---
id: sgkb.business-industry.workplace-safety-and-health-council
kind: article
title: "Workplace Safety and Health Council"
url: https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/article/sgkb.business-industry.workplace-safety-and-health-council
language: en
evidence_status: verified
last_verified: 2026-10-24
collection_as_of: 2026-11-04
---

# Workplace Safety and Health Council

Singapore's Workplace Safety and Health Council is a statutory body under MOM that builds industry capability, promotes safer work and issues practical codes; MOM's OSH Division and Inspectorate retain regulatory enforcement roles.

# Workplace Safety and Health Council

The **Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council** is a statutory body under Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM), supported by Tripartite Alliance Limited (TAL). It works with industry, unions, professionals, trade associations and Government agencies to raise workplace safety and health standards. Its main functions are to build industry capability and promote workplace safety and health, alongside recognising good practice and implementing acceptable practices through codes and guidance. These are the Council's capability-building and promotion functions; they are distinct from MOM's regulatory and enforcement powers ([WSH Council, About Us, checked 24 October 2026](https://www.tal.sg/wshc/about-us); [TAL, About TAL, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.tal.sg/tafep/sitecore/content/tal/corporate/home)).

## Statutory mandate and tripartite structure

The WSH Council is established under Part 8 of the Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006. Its functions are set out in section 40A, while section 40B allows it to issue or approve codes of practice that provide practical guidance on workplace safety, health and welfare. The Council's current structure includes appointed representatives from industry, unions, professions, trade associations and Government agencies; its committees develop initiatives for particular industries and functions ([Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006, Singapore Statutes Online, accessed 20 October 2026](https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/WSHA2006); [WSH Council, About Us, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.tal.sg/wshc/about-us)).

The Council is part of Singapore's tripartite workplace system, but it is not identical to TAL or MOM. TAL is a company limited by guarantee jointly set up by MOM, NTUC and SNEF; its three specialist agencies include TAFEP, TADM and the WSH Council. The WSH Council's public-facing work focuses on safe-work practices and industry capability, whereas TAFEP handles fair-employment guidance and TADM provides dispute advice and mediation. “Tripartite” describes representation and cooperation; it does not transfer every member's legal powers to the Council ([TAL, About TAL, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.tal.sg/tafep/sitecore/content/tal/corporate/home); see [tripartite alliance dispute management](/en/knowledge/article/sgkb.business-industry.tripartite-alliance-dispute-management) and [tripartite alliance fair employment practices](/en/knowledge/article/sgkb.business-industry.tripartite-alliance-fair-employment-practices)).

## Codes, standards and capability building

The Council's practical influence is exercised through programmes, industry committees, campaigns, awards, guidance and codes of practice. Section 40B empowers it to issue or approve codes for guidance on duties under the WSH Act. MOM describes approved codes as a yardstick for assessing whether reasonably practicable measures have been taken; this gives them importance in understanding workplace practice, but employers' binding duties arise from the Act, regulations and other applicable legal instruments. An award, campaign or voluntary programme should likewise not be treated as a substitute for legal compliance ([MOM, Legislation for workplace safety and health, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.mom.gov.sg/legislation/workplace-safety-and-health); [MOM, Workplace Safety and Health Act: what it covers, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.mom.gov.sg/workplace-safety-and-health/workplace-safety-and-health-act/what-it-covers)).

Industry committees address sectors such as construction, healthcare, manufacturing, marine, transportation and storage, while functional committees support engagement, capability-building and workplace health. The Council also runs programmes and resources intended to help employers and workers adopt safer practices. These tools support the national framework; they do not mean that every programme is compulsory or that adopting a Council guide alone proves a workplace has met all legal duties ([WSH Council, About Us, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.tal.sg/wshc/about-us); [WSH Council, programmes and resources, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.tal.sg/wshc/programmes)).

