Question 1

(a) What are the THREE (3) simple steps for risk assessment of a workplace?

(b) Describe the responsibilities of the following stakeholders in a workplace: an employer, an occupier, and an employee.

Question 2

(a) “Use of the right vehicle for the right job” should be the key criterion in the selection and use of transport vehicles at the workplace. Forklifts are often used in the workplace. You have been tasked by your superior officer to identify some potential hazards involving forklift operations and to propose possible control measures.

What are some potential hazards involving forklift operations and possible control measures?

(b) “Hazards can arise in many different ways and can take various forms. To be in a position to undertake hazard identification properly, it is important to understand the nature of hazards, the sources of hazards, and how they may arise”- Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations 2006, reg 2.

(i) Illustrate the activities involved in the hazard identification process.

(ii) What are the key steps for the risk evaluation of hazards?

Question 3

(a) Appraise the key differences between claiming compensation under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA) and claiming under Common Law.

(b) When is compensation payable to an injured employee, including work-related fights, under the Work Injury Compensation Act?

(c) Analyze each of the following scenarios below. In which of the scenario can an employee claim compensation under WICA? Answer Yes or No.

(i) The employee met with a traffic accident while taking company transport between home and the workplace. The vehicle is not public transport.

(ii) An employee who is employed by a Singapore employer and resides in Singapore during his course of employment suffered a work injury during an overseas assignment.

(iii) Seaman suffered a work injury while on board a Singapore-registered vessel, regardless of the location of the vessel.

(iv) An employee’s injury was due to the influence of alcohol or a prescription drug which was not prescribed by a doctor.

(v) The employee met with a traffic accident while traveling in his own car / his friend’s car / public transport between home and workplace.

Question 4

(a) The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) recently made changes to the Employment Act to extend better protection for more workers and improve employment standards, while allowing flexibility for employers where there are practical business concerns. Examine the changes introduced to the Employment Act that took effect on 1 April 2014.

(b) Mary migrated to Singapore and became a permanent resident in 2013 after getting married to a Singaporean. She then joined a hairdressing saloon, “U Beauty” as a beauty therapist earning a basic salary of $1,300. She joined the company in January 2013. After working for one year, she tendered her resignation at the end of the year. She did not indicate her reasons for resigning from the Company but unknown to the Company, she was planning to undergo in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure. The Company’s manager convinced her not to resign and offered new terms and increased her basic pay to $1,800 per month from January 2014. She signed a second employment contract.

After continuing to work from January 2014, she received her increased pay. Sometime in March 2014, she started her IVF procedures and was given medical leave for 30 days. Three months later, in June 2014, she tendered her resignation on 1 June 2014. She underwent an IVF procedure at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital on 14 June 2014 whilst serving her notice period. “U Beauty” has refused to pay Mary her salary as they claimed that she failed to disclose her IVF procedures. Further, the Company demands Mary to pay compensation in lieu of notice of 3 months. The Company also refused to pay her medical leave wages.

(i) Is Mary entitled to coverage under the Employment Act?

(ii) Discuss whether “U Beauty” can argue that Mary, by signing a second contract, is a new employee and thereby not entitled to any medical leave wages.

(iii) Discuss whether Mary was entitled to claim for medical leave wages for her IVF procedure whilst serving her notice.