Office of Risk Management
and Compliance

Physical Safety

Physical Safety Programme

A structured approach to identifying, assessing and controlling physical hazards arising from NUS activities—protecting staff, students and visitors.

PI and supervisor responsibilityPrincipal Investigators and supervisors must conduct risk assessments, develop SOPs, establish roles and responsibilities, and implement safety and health controls in their workplaces.View responsibilities ↓
↘Find documents and requirementsBrowse programme topics !Plan high-hazard workCheck permits, records and appointments +Report an incidentUse AIMS within 24 hours @Contact ORMCSend a general programme enquiry

Programme overview

Programme governance

ORMC administers the Physical Safety Programme, supported by advisory review of its standards and guidance documents.

Safety & Health, ORMC

Administers the NUS Physical Safety Programme and provides policies, standards and guidelines.

Institutional Laboratory Safety Committee

Provided advisory review of programme standards and guidance documents.

PI and supervisor responsibilities

What PIs and supervisors must do

Before work begins, PIs and supervisors must assess the risks, document the safe system of work, assign responsibilities and ensure the required controls are implemented.

Conduct risk assessments

Assess the activities and physical hazards in workplaces under their supervision.

Develop SOPs

Document the standard operating procedures needed for the work.

Establish responsibilities

Define the roles and responsibilities for implementing safety and health controls.

Implement controls

Ensure the identified safety and health control measures are implemented in the workplace.

Next: Use the topic documents and applicable high-hazard requirements below to support these responsibilities.

Programme elements

Standards, guides and requirements

Open a topic to find its documents and, where applicable, the high-hazard requirements and appointment holders. NUS SharePoint links may require sign-in; arrows identify destinations outside this page.

High-hazard activities

Select an activity to open its guide, planning requirements and appointment holders.

Requirements summary published 8 November 2022
Hazardous energyWorking at heightHot workCrane liftingConfined-space entry
Electrical safety and UPS 5 documents
Electrical safetyStandard for Laboratories and WorkshopsRevised 27 April 2021Open document ↗ Electrical safetyStandard for AV ConsolesRequirements for audiovisual installations and equipment.Open document ↗ Electrical safetyElectrical Safety BriefingBriefing material for workplace communication.Open document ↗ Electrical safetySummary of Changes to the Electrical Safety StandardsChanges introduced on 27 April 2021.Open summary ↗ Uninterruptible power supplyStandard for the Safe Use of UPSRevised 27 April 2021Open document ↗
Noise and vibration 4 documents
Noise and vibrationMonitoring and Management StandardRequirements for NUS workplaces.Open document ↗ Noise and vibrationNoise Monitoring ReportSample report.Open sample ↗ Noise and vibrationNoise Exposure Assessment FormSample assessment form.Open sample ↗ Noise and vibrationRequest for Noise MonitoringSample request form.Open form ↗
Control of hazardous energy 1 document · Activity requirements
Hazardous energyLock-out & Tag-out Quick GuideGuidance for isolating hazardous energy and materials.Open guide ↗

Planning requirements and appointments

Key requirements

  1. Risk assessment
  2. Stakeholder consultation and communication
  3. Lock-out & Tag-out procedure
  4. LOTO devices

Key appointment holders

Personnel performing the work.

Working at height High-hazard requirements apply to specified work above 3 m4 documents · Activity requirements
Working at heightNUS Working at Height Quick GuideSafety and health guidance for work at height.Open guide ↗ Working at heightWorking Safely on RoofsWSH Council guidance and related resources.Visit WSH Council ↗ Working at heightGuideline on Working Safely on RoofsWSH Council publication.Open guideline ↗ Working at heightWorking on Rooftops ChecklistPractical rooftop-work checks.Visit WSH Council ↗

Planning requirements and appointments

Key requirements

  1. Risk assessment
  2. Hazardous work-at-height permit
  3. Fall prevention plan
  4. Competency certificates
  5. Stakeholder consultation and communication
  6. SOPs or safe work procedures
  7. PPE inspection record

Key appointment holders

Competency required: WAH worker, supervisor, safety assessor and manager.

