Legal requirements at a glance

1A · WSH (Approved Code of Practice) Notification

Approved Codes of Practice provide practical guidance and preferred industry practices. They may be cited in court when considering reasonably practicable measures.

Competency: Refer to the individual ACOP. Standards are available through the Singapore Standards eShop, NUS Libraries and the WSH Council resource database.

1B · WSH (Confined Spaces) Regulations 2009

Applies to enclosed spaces where dangerous atmospheres, inadequate air or engulfment hazards may be present.

Permit: An approved confined-space entry permit is required before entry, with assessment and approval by competent persons.

1C · WSH (Construction) Regulations 2007

Covers construction-site safety systems, structures, electrical work, platforms, demolition, excavation, tunnelling, compressed air, explosives, piling, cranes and material-handling machinery.

Permit: Permit-to-work systems apply to demolition, excavation and trenching, specified crane lifting operations, piling and tunnelling.

1D · WSH (First-Aid) Regulations

Requires adequate first-aid boxes, at least one first aider per 100 employees, a first-aid room where more than 500 employees work, and emergency flushing where toxic or corrosive exposure is possible.

Competency: Appointed first aiders must be trained and certified by an MOM-approved training provider.

1E · WSH (General Provisions) Regulations

Covers harmful exposure, infectious and biohazard materials, lockout/tagout, lifting equipment, pressurised equipment, contaminants, permissible exposure limits, hazardous substances and Safety Data Sheets.

Examination: Lifting gear, lifting machines and pressurised equipment must be examined at prescribed frequencies by an Authorised Examiner.

1F · WSH (Incident Reporting) Regulations

Requires reporting of work-related fatalities, dangerous occurrences, occupational diseases, and injuries involving relevant medical leave, light duties or hospitalisation.

NUS process: Report all incidents and accidents through AIMS. ORMC will follow up with MOM reporting where required.

1G · WSH (Medical Examinations) Regulations 2011

Requires pre-placement or periodic examinations for specified exposures, including scheduled metals and solvents, asbestos, silica, raw cotton, excessive noise and compressed-air work.

Competency: Periodic examinations must be completed by an approved Designated Workplace Doctor.

1H · WSH (Noise) Regulations 2011

Applies where exposure reaches 85 dB(A) over eight hours, exceeds 140 dB(C) peak, or exceeds a scheduled permissible exposure limit. Controls, monitoring, training and hearing protection are required.

Competency: Periodic noise monitoring must be conducted by a competent person.

1I · WSH (Operation of Cranes) Regulations 2011

Requires a lifting plan for operations involving mobile, crawler, overhead travelling and jib cranes, as well as lorry cranes.

Competency: Lifting supervisors, crane operators, riggers and signalmen must be competent for their assigned functions.

1J · WSH (Risk Management) Regulations

Requires risk assessment, implementation of controls, recording and communication before work starts. Review is required at least every three years, after significant change, or following an incident.

Register note: No separate licence or permit is identified.

1K · WSH (Scaffolds) Regulations 2011

Sets requirements for scaffolding work at the workplace.

Competency: Scaffolding work must be performed by competent scaffold erectors and supervisors.

1L · WSH (Work at Heights) Regulations 2013

Applies where a person may fall from an elevated workplace, through an opening or edge, through a fragile surface, or otherwise be injured by the fall distance.

Permit / competency: Competent workers and supervisors are required. Hazardous work at heights with a possible fall of 3 m or more requires a permit assessed by a WAH assessor and approved by an authorised manager.

Fire Safety (Petroleum and Flammable Materials) Regulations

Covers licences and permits for the import, storage, supply and transport of petroleum and flammable materials, together with fire protection, emergency planning, security and incident-notification duties.

Licence / permit: SCDF licensing or permits may be required according to the regulated activity, material and prescribed quantity, including storage, import and transport.

Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations

Covers the storage and use of scheduled hazardous substances, inventory records and access control.

Permit / licence: Scheduled hazardous substances must not be purchased or used without the appropriate permit or licence, applied for through the relevant Faculty, School or Institute.

Environmental Protection and Management (Ozone Depleting Substances) Regulations

Prohibits dealings in specified ozone-depleting substances, subject to the applicable exemptions and controls. Check the substance and intended activity against the Regulations and NEA licensing and import/export requirements.

Environmental Public Health (General Waste Collection) Regulations

Covers waste collection, transport, sanitation infrastructure, building health requirements and disposal arrangements.

Operational requirement: Engage appropriately licensed waste collectors.

Environmental Public Health (Toxic Industrial Waste) Regulations

Defines generator and collector responsibilities and requires licensed collection of toxic industrial waste.

Emergency planning: Generators and collectors must maintain arrangements for spills, leaks or transfer and transport accidents.

Radiation Protection (Non-Ionising Radiation) Regulations

Controls regulated non-ionising apparatus, including relevant MRI and high-power laser equipment.

Licence / competency: A licence is required for regulated possession or use of controlled apparatus. Radiation workers must satisfy applicable age, training and medical requirements, and a radiation safety officer must be appointed where required.

Radiation Protection (Ionising Radiation) Regulations 2023

Sets licensing, radiation-worker, exposure-control, medical-surveillance, storage, transport and incident requirements for ionising radiation.

Licence / registration / approval: Regulated dealings require the appropriate licence; radiation workers must be registered and suitably trained; licensees must appoint a radiation safety officer; and approval is required to accumulate or transport radioactive waste.

Radiation Protection (Transport of Radioactive Materials) Regulations

Sets requirements for packaging, labelling and transport of radioactive materials.

Approval / documentation: Applicable package designs, shipments and special arrangements require competent-authority approval. Consignors must hold the required certificates and operating instructions and provide prescribed shipment information.

Radiation Protection (Exemption for Transit, Transhipment and Carriage of Conveyance Equipment) Regulations 2014

Specifies exemptions applying to defined transit, transhipment and carriage circumstances.

Exemption: Part III licensing controls do not apply to qualifying transit, transhipment or conveyance-equipment movements. The transit and transhipment exemptions do not cover nuclear material.

Sewerage and Drainage (Trade Effluent) Regulations

Controls discharge to public sewerage systems, including approval, pre-treatment, monitoring, prohibited substances and concentration limits.

Key restriction: Scheduled organic compounds, active biological agents and laboratory chemical waste must not be discharged into public sewers or waterways.

Air Navigation (101 — Unmanned Aircraft Operations) Regulations 2019

Sets registration, pilot-competency, permit, operating and record-keeping requirements.

R&D classification: Business or non-recreational/non-educational activity.

R&D operations: Register the UA with ODPRT. Outdoor R&D requires an Operator Permit, Class 1 Activity Permit and the relevant Unmanned Aircraft Pilot Licence. Indoor exemptions may apply; check CAAS requirements for the setting and activity. For UA above 250 g, also register with CAAS unless exempt.

Records: Maintain internal pilot-training records and flight logs for CAAS audit; pilot assessments and pilot listings are no longer required for Operator Permit applications.

NUS permission: Obtain the facility owner’s permission for indoor operations and ORMC approval for outdoor campus operations. See the NUS Unmanned Aircraft Guidelines.

Before flying: Check no-fly zones, obtain an SPF permit for a protected area, and meet applicable CFMS and tracker requirements. Review and apply through the CAAS permits page.