New Awards to Recognise Public Transport Operators with Good Safety Records
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) recognised 30 contractors and operators for their excellent Workplace Safety and Health practices over the past year at the 20th Annual Safety Award Convention (ASAC). Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co (Singapore) Pte Ltd was presented with the top award, the LTA Contractors Challenge Shield, for its work on the construction of Shenton Way Station and Tunnels for the Thomson-East Coast Line. Please refer to the full list of awardees in Annex.
Four new awards for Public Transport Operators (“PTOs”)
2. This year saw the addition of four new awards created to recognise the public transport operators for their efforts to promote and ensure workplace and commuter safety. These four new awards are the “Safe Rail Line of the Year” Excellence and Merit Awards, as well as the “Safe Bus Operator of the Year” Excellence and Merit Awards.
3. The “Safe Rail Line of the Year” Excellence and Merit Awards were awarded to the Downtown Line operated by SBS Transit DTL Pte. Ltd. and the Circle Line operated by SMRT Trains Ltd. respectively. The Bedok bus package operated by SBS Transit Ltd. bagged the Excellence Award for the “Safe Bus Operator of the Year”, while the Loyang bus package operated by Go-Ahead Loyang Pte. Ltd. was awarded the Merit Award.
4. LTA’s Deputy Chief Executive for Infrastructure and Development, Mr Chua Chong Kheng said, “Our public transport operators play an important role in ensuring safe and efficient services for the millions of commuters travelling on our trains and buses daily. Beyond recognising contractors that have achieved safety excellence, it is timely that LTA also recognise the contributions of our public transport operators’ towards ensuring a safe workplace and commuting environment.”
Innovative Initiatives to Promote Safety
5. In line with this year’s theme, “Safety through Innovation and Technology”, four finalists showcased how they adopted technologies to reduce or eliminate risks at worksites and improve workers’ safety competency. One of the finalists, Taisei Corporation, the contractor for the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) Marina Bay station, exhibited a vibrating helmet (see Fig. 1) which sends vibration alerts to the wearer when they get too close to machinery. Another company, Penta Ocean / Bachy Soletanche Joint Venture, the contractor for the TEL Orchard Station, demonstrated how the use of an exoskeleton (see Fig. 2) can help redistribute the weight of heavy equipment carried by workers.
Fig. 1 Helmet sends vibration alerts when the wearer is too close to machinery
Fig. 2 Exoskeleton to help redistribute the weight of heavy equipment
carried by workers
6. To further encourage companies to innovate and leverage technology for construction safety, LTA will introduce the Construction Safety Innovation award in ASAC 2019. The award will recognise contractors who proactively adopt innovation and technology to enhance the safety of their projects.
About ASAC
7. ASAC was inaugurated in 1999 to recognise contractors who have been proactive and successful in promoting WSH management practices at their worksites, ensuring high health, safety and welfare standards of the workers, and giving due consideration to protecting the public and the environment.
Annex: List of Winners at 20th ASAC
