Singapore legislation

Section 14

of Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006

Section 14

Duties of principals

(1)

Subject to subsection (2), it is the duty of every principal to take, so far as is reasonably practicable, such measures as are necessary to ensure the safety and health of —

(a)

any contractor engaged by the principal when at work;

(b)

any direct or indirect subcontractor engaged by such contractor when at work; and

(c)

any employee employed by such contractor or subcontractor when at work.

(2)

The duty imposed on the principal in subsection (1) only applies where the contractor, subcontractor or employee mentioned in that subsection is working under the direction of the principal as to the manner in which the work is carried out.

(3)

It is the duty of every principal to take, so far as is reasonably practicable, such measures as are necessary to ensure the safety and health of persons (other than a person referred to in subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c) working under the principal’s direction) who may be affected by any undertaking carried on by the principal in the workplace.

(4)

For the purposes of subsection (1), the measures necessary to ensure the safety and health of persons at work include —

(a)

providing and maintaining for those persons a work environment which is safe, without risk to health, and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work;

(b)

ensuring that adequate safety measures are taken in respect of any machinery, equipment, plant, article or process used by those persons;

(c)

ensuring that those persons are not exposed to hazards arising out of the arrangement, disposal, manipulation, organisation, processing, storage, transport, working or use of things —

(i)

in their workplace; or

(ii)

near their workplace and under the control of the principal;

(d)

developing and implementing procedures for dealing with emergencies that may arise while those persons are at work; and

(e)

ensuring that those persons at work have adequate instruction, information, training and supervision as is necessary for them to perform their work.

(5)

Every principal must, where required by the regulations, give to persons (other than a person referred to in subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c) working under the principal’s direction) the prescribed information about such aspects of the way in which the principal conducts the principal’s undertaking as might affect their safety or health while those persons are at the principal’s workplace.

Read in full context — Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 →