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SMRT to tighten tender requirements for contractors to boost safety

2023-07-16 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-新加坡原网页

SINGAPORE - SMRT will hold its contractors to higher safety requirements as it rolls out several new initiatives to strengthen its workplace safety standards.

The public transport operator said on Friday that it will review and enhance its safety considerations when evaluating tenders and contracts – a move that is aligned with the Government’s plan to introduce more stringent safety requirements for public-sector construction tenders.

Some of the new requirements that the authorities will implement include a minimum safety weightage for tender evaluation and giving bonus points during evaluation to firms with good safety performance.

SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming said the move is meant to encourage both current and potential contractors to make safety a top priority, adding that the ultimate aim is to have zero accidents.

The transport operator outsources work to more than 100 companies.

Mr Seah was speaking at the company’s inaugural Contractors’ Safety Forum, which was held at Orchid Country Club and attended by more than 200 participants.

The plan is for this safety forum to be conducted annually so that industry leaders, contractors and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can share best practices, exchange knowledge and address key safety issues and challenges, SMRT said. It is part of a broader initiative that SMRT calls a “community of practice”, where it holds regular engagements with contractors, such as quarterly safety dialogues.

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Mr Seah noted that this structured approach will also enhance the safety and reliability of the company’s train and bus services.

He added: “Contractors and OEMs are integral to our ecosystem and success. SMRT is committed to partnering (them) to continuously improve the safety and health of all who work in our premises and networks.”

Other plans by SMRT include expanding its internal reporting system to include a channel for contractors to report safety incidents or share concerns.

Workers will be able to use an online reporting form that can be accessed through QR codes placed prominently around the SMRT’s work premises. This is in addition to an existing safety hotline that SMRT already operates.

The company will also start giving out safety awards to contractors in 2024.

Speaking at Friday’s forum, Mr William Tan, who chairs SMRT’s board safety and security committee, noted: “The aviation, nuclear, and oil and gas industries have far higher safety standards than us. I would like to encourage all of us… to learn and adopt these standards, develop mechanisms and processes to ensure compliance… and adopt a common platform to audit (safety standards).”