Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works
Year of issue: 2014 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works
Contents Section 1 Master s Obligations under the Workplace Safety and Health Act Foreword 4 Introduction 6 Contractors 6 General Works 7 Safety Group (VSCC Equivalent) 10 Coposition 11 Function 11 Confined Spaces 11 Control of entry into confined space 12 Other confined space issues 12 Work at Heights 14 Lifting/ Hoisting 14 Scaffolds 15 Drowning Hazards 16 Eergency Response 17 Incident Reporting 17 Useful Links 18 Section 2 Contractor s Obligations under the Workplace Safety and Health Act Section 1 Master s Obligations under the Workplace Safety and Health Act Foreword 21 General Works 22 Risk Manageent 23 Confined Spaces 25 Incident Reporting 26 Useful Links 28 2
Foreword Dear Shipaster, The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act is a critical coponent of the WSH fraework that was developed to raise and iprove the occupational safety and health standards in Singapore. It requires all stakeholders (including aster/ owner/ agent) to do their part by taking reasonably practicable steps to ensure the safety and health of every person at work. As you will be hiring the services of local contractors to work on board your vessel in Singapore, this publication will provide guidance on how these works can be carried out safely. A list of links to the relevant legislation and Codes of Practice is provided at the end of this guide for your reference. Thank you. 4 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 5
Introduction Good WSH requires co-operation and concerted efforts of all stakeholders. This guide ais to provide inforation and guidance to eet the requireents of the WSH Act and its subsidiary legislations. To ensure the safety and health of persons working on board of ships, all stakeholders ust carry out their roles and responsibilities, and work safely. Contractors Before contractors board a ship for work, the aster/ owner/ agent and the contractors ust discuss the following: Potential hazards on the vessel which ay affect the and which ay be created due to their work; Control easures to itigate risks; Safety data sheets of cheicals found on the vessel and/ or used by the contractor; Safety rules and standard operating procedures that will affect either party; and Shipboard eergency procedures should be clearly counicated to the contractor prior to starting work, and eans of escape and eergency exits ust be highlighted. General Works This section includes requireents that cover ost activities. Before any work coences, a aster/ owner/ agent ust do the following: i. Ensure that the aster/ owner/ agent notify the Coissioner for Workplace Safety and Health (hereinafter as Coissioner ) of any work referred to in regulation 3 of the Workplace Safety and Health (Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing) Regulations 2008 (hereinafter as WSH (SSR) Regs ) three days prior to the coenceent of such work. The works include: ii. Construction, re-construction, repair, refitting, painting, finishing or furnishing of a ship; Scaling, scurfing or cleaning of boilers (including cobustion chabers and soke boxes) in the ship; Cleaning of any tanks, bilges or holds in a ship; and Survey or inspection of a ship or its contents not carried out by the ship s crew. Appoint an appropriate ship repair anager who has received adequate WSH training so that he can: Lead and co-ordinate all activities relating to repair on board the ship; Ensure that no work is done on the ship without approval; Issue, onitor and revoke perits-to-work (PTW) for hazardous work. PTW is a for of adinistrative control to identify potential risks before work is being carried out; Ensure that the aster/ owner/ agent appoints a safety assessor for hazardous work; Ensure that no high-risk work is carried out without a PTW; Issue hot-work perit, and review it on a daily basis and revoke it if he thinks fit to do so; Ensure that the safety assessor has given clearance for hot work to proceed; 6 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 7
Assign a trained fire watchan who is equipped with appropriate fire fighting equipent to watch each hot work area; Ensure that hot work areas are arked and free fro hazardous substances; and Hot work should only be done when there are no alternatives. For ore inforation on the hot-work perit syste, refer to clauses 27 to 37 of the WSH (Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing) Regulations. Types of high-risk work that require a perit-to-work Work involving the use of hazardous, volatile, corrosive or flaable cheical, aterial or solvent in significant quantities Work involving entry into confined space Spray-painting Grit-blasting carried out in confined space Testing or disantling of any pipe or equipent that contains, or had contained, oil or substances that are flaable, toxic or corrosive; or contains stea Bunkering and transferring of fuel oil Radiography work Other works that the Coissioner for WSH ay have written to the occupier of the shipyard, aster/ owner/ agent of the ship, or eployer or principal of the person carrying out the work For ore inforation on the Perit-to-Work syste, refer to regulation 17 to 26 of the WSH (Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing) Regulations. 8 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 9
