SINGAPORE'S CONSTRUCTION SAFETY: A CRITIQUE ON PAY FOR SAFETY SCHEME (PFSS) AS A COMPLEMENT TO THE WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT (WSHA)

Abstract

The construction industry has always seen high accidents and fatalities. This is no exception for Singapore’s construction scene. There are similarities between the two countries’ Singapore and Hong Kong’s construction climate after analysis is done. This presents an opportunity to further analyse if the successful Pay for Safety Scheme (PFSS) can be ported over to be implemented in Singapore. The PFSS is a safety measure that can potentially be successfully adopted by Singapore to complement the current Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA) guidelines.

The aim of the research is to delve into the topic of the factors that contribute to poor safety performance and how the PFSS can potentially resolve these issues. Possible limitations are also explored, together with practical observations from an industry veteran. This study matches the philosophy behind the PFSS to the issues Singapore’s construction scene faces in its efforts to reduce industrial accidents. Literature reviews and an interview were the research method adopted for this study.

The overall analysis revealed that while it is plausible that pre-pricing safety-related items and removing them from the realm of competitive tendering may be useful in increasing the workplace health and safety, there could be possible difficulties that could limit the efficacy of adopting the PFSS practices.

The construction industry will always constantly struggle to keep industrial accidents rate down. The potential application of the PFSS is in the hopes of achieving better safety performance.