## WSH Council versus MOM's regulator and inspectorate

The Council promotes and develops workplace practices; MOM's Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD) carries the Government's policy and regulatory functions. Within OSHD, the OSH Inspectorate conducts targeted risk-based inspections, investigates workplace accidents and malpractice, and performs enforcement. The WSH Act separately gives inspectors powers and sets duties and penalties. Therefore a question about a safety code or industry programme may lead to WSH Council material, while a suspected breach, inspection, investigation or enforcement question belongs with MOM and the applicable legislation ([MOM, Occupational Safety and Health Division, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.mom.gov.sg/about-us/divisions-and-statutory-boards/occupational-safety-and-health-division); [Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006, Singapore Statutes Online, accessed 20 October 2026](https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/WSHA2006)).

This distinction matters in multi-agency work. A taskforce such as MAST may coordinate agencies and stakeholders around higher-risk sectors, but it does not replace the Council, MOM's OSH Inspectorate or employer duties under the WSH Act (see [multi agency workplace safety and health taskforce](/en/knowledge/article/sgkb.business-industry.multi-agency-workplace-safety-and-health-taskforce)). Similarly, the Council's approval of a code does not make it the body that investigates every incident or prosecutes every breach. Identify the relevant statute and authority before describing a recommendation, a voluntary initiative or an enforcement action as a legal requirement ([MOM, Occupational Safety and Health Division, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.mom.gov.sg/about-us/divisions-and-statutory-boards/occupational-safety-and-health-division); [MOM, Legislation for workplace safety and health, accessed 20 October 2026](https://www.mom.gov.sg/legislation/workplace-safety-and-health)).

## Sources

- [Workplace Safety and Health Council — About Us](https://www.tal.sg/wshc/about-us) — Accessed 2026-10-24
- [Tripartite Alliance Limited — About TAL](https://www.tal.sg/tafep/sitecore/content/tal/corporate/home) — Accessed 2026-10-20
- [Workplace Safety and Health Council — Programmes](https://www.tal.sg/wshc/programmes) — Accessed 2026-10-20
- [Singapore Statutes Online — Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006](https://sso.agc.gov.sg/Act/WSHA2006) — Accessed 2026-10-20
- [MOM — Legislation for workplace safety and health](https://www.mom.gov.sg/legislation/workplace-safety-and-health) — Accessed 2026-10-20
- [MOM — Workplace Safety and Health Act: what it covers](https://www.mom.gov.sg/workplace-safety-and-health/workplace-safety-and-health-act/what-it-covers) — Accessed 2026-10-20
- [MOM — Occupational Safety and Health Division](https://www.mom.gov.sg/about-us/divisions-and-statutory-boards/occupational-safety-and-health-division) — Accessed 2026-10-20

## Explore connections

- Articles: [Employment Law and Work Culture](https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/article/sgkb.business-industry.employment-law-and-work-culture)
- Articles: [Multi-Agency Workplace Safety and Health Taskforce](https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/article/sgkb.business-industry.multi-agency-workplace-safety-and-health-taskforce)
- Articles: [Safety Advisory and Guidance Engine](https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/article/sgkb.business-industry.sage-workplace-safety-engine)
- Articles: [Singapore Tripartite Set-ups and Initiatives](https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/article/sgkb.business-industry.tripartite-set-ups-and-initiatives)
- Topics: [Business and industry](https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/topic/sgtopic.business)
- Topics: [Workplace Safety and Health Council](https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/topic/sgtopic.business.workplace-safety-and-health-council)
- People & organisations: [Ministry of Manpower](https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/entity/sg.agency.mom)
- People & organisations: [Tripartite Alliance Limited](https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/entity/sg.organisation.tal)
- People & organisations: [Workplace Safety and Health Council](https://ik.sg/en/knowledge/entity/sg.organisation.wshc)

Dates describe this record’s own period and applicability. A verification date does not mean a rule is currently in force. An expanding collection. Published counts show available knowledge, not complete coverage of Singapore.