iii. Ensure that contractors working on board a ship have the necessary expertise, have done risk assessent (RA) and ipleented a risk anageent syste. They should infor those who ay be exposed to risks generated by their work, and the control easures and safe work procedures involved to iniise their exposure. Where there is a risk of persons falling into water or drowning, the following equipent ust be provided: guardrails to prevent persons fro falling; equipent and other fors of rescuing and resuscitating drowning persons; and suitable life jackets or equipent for keeping such persons afloat in the event that they fall into the water. Key points Ensure that the Coissioner for WSH has been notified by the aster/ agent/ owner for the circustances listed under the WSH (Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing) Regulations (see p. 7). Appoint ship repair anager. Ensure that contractors have iniised work risks to as low a level as practicable. Ipleent control easures to prevent persons fro falling into water or rescuing such persons. Safety Group (VSCC Equivalent) Establishing a safety group is a useful way to control and coordinate any hazardous work that is done on board a ship. By planning activities, a safety group can ensure that incopatible work is not carried out at the sae tie and location. A safety group can also onitor hazardous works, especially hot works and work in confined spaces. Coposition A safety group should coprise of at least the following ebers. A Chairan (the ship s appointed ship repair anager). The chairan will ensure that all ebers are infored in advance of the date, tie and venue of the eetings; and every decision ade is ipleented by the relevant eber. A secretary to record and circulate all atters discussed and decisions ade at every eeting to all ebers after each eeting. An appropriate nuber of ebers for the group to function effectively. Function A safety group should focus on: Drawing up a plan to co-ordinate the types of work that are being carried out at the sae tie to ensure that they are copatible to each other; Planning and co-ordinating the oveent and storage of hazardous aterials; Monitoring all hot works carried out on the ship and ensuring that all safety easures are aintained throughout the duration of the work; Regularly checking and reviewing the levels of oxygen, dangerous gases and flaable vapours while work is being carried out and before a person enters the confined space. Confined Spaces A confined space is any chaber, tank, anhole, vat, silo, pit, pipe, flue or other enclosed space in which: Dangerous gases, vapours or fues are liable to be present to such an extent as to involve a risk of fire or explosion, or persons being overcoe thereby; The supply of air is inadequate, or is likely to be reduced to be inadequate, for sustaining life; or There is a risk of engulfent by aterial. Confined spaces can be hazardous work areas if work is not planned and anaged properly. Therefore, they require special attention under the WSH (Confined Space) Regulations. 10 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 11
For a fixed and stationary confined space on board a ship, the WSH (Confined Spaces) Regulations require the aster/ owner/ agent to: Make a record of the description and location of the confined space; Infor persons who are liable to be exposed to the hazards of the confined space, of the existence and hazards of the confined space; and Provide a safe eans of entry and egress fro any confined space, as far as reasonably practicable. Control of entry into confined space The aster has to ensure that the PTW for entry into confined space has been duly copleted, issued and reained valid throughout the period of entry. The PTW has to be endorsed by a trained confined space safety assessor after conducting tests to deterine that entry and work can be done safely in the confined space. Within the confined space, at least one person ust continuously onitor the atosphere in the confined space by using a suitable gas detector. Other confined space issues For all confined spaces, the responsible person ust: Provide sufficient and suitable lighting for entry or work; and Provide and aintain adequate and effective ventilation for entry and work in the confined spaces. For confined spaces which contain any substance under pressure greater than atospheric pressure, the responsible person ust: Responsible Person A responsible person, in relation to a person entering or working in a confined space, is: