People of TAL

Yoke Yun

Assistant Director, Engineering Cluster (Sensing and Development)

WSH Council

When I was in my first job, I vividly recalled an employee from a metalworking factory who once told me, “Thank you for teaching me the correct way of wearing earplugs. You have helped protect me from getting noise-induced deafness.” At that moment, I felt that I could make a difference, and this ignited my passion for workplace safety and health (WSH). 

Today, my team and I work closely with industry stakeholders that comprise representatives from the tripartite partners such as government, employers, and unions in the Chemical, Marine, and Manufacturing sectors. Upholding WSH standards requires a concerted effort with the tripartite partners. I believe in engaging them to understand the ground issues before formulating initiatives that benefit these industries. 

An example is the Vision Zero (VZ) movement that calls upon tripartite partners to embrace the mindset that all injuries and ill-health are preventable. Through our efforts, the Biopharmaceutical Manufacturers' Advisory Committee recently came on board with 15 members and committed to cultivating a safety and health culture in their organisations and business partners to foster collective ownership of safety and health. These members will organise forums and site visits for cross-learning. This translates into the set-up of good WSH standards, which is paramount to good manufacturing practices in the biopharmaceutical sector.

With different associations onboard, it also creates a ripple effect amongst other industries in embracing the VZ movement. With employers' commitment to providing employees with a safer and healthier work environment, the employees can have greater assurance at work and thus improve productivity. 

During our engagement with employers, we also hear common sharing such as "I have done this work for years, and nothing has happened. So why should I make the change?" or even "I need to implement the engineering and administrative controls that will incur costs. Why should I spend this extra money?"

A safe and healthy workplace can translate to staff retention and work productivity - this is a mindset that some may not relate to but is important to instil in all.

One life lost is one too many. Every employee deserves to return home safely at the end of each workday. We should not leave safety and health to chance.