work from home.
  • For job roles or functions where employees cannot work from home, employers must ensure the following precautions are in place prior to resuming operations:
  • Stagger work and break
  • Implement shift or split team arrangements
  • Minimise socialising
  • Wear masks at the workplace
  • Observing good personal hygiene

2. Take care of the workplace

• • Control access at the workplace to only essential employees and authorised visitors. Employers must use the SafeEntry visitor management system to record the entry of all personnel (including employees and visitors) entering the workplace.
  • Employees and visitors must declare via SafeEntry or other means (e.g. electronic or hard copy records), before being allowed to enter premises
  • Adhere to travel advisories.
  • Where physical interaction cannot be avoided, precautions should be taken to ensure clear physical spacing of at least 1 metre between persons at all times
  • Minimise need for physical touchpoints
  • Step up cleaning of workplace premises
  • Provide cleaning and disinfecting agents

3. Take care of workers who become unwell at the workplace

• • Ensure regular checks for temperature and respiratory symptoms for all onsite employees and visitors
  • Record proximity data on phones:
  • Actively monitor unwell employees and guard against incipient outbreaks
  • Where possible, employers must ensure that each employee visits only one clinic for check-ups if unwell. Otherwise, employees should inform the clinic of all recent doctor visits over past 14 days for any symptoms that may be related to COVID-1918.
  • Manage unwell cases
  • Manage confirmed cases

4. Implement a system of Safe Management Measures

• • Employers must establish a system to implement the above Safe Management Measures to provide a safe working environment and minimise risks of COVID-19 outbreaks. These measures must be implemented in a sustainable manner for as long as necessary.
  • Implement a detailed monitoring plan to ensure compliance with Safe Management Measures and timely resolution of outstanding issues19.
  • Appoint Safe Management Officer(s) (“SMO”) to assist in the implementation, coordination and monitoring of the system of Safe Management Measures at the workplace. For unionised companies, union leaders or WSH officers could be appointed as SMOs. Employers must provide appointed SMOs with adequate instruction, information and supervision as is necessary for them to fulfil their required duties.
  • The duties of the Officer(s) include:
    • To coordinate the implementation of Safe Management Measures, including identifying relevant risks, recommending and assisting in implementing measures to mitigate the risks, and communicating the measures to all personnel working in the workplace;
    • To conduct inspections and checks, to ensure compliance at all times. Any non-compliance found during the inspections should be reported and documented;
    • To remedy non-compliance found during the inspections and checks through immediate action; and
    • To keep records of inspections, checks, and correction actions, to be made available upon request by a Government Inspector.

Do You Need Any Help To Implement Safe Management Measures?

If you need any further information or assistance on Safe Management Measures implementation or  Safe Management Officer Course, please contact us now and our friendly customer service consultants will be in touch with you to assist you. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

FAQs

1. What is the impact of COVID-19 To Singapore Economy

The impact of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the global economy has been both faster and more severe than one could ever imagine. The pandemic’s economic challenges are unprecedented.

The economic cost and consequences of the coronavirus pandemic are going to be huge and will last for many years as the impact and effect are so huge that overall growth is not likely to recover anytime soon.

Singapore faces significant downside risks, namely the possibility of stricter measures to stem the spread of the virus, weak demand from external partners, and weak consumer spending. The local economy is facing an impending economic slowdown, and likely a recession. The depth and duration of Singapore’s downturn remain unknown as the damages of COVID-19 to the global economy is still unfolding.

Singapore is going through a “circuit breaker” period and a series of control measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. The period was originally scheduled to end on May 4 but has since been extended until Jun 1.

Although this was essential in controlling the spread of the virus, these measures have taken its toll on the economy,​​​​​​​ as economic activities are nearly at a halt and livelihood of the numerous businesses and people are currently in a very challenging situation.

2. Why Companies need to implement Safe Management Measures at the workplace?

While ensuring that the health and safety of our people remain the top priority, the livelihoods of businesses and individuals are equally important and we cannot be in the “circuit breaker” period forever.

Hence as local transmission numbers come down, the government is gradually relaxing the restrictions and selectively resumes economic activities. The objective is to help support our businesses and protect livelihoods by reactivating the local economy.

However, as the move involve considerable risk, control measures must be in place to reduce the risk. Workplaces are required to put in place a system of Safe Management measures to prevent the re-emergence of community cases.

This includes implementing a detailed monitoring plan to ensure compliance with the measures and appointing a Safe Management Officer (SMO) to assist in the implementation, coordination and monitoring of the Safe Management measures.

MOM, MOH and sector agencies will take action against errant employers, including the cessation of operations and enforcement.

3. What is KCG’s Training & Consulting Services on SMM?

We provide training and consulting for the following:

• Develop and implement a practical Safe Management Measures system At The Workplace
• Safe Management Officer Course
• Safe Management Measures system Awareness Training
• Safe Management Measures system for Management Training

Related Pages:

Safe Management Measures Checklist
Requirements for Safe Management Measures at the workplace after Circuit Breaker period
Safe Management Measures for the Manufacturing Sector
Safe Management Measures for Customer-Facing Operations
Safe Management Measures for Transportation

Contact Us

Contact us now and our friendly customer service consultants will be in touch with you to develop and implement a practical Safe Management Measures system At The Workplace that complies with the regulatory requirements, tailored to your requirements,  practical and easy to implement.