his Eployer; or the principal under whose direction he enters or works in the confined space. The air supplied for ventilation to the confined space ust be free of containants and directed to the area where the person is or will be working. If an exhaust ventilation is used, the exhaust air ust be eitted outside the confined space where it does not har anyone. Key points Keep a record of locations and descriptions of confined spaces. Provide safe eans of entry and egress fro confined spaces. Ensure that there is a written rescue plan for confined space work. Ensure that adequate ventilation is provided and aintained for confined space work. PTW and gas testing by a trained confined space safety assessor are required for confined space entry. Not reove the entrance cover of the confined space unless the confined space is depressurised and rendered safe for opening; and Barricade or guard by railings or other effective eans the opening to the confined space when such entrance cover is reoved. For ore advice and practices for working safely in on-board confined spaces, refer to the Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seaen fro The Maritie and Coastguard Agency (MCA), (UK) at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/ca/cga07-hoe/workingatsea/cga-healthandsafety/ cga-dqs-shs-health_and_safety.ht Soe useful signs and fors can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/ca/cga07-hoe/workingatsea/cga-healthandsafety/ cga-dqs-shs-health_and_safety/cga-coswp.ht 12 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 13
Work at Heights A Fall Prevention Plan is a docuented plan prepared for the purpose of reducing or eliinating risk of falls on board a ship. The plan includes: policy for fall prevention; responsibilities; risk anageent; control easures or ethods; procedures; personal fall prevention and protection equipent; inspection and aintenance; training; incident investigations; and eergency preparedness. Additionally, a PTW is required for work at heights activities where a person ay fall fro a height of ore than three etres. The PTW ust be endorsed by a work at heights safety assessor after conducting an assessent and inspection of the work to be carried out. The safety assessor ust ensure that all works can be carried out safely. The safety assessor will subit an application for a PTW to the authorised anager who will then issue the PTW after ensuring that a proper risk evaluation has been conducted, and no incopatible works have been planned at the sae tie and location. In addition, all reasonably practicable easures will or have been taken to ensure the safety and health of the persons carrying out the work and they have been infored of the associated hazards. For ore inforation on working safely at heights, refer to the WSH (Work at Heights) Regulations and Code of Practice for Working Safely at Heights. appointed. He ust be present to supervise the entire lifting operation and ensure that the operation adhere to the lifting plan and safe work procedures. For ore inforation on safe lifting operations, refer to the WSH (Operation of Cranes) Regulations and Code of Practice on Safe Lifting Operations in the Workplaces. Scaffolds No person shall construct, erect, install, re-position, alter, aintain, repair or disantle any scaffold, not being an excluded scaffold, in any workplace unless he is an approved scaffold contractor. excluded scaffold eans : a tower scaffold; a trestle scaffold; or a scaffold (other than a suspended scaffold, hanging scaffold or a scaffold erected on cantilever or jib supports) which, when copleted and excluding the handrails and their supports at the upperost lift of the scaffold, is less than four etres in height. Additionally, anyone involved in scaffold work ust be equipped with proper personal protective equipent such as a safety harness and secured anchorage. Lifting/ Hoisting All lifting operations ust be carried out by copetent persons with a lifting plan. A lifting plan will provide guidance to the lifting tea and ensure that the lifting operation will be carried out safely. Mobile and tower cranes can only be operated by registered crane operators. Additionally, a lifting supervisor ust be For ore inforation on working safely on scaffolds, refer to the WSH (Scaffold) Regulations. 14 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 15
