Salient points of the

WSH (Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing)

Regulations 2008

Lee Kah Bee

Senior Manager (Legislation)
Policy, Planning & Corporate Services Department
Occupational Safety and Health Division
Ministry of Manpower ® All Rights Reserved
 Workplace Safety and Health
(Shipbuilding & Ship-repairing)
Regulations 2008 At a Glance

• Replaced the Factories (Shipbuilding & Ship-repairing)

Regulations
• Number of regulations reduced from 158 to 75
(Refined & enhanced for benefit of users)
• Effective date : 1 August 2008

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 Workplace Safety and Health
(Shipbuilding & Ship-repairing) Regulations 2008

Objectives of Review

• Factories subsidiary legislation still in force by

virtue of section 66(14) of the WSH Act

• Review the original intent of the provisions

• Updating the provisions and make it less prescriptive,
where possible
• Updating all relevant terminologies (eg. from Chief
Inspector to Commissioner)
• Clarifying the intended duty holder for the provision
• Rationalising offences and penalties provisions to
commensurate with breaches within the regulations
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Ship-repairing) Regulations
Arrangement of Regulations

Factories Workplace Safety & Health

(Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing) (Shipbuilding and Ship-repairing)
Regulations Regulations
Part I : Preliminary Part I : Preliminary
Part II : General provisions Part II : Safety and health management
Part III : Vessel safety co-ordination arrangement
committee Part III : Vessel safety co-ordination
Part IV : Permit-to-work system committee
Part IV : Permit-to-work system
Part V : Welding and cutting
operations Part V : Hot-work permit system
Part VI : Control of hazardous material Part VI : General provisions

Part VII : Safety information and audit Part VII : Electrical safety
Part VIII : Welding and cutting operations
Part IX : Material handling equipment
Part IX : Cranes, employee’s lifts and
Part X : Employees’ lifts
material handling machinery
Part XI : Cranes and derricks Part X : Miscellaneous

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Workplace Safety
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and Ship-repairing) Regulations
Ship-repairing) Regulations
Definitions – Key Legal Persons

ge
• Competent person No c
han

A person who has sufficient experience and

training to perform the work required to be
carried out

• Designated person
A competent person appointed in writing by
an occupier, employer or principal to
perform any task or duty prescribed under
these Regulations

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Ship-repairing) Regulations
Definitions – Key Legal Persons
• Responsible person
ange
c h
(a) in the case of a shipyard, No
the occupier of the shipyard;
(b) in the case of a shipyard in a harbour –
(i) the employer of any person who carries
out the work; or
(ii) the principal under whose direction any
person carries out the work
• Safety assessor
A safety assessor appointed under regulation
18(1)(ii) and 27(1)(ii)
– Must be competent to perform the functions
and duties of a safety assessor ® All Rights Reserved
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Ship-repairing) Regulations
Definitions – Key Legal Persons

• Ship repair manager No c

han ge

– A person appointed by :
(a) in the case of a shipyard,
the occupier of the shipyard;
(b) in the case of a shipyard in a harbour,
the master, owner or agent of the ship
to take charge of and co-ordinate all activities
relating to the construction or repair of the ship
– Must have received adequate safety and
health training

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Ship-repairing) Regulations
Application
Regulations apply to –
• any work carried out in a shipyard
• any work carried out on board a ship in a harbour
in connection with -
(a) the construction, re-construction, repair, refitting,
painting, finishing, furnishing or breaking up a ship;
(b) the scaling, scurfing or cleaning of boilers (including
combustion chambers and smoke boxes) in a ship;
(c) the cleaning of any tank, bilges or holds in a ship;
and
(d) the survey or inspection of a ship or its contents
(where such survey or inspection is not carried out
by the crew of the ship)

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S & H management system

ment
ha nce
En

Safety and health management system

• Occupier of shipyard to implement and
maintain at all times a safety and health
management system

• Format of safety and health management

system no longer prescribed or limited to the
14 elements but based on prevailing codes of
practices such as Singapore Standard SS 506

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Part III
Vessel Safety Co-ordination Committee (VSCC)
Duty of : h ange
c
(a) in the case of a shipyard, No
the occupier of the shipyard;
(b) in the case of a shipyard in a harbour,
the master, owner or agent of the ship
– to establish VSCC where hazardous
work is to be carried out

Roles of VSCC
Plan and co-ordinate all work that is
to be carried out on board the ship

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S & H Training
Safety and health training No chan
ge

• Duty of Employer / Principal to ensure that

person who carries out hazardous work, hot-
work, etc. must have undergone a safety and
health training course approved by the
Commissioner
Type of Work Safety and Health Training Course

Hazardous work SSIC for workers (General Trade)

Hot-work SSIC for workers (Hot-work Trade)

