Welcome Address by Mr John Ng at The Singapore WSH Conference 2022

19 Sep 2022 Speeches

Welcome Address by Mr John Ng,
Chairman of the WSH Council at 
The Singapore WSH Conference 2022 on 
Monday, 19 September 2022, 9:10am 

Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower, 
Distinguished speakers, delegates and guests, 
Ladies and gentlemen.

Introduction
1. Welcome to The Singapore WSH Conference 2022! I’m really pleased to have the Conference back to its physical setting this year. In 2020, for the first time ever, we had to move the Conference to a virtual platform. At that time, Singapore and the rest of the world was in the thick of its battle with COVID-19.

2. Now, two years on, we have brought the Conference back with the theme “Reinforcing WSH for Business Sustainability”.  This is appropriate, considering that COVID-related pressures could have distracted many companies from WSH. We need a rallying call to refocus attention on WSH, and remind companies that good WSH is good for business sustainability.

Impact of COVID-19 on WSH
3. At the height of the pandemic, work in several industries came to a grinding halt. Coupled with the manpower crunch when the borders were re-opened and workers returned home to be with their loved ones, many companies are still having trouble making up for lost time. Sadly, we are seeing some of the ripple effects in terms of the recent alarming trend of workplace fatalities and injuries.

Workplace Safety 2022 and beyond
4. With MOM taking more stringent measures against unsafe firms as part of the “Heightened Safety” period, it is to the interest of every company to ensure that WSH is an important part of management decision-making. 

5. We have shaped this year’s Conference to provide delegates with as much guidance and insights to help you make informed decisions on your WSH journey for 2022 and beyond. 

6. The Conference is divided into three main areas; the first focuses on Employers, second on Employees and the third is on the Future of Work.   

- Our speakers under the “Employers” track will cover topics such as why it is to the interest of all companies to support their workers’ health, safety and well-being.
- Employees must also take responsibility of their own safety and health. Hence under the “Employees” track, our speakers will share how workers can develop a strong sense of WSH activism. 
- The last track on the “Future of Work” will cover the future of workplaces, such as how technology will continue to transform workplaces and its implications on WSH. It will also look into nurturing the future of our workforce, where youth leaders will share their perspectives on WSH.  

Conclusion
7. I hope that the sharing of information, ideas and experiences will inspire you to improve and transform WSH at your workplace. My deepest thanks and appreciation to all our partners and speakers for their support in making this Conference possible.

8. Let us get back on track and work towards achieving our vision of Singapore being one of the safest workplaces with a healthy workforce. Thank you very much.