Drowning Hazards Due to the conditions on board vessels, it is iportant for eployers to put in place easures to prevent persons fro falling into water, such as secure handholds and footholds, safe working positions, safety harnesses and travel restraint belts. In addition, it is required under the WSH (General Provisions) Regulations that eployers to provide equipent and other eans of rescuing and resuscitating a drowning person, such as a life jacket or other equipent that will keep a person afloat in the water or sea. Eergency Response The aster ust ensure that procedures dealing with eergencies are in place. This includes but is not liited to the following: training, equipent, supplies and facilities for first aid [for ore details, refer to the WSH (First Aid) Regulations]; designated eergency evacuation routes and gathering point; and a register of on-board personnel. Incident Reporting In the event of a fatal accident, a dangerous occurrence (a serious workplace incident in which no one is killed or injured such as a fire or explosion) or in cases where injured eployees succubed to their injuries after treated by registered edical practitioners, the incident ust be reported to the Coissioner for WSH as soon as reasonably practicable by contacting +65 6317 1111 (tel) or +65 6317 1220 (fax). The aster/ owner/ agent will be required to provide the following inforation: date and tie of the incident; place of the incident; nae and identification nuber of the injured/ deceased, if any; nae of the eployer and occupier; brief description of the incident; and nae and contact details of the person aking the notification. For ore inforation on incident reporting, go to MOM website: http://www.o.gov.sg/workplace-safety-health/incident-reporting/pages/default. aspx For inforation on what is a dangerous occurrence, go to: http://www.o.gov.sg/workplace-safety-health/incident-reporting/pages/types-ofworkplace-incidents.aspx#dangerous In an event of fire or explosion, call +65 995. 16 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 17
Useful Links Ministry of Manpower Relevant Legislation http://www.o.gov.sg/legislation/occupational-safety-health/pages/ default.aspx Ministry of Manpower Incident Reporting http://www.o.gov.sg/ireport Workplace Safety and Health Council Code of Practice on WSH Risk Manageent https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/resources?action=detailedinfostop&finfos topid=is2011020100649 Workplace Safety and Health Council Code of Practice for Working Safely at Heights https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/resources?action=detailedinfostop&finfos topid=is2010040500157 Workplace Safety and Health Council Confined Space Resources https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/confinedspaceresources?openmenu=1 Section 2 Contractor s Obligations under the Workplace Safety and Health Act 18
Foreword Dear Contractor, The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act and its subsidiary legislation were enacted to iprove and raise occupational health and safety standards in Singapore. As you or your workers will be undertaking work activities on board a ship in the Singapore Anchorage area, it is iportant that necessary steps are taken to ensure your safety and the safety of your workers and persons near the work area. You are also required to coply with the ters under the Master s Obligations under the WSH Act. A list of useful links to relevant Legislation and Codes of Practice is included at the end of this publication. Thank you. 20 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 21
General Works This section includes requireents that cover ost activities. Under the WSH Act and its subsidiary legislation, the contractor is required to ensure that the following are safe and do not pose any health risks to all persons: work area; all entrances or exits to the work area; and any achinery or tools used by the workers. When scheduling work activities, the contractor has to follow the instructions of the vessel s safety group. Where required, the contractor should adhere to the perit-to-work (PTW) and hot-works perit syste ipleented by the ship s aster. If no such syste exists, the contractor should ipleent one. The contractor is also required to: Risk Manageent Risk anageent (RM) is an iportant coponent and requireent in iproving WSH. This involves identifying hazards, evaluating risks and ipleenting control easures. Under the WSH (RM) Regulations, the eployer, self-eployed and principal are required to : Conduct risk assessent for all work activities. Evaluate the risk level by assessing the potential risk severity and likelihood. Eliinate or reduce risks to as low as reasonably practicable by selecting and ipleenting control easures by following the Hierarchy of Control: eliination; substitution; engineering control; adinistrative control (including safe work procedures); and personal protective equipent (PPE). coply with the ship s eergency procedures; get approval fro the shipaster before bringing on board any hazardous substance; and adhere to all safety rules of the ship. 22 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 23