Spray-painting or painting SSIC for workers (Painter Trade)

in a confined space

Supervisor work Shipyard Supervisor Safety Course

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Permit-to-work (PTW) system / Regulation 17
Hot-work permit (HWP) system Regulation 27
• Implementing hot-work permit / permit-to-work
system for hot-work / selected high-risk work ge
n
ha
• A proven and systematic method of : No
c

– Identifying work risks

– Ensuring work is allowed to commence only after the
hazardous work environment and condition have
been adequately assessed and certified safe
– In line with the risk assessment framework as it
validates the implementation of control measures

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Regulation 17
Permit-to-work system
• Type of work that requires permit-to-work
No c hang
e
(High-risk work)
• Work which involves the use of any hazardous, volatile, corrosive or flammable chemical,
material or solvent in significant quantities;
• Work involving entry into any confined space;
• Spray painting work;
• Grit-blasting work carried out in a confined space;
• Testing or dismantling of any pipe or equipment that
(i) contains, or had contained, oil or substances that are flammable, toxic or corrosive; or
(ii) contains steam;
• Ballasting and de-ballasting of a ship
• Repairing or maintenance work carried out on the hydraulic system of a ship;
• Bunkering and transferring of fuel oil;
• Radiography work; and
• Such other work as the Commissioner may specify in writing

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Regulation 18
Permit-to-work (PTW) /
Regulation 27
Hot-work permit (HWP) system
hange
c
• The PTW / HWP shall provide that – No

– high-risk work / hot-work must be Step 1 – Application

carried out with due regard to the
safety and health of persons Step 2 – Evaluation
performing the work
– persons are informed of the hazards Step 3 – Issue
associated with the high-risk work /
hot-work and the precautions to be Step 4 – Posting
taken
– necessary safety precautions taken Step 5 – Monitoring
and enforced with high-risk work /
hot-work is carried out
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Regulation 27
Hot-work permit system nge
c h a
• Implementing hot-work permit system No

Duty of :
(a) in the case of a shipyard,
the occupier of the shipyard;
(b) in the case of a shipyard in a harbour,
the master, owner or agent of the ship
– to implement a hot-work permit system
– to appoint a safety assessor

“Hot-work” means riveting, welding, flame cutting or

burning and includes any other work involving the use
or generation of heat or the production of sparks
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Regulation 29
Hot-work permit (HWP) system
I must state …

Stage 1 - Application of HWP Work schedule

Nature of work

• Made by Supervisor or foreman of a person

Hazards
Safety precautions

carrying out any hot-work Supervisor

• Made in such form and manner as required

by Ship Repair Manager HW
007
l No
eria

• State measures to be taken to ensure safety and Applica

tion
For it
health of persons carrying out the hot-work Per
m
To
rk
Wo
• Accompanied by sketches showing exact locations
Step 1 – Application
where hot-work is to be carried out
• Addressed to SRM and submitted to the Safety
Step 2 – Evaluation

Step 3 – Issue
Assessor for Evaluation and Endorsement
e Step 4 – Posting
ang
o ch ® All
StepRights
5 – Reserved
Monitoring
N
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Regulation 30
Hot-work permit (HWP) system
Stage 2 - Evaluation of HWP Yes, the work
area is safe
• On receipt of hot-work permit, the Safety Assessor Safety
Assessor

shall:
– Assess or evaluate whether all reasonably practicable
measures have been taken to ensure safety and health of
persons who will be carrying out the hot-work
– Inspect site where hot-work is to be carried out with Supervisor n ge
cha
• If Safety Assessor is satisfied that the hot-work can No
be carried out safely, he shall endorse the HWP and Step 1 – Application
forward to Ship Repair Manager for approval
Step 2 – Evaluation

Duty of Safety Assessor to exercise due diligence Step 3 – Issue

when performing his function in relation to Step 4 – Posting

evaluation and endorsement of HWP
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StepRights
5 – Reserved
Monitoring
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Regulation 31
Hot-work permit (HWP) system
Stage 3- Issuance of HWP ch ange
No
• On receipt of endorsed HWP, the Ship Repair
Manager may issue HWP if he is satisfied that :
– It is necessary to carry out the hot-work
– There is no alternative work method to the hot-work
– There has been proper evaluation of the risks and
hazards involved based on available information
– No incompatible work carried out at the same time and
in same vicinity Step 1 – Application

– All reasonable practicable measures will or have been Step 2 – Evaluation

taken
Step 3 – Issue
– All persons involved are informed of the associated Step 4 – Posting
hazards
® All
StepRights
5 – Reserved
Monitoring
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Ship-repairing) Regulations
Regulation 31
Hot-work permit (HWP) system
o ch ange
Stage 4- Posting of HWP N

