Response to TODAY Forum Letters on "Training Safety: Transparency in Data Needed" and "Have Independent Checks into Safety Concerns"

Safety and Accountability Important to SAF

We thank Mr Liew Kai Khiun for his letter on 16 Nov 2012, "Training Safety: Transparency in Data Needed " and Mr Marcus Tan for his letter on 21 Nov 2012, "Have Independent Checks into Safety Concerns".

Safety is of utmost importance to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The SAF benchmarks our systems and processes with other established armed forces to ensure that our safety system is up to date. The SAF also takes reference from the Occupational Health & Safety Assessment Standards (OHSAS) and aligns our safety standards where applicable. SAF safety standards also comply with the Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA).

The SAF investigates every training incident or near-misses which have or may cause serious injury or property damage, as well as reports of unsafe practices and safety breaches, and ensures that the appropriate follow up actions are taken to prevent similar occurrences in future. In every case involving the death of a National Serviceman, the Armed Forces Council will convene an independent Committee of Inquiry (COI) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. The COI has full powers and access to information and personnel to investigate fully the circumstances leading to death, to determine the contributory factors and make recommendations to rectify lapses, if any. For example, COIs were convened to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of PTE Lee Rui Feng Dominique Sarron and 3SG Tan Mou Sheng. MINDEF and the SAF have publicly shared the findings of the two COIs including the safety breaches uncovered. Their safety recommendations have also been implemented to improve our safety systems and processes. An SAF Safety Inspectorate will also be set up to promulgate best practices across the Services, enhance the robustness of safety related policies and look into areas where safety can be strengthened.

To build a strong safety culture, soldiers are encouraged to report near-misses, unsafe practices or safety breaches. Soldiers may report directly to their commanders, through the 24-hour Safety Hotline or through the MINDEF intranet. We request Mr Tan to contact us through our Army Safety Hotline (9-SAFETY-1 or 9-723389-1) to help us investigate the case he described.

Colonel Kenneth Liow
Director Public Affairs
Ministry of Defence

MINDEF's reply was published as "For SAF, safety, accountability are important", TODAY and TODAYonline, 22 Nov 2012