© SPECIALISED TRAINING APPLIES
Hot work 1 document · Activity requirements
Hot workHot Work Safety & Health Quick GuideNUS guidance for planning and controlling hot work.Open guide ↗

Planning requirements and appointments

Key requirements

  1. Risk assessment
  2. Hot-work permit
  3. Competency certificates and training records
  4. Stakeholder consultation and communication
  5. SOPs or safe work procedures
  6. Fire-fighting equipment
  7. Gas-testing equipment, if needed

Key appointment holders

Competency required: personnel performing the work and Fire Watch.

Also required: authorised manager.

© SPECIALISED TRAINING APPLIES
Lifting activities using cranes 1 document · Activity requirements
Lifting operationsLifting Activities Using Cranes Quick GuideNUS guidance for crane-lifting activities.Open guide ↗

Planning requirements and appointments

Key requirements

  1. Risk assessment
  2. Lifting plan
  3. Lifting permit
  4. Communication plan
  5. Traffic-control plan
  6. Competency certificates
  7. Stakeholder consultation and communication
  8. Certificates for lifting equipment
  9. PPE issuance record
  10. Crane safety checklist

Key appointment holders

Competency required: lifting supervisor, crane operator, signalman and rigger.

Also required: NUS lifting coordinator and authorised person.

© SPECIALISED TRAINING APPLIES
Confined space entry 1 document · Activity requirements
Confined spacesConfined Space Entry Quick GuideNUS guidance for confined-space entry.Open guide ↗

Planning requirements and appointments

Key requirements

  1. Risk assessment
  2. Confined space entry permit
  3. Competency certificates and training records
  4. Stakeholder consultation and communication
  5. Emergency response plan and confined space rescue drill record
  6. SOPs or safe work procedures
  7. Gas-testing equipment

Key appointment holders

Competency required: personnel performing the work, confined space supervisor, confined space safety assessor, and confined space rescue team.

Also required: confined space attendant and authorised manager.

© SPECIALISED TRAINING APPLIES
3D printing 1 document
Additive manufacturing3D Printing Health & Safety Quick GuideNUS guidance for 3D-printing activities.Open guide ↗

Common questions

Physical safety FAQs

Quick guidance on working at height, noise exposure, hazardous-energy isolation and electrical plugs.

When is a person considered to be working at height?

There is no minimum height. A person is working at height whenever a fall could reasonably cause injury to that person or another person.

Does all work at height require a permit?

A hazardous work-at-height permit is required for work where a person could fall 3 metres or more when it is carried out at a construction site, at premises involving hazardous substances, or during building operations or engineering construction. Effective edge protection may remove the need in some cases, subject to the employer's or principal's decision; this may not apply to fragile surfaces.

What is excessive workplace noise exposure?

Under the WSH (Noise) Regulations, exposure is considered excessive when the equivalent sound pressure level exceeds 85 dB(A) over an eight-hour workday.

When should Lock-out & Tag-out be performed?

LOTO isolates hazardous energy or material in an energised system, preventing accidental activation that could affect personnel safety and health. For energised systems involving hazardous energy or material, carry out a risk assessment to determine the controls and whether LOTO applies during maintenance, commissioning or decommissioning. Consult the vendor and review the operating manual.

Can overseas electrical plugs be used in laboratories?

Overseas plug configurations such as flat-blade or Schuko plugs are unsuitable for NUS socket outlets and may overheat or cause fires. Ask the vendor to replace an in-warranty plug, or engage a licensed electrical worker when the equipment is no longer under warranty.

General contact

Physical Safety Programme enquiries

For general guidance on physical safety—including electrical safety, hazardous energy, noise and vibration, working at height, permit-to-work systems, lifting activities, UPS and 3D printing—contact the Office of Risk Management and Compliance.

General enquiriesOffice of Risk Management and Compliancermcsec@nus.edu.sg
Email ORMC
Back to top