• After issuance HWP, duty of Supervisor or

Foreman to :
– Clearly post a copy of HWP issued, including, a sketch
of the area where the hot-work is permitted
– Ensure that copy of HWP is not removed until date of
expiry / revocation of HWP or on completion of hot-work

Revocation of HWP
• If Ship Repair Manager after issuing the Step 1 – Application

HWP is of view that the hot-work poses Step 2 – Evaluation

or is likely to pose a risk to persons, Step 3 – Issue

he may order the work to cease
Step 4 – Posting
immediately and revoke the HWP
® All
StepRights
5 – Reserved
Monitoring
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Ship-repairing) Regulations
Regulation 31
Hot-work permit (HWP) system
ange
No ch
Stage 5- Monitoring of HWP
• Duty of Ship Repair Manager to :
– continually review the progress of all hot-
work to ensure it is carried out with due
regard to safety and health

• Duty of Supervisor or Foreman to :

– ensure measures necessary to ensure
safety and health are in place at all times Step 1 – Application

during the validity period of HWP

Step 2 – Evaluation

– inform the ship repair manager upon Step 3 – Issue

completion of the hot-work Step 4 – Posting

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5 – Reserved
Monitoring
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Other Enhancement

• Consolidating the requirements of the m ent

nce
following Parts into a single Part En
ha

- Part IX - Material Handling Equipment

- Part X - Employee’s Lifts
- Part XI - Cranes and Derricks

PART IX
Cranes, Employee’s Lifts and Material
Handling Machinery

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Other Enhancement

ement
c
• Removal of prescriptive provision Enh
an

Many prescriptive provisions removed by virtue they

no longer apply (obsolete) or that the provisions will
be transferred to approved codes of Practices
The following are some examples:
► Means to prevent slipping hazards
► Personal protective equipment
► Colour coding of pipes and hoses for oxygen
and fuel gases
► Lift car construction

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Other Enhancement
m ent
Removal of prescriptive provision nhance
E

Factories (SSR) Regulations

Pipe lines and gas hoses
51.–(3) Pipe lines and gas hoses for oxygen and for other fuel gas or
vapour shall be distinctly colour-coded or marked.
(4) Pipes and hoses shall be securely attached to apparatus and other
connections by means of suitable metal clips or other equally effective
means.
(5) Tapes, wires, strings or any other form of lashing shall not be used
as a means of attaching the pipes and hoses to any apparatus or other
connection.

Stipulated in Approved Code of Practice

SS 510 : Code of Practice for safety in welding and cutting
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Other Enhancement
m ent
Replaced with outcome-based provision nhance
E
Slipping hazards
42. Where any work is carried out by any person in a shipyard
or on board a ship in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the
responsible person to ensure that any passageway, scaffold,
platform or other elevated working surface to be used by the
person carrying out the work is kept free from slipping hazard

Factories (SSR) Regulations

11.–(1) No employer shall suffer or permit any employee to use a
passageway, scaffold, platform or other elevated working surface
which is in a slippery condition.
(2) Oil, grease, water and other substances causing slippery
footing shall be removed, sanded or covered to provide safe footing.

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Other Enhancement
ent
Replaced with outcome-based provision ance
m
E nh
Lighting
47. Where any work is carried out in a shipyard or on board a ship
in a harbour, it shall be the duty of the responsible person to
ensure that there is –
(a) sufficient and suitable general lighting, whether natural or artificial, in
every part of the shipyard or ship in the harbour in which persons are at
work or passing; and
(b) emergency lighting for the use in the event of a power failure … for safe
evacuation or rescue of persons in the shipyard or ship in the harbour.

Factories (SSR) Regulations

Illumination of workplaces, etc
19.–(2) For passageways, stairways and landings, the illumination shall be
not less than 50 lux.
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Other Enhancement
m ent
Replaced with outcome–based provision nhance
E
Personal protective equipment
52.–(1) Where any work is carried out in a shipyard or on board
a ship in a harbour which requires any protection referred to in
paragraph (2), it shall be the duty of the employer / principal
to provide and maintain, so far as is reasonably practicable,
personal protective equipment.

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Other Enhancement
Duty holder, Offences and Penalties
The revision also clarifies the intended duty holder for the
provisions and introduce offences and penalties provisions for
the breach within the regulations

Vehicle hazards
46.–(2) No person shall drive a vehicle of any class or description
in a shipyard unless he has obtained the authorisation of the
occupier of the shipyard to do so.
(5) Any person who contravenes paragraph (2) shall be guilty of
an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding
$1,000 and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction, to a
fine not exceeding $2,000.
New
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Regulation 74

Offence
74. Any person who contravenes any provision
of these Regulations which imposes a duty on
him shall be guilty of an offence and shall be
liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding
$20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding 2 years or to both.

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Thank you

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