Provide workers with adequate instruction, inforation, training and supervision for their tasks so that they are aware of the risks, control easures and safe work procedures to be ipleented. Infor any person who ay be exposed to a risk to his safety and health the nature of the risk involved and any easure or safe work procedure ipleented to control the risk. Provide appropriate PPE to workers. Keep records of risk assessents including: results or findings recorded in risk assessent fors; risk control easures taken or to be taken; and any safe work procedures. Review and, if necessary, revise the risk assessent at least once every three years or review and revise the risk assessent upon: the occurrence of any bodily injury to any person as a result of exposure to a hazard in the workplace; where there is significant change in work practices or procedures, or change in workplace condition and site layout; or new inforation on WSH risks is ade known. Confined Spaces Confined spaces are hazardous work areas if work is not planned and anaged properly. They require special attention under the WSH (Confined Space) Regulations. Follow all PTW procedures that are put in place by the shipaster. Ensure that the confined space is safe for entry by conducting gas testing. Gas testing can only be done by an authorised confined space safety assessor. Ensure that all persons entering the confined space are adequately trained and rescue plans have been put in place on the vessel. Key points Always carry out risk assessent and ipleent control easures prior to any work. Keep records of risk assessent, and review risk assessent as needed. Ensure that workers are trained and equipped for their tasks. Provide supervision. For ore inforation on risk anageent, refer to Code of Practice for Risk Manageent: https://www.wshc.sg/wps/pa_infostop/download/rmcp_2012.pdf?folder=is20110201 00649&file=RMCP_2012.pdf 24 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 25
Incident Reporting In the event of a fatal accident, a dangerous occurrence (a serious workplace incident in which no one is killed or injured such as a fire or explosion) or in cases where injured eployees succubed to their injuries after treated by registered edical practitioners, the incident ust be reported to the Coissioner for WSH as soon as reasonably practicable by contacting +65 6317 1111 (tel) or +65 6317 1220 (fax). The contractor will be required to provide the following inforation: The contractor is thereby required to report within 10 days of the accident if it results in an eployee receiving: an injury that results in sick leave of ore than three consecutive days granted by a registered edical practitioner; or an injury that results in the person being aditted in a hospital for at least 24 hours for observation or treatent. If the eployee subsequently dies due to an injury, the eployer of that eployee shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable, notify the Coissioner of the death. date and tie of the incident; place of the incident; nae and identification nuber of the injured/ deceased, if any; nae of the eployer and occupier; brief description of the incident; and nae and contact details of the person aking the notification. Additionally, a report ust be subitted through www.o.gov.sg/ireport within 10 days of the occurrence or upon receiving a written stateent prepared by a registered edical practitioner for diagnosis of an occupational disease. Every report is required to be filed or kept for three years after the report has been ade. For ore inforation on incident reporting, go to MOM website: http://www.o.gov.sg/workplace-safety-health/incident-reporting/pages/default. aspx For inforation on what can be considered a dangerous occurrence, visit: http://www.o.gov.sg/workplace-safety-health/incident-reporting/pages/typesof-workplace-incidents.aspx#dangerous 26 Guide to WSH Obligations for Shipasters and Contractors for Anchorage Works 27
Useful Links Ministry of Manpower Relevant Legislation http://www.o.gov.sg/legislation/occupational-safety-health/pages/ default.aspx Ministry of Manpower Incident Reporting http://www.o.gov.sg/ireport Workplace Safety and Health Council Code of Practice on WSH Risk Manageent https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/resources?action=detailedinfostop&finfos topid=is2011020100649 Workplace Safety and Health Council Code of Practice for Working Safely at Heights https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/resources?action=detailedinfostop&finfos topid=is2010040500157 Workplace Safety and Health Council Confined Space Resources https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/confinedspaceresources?openmenu=1 28
Published in April 2014 by the Workplace Safety and Health Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower. All rights reserved. This publication ay not be reproduced or transitted in any for or by any eans, in whole or in part, without prior written perission. The inforation provided in this publication is accurate as at tie of printing. The Workplace Safety and Health Council does not accept any liability or responsibility to any party for losses or daage arising fro following this publication. This publication is available on the Workplace Safety and Health Council Website: www.wshc.sg Eail: contact@wshc.sg