As one of four new tripartite initiatives announced, the Alliance for Action on Safety and Health for Employment Longevity invites organisations to develop scalable solutions for injury prevention, return-to-work support, and workplace adaptation.
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has launched an open call for the Alliance for Action on Safety and Health for Employment Longevity (AfA-SHEL), a new initiative intended to help workers stay safe, healthy, and productive throughout their working lives.
The announcement was made on 23 July at the Singapore Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Conference 2026, held at Marina Bay Sands, attended by HRO.
Jointly led by MOM, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), AfA-SHEL was announced by Minister of State (MOS) for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash during MOM’s Committee of Supply 2026 debate earlier this year.
The alliance brings together employers, workers, unions, government agencies, healthcare institutions, WSH professionals, solution providers and other industry stakeholders to co-create practical, industry-led solutions that strengthen workplace safety and health while supporting employment longevity.
About the Afa-SHEL
The alliance will focus on three areas, namely:
- Injury prevention, particularly for the general workforce and beyond high-risk workplaces. This includes common risks such as slips, trips and falls, as well as work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
- Return-to-work support to help workers safely reintegrate into employment after a serious injury or health episode.
- Workplace adaptation and job redesign to make work tasks, processes, and environments inherently safer and more suitable for an increasingly diverse workforce with different physical and health needs.
Singapore’s workforce and work conditions are evolving, with technological transformation blurring the lines between traditionally blue- and white-collar roles, while more people remain economically active for longer.
Against this backdrop, there is a need for innovative solutions and stronger WSH ownership to help workers remain safe, healthy and employable throughout their careers, while supporting businesses to build safer and more inclusive workplaces.
In his speech, MOS Dinesh said: “Beyond these risks, we must also help workers remain safe, healthy and productive throughout their employment.
“This means designing safer work, preventing injuries, and strengthening return-to-work support, so that workers can continue contributing without injury or ill health prematurely curtailing their careers.”
Singapore-registered organisations can submit proposals under the AfA-SHEL open call from 23 July to 31 August 2026. Proposals may include digital tools and resources, workplace initiatives, or pilots of new services, provided they offer practical and scalable solutions to support employment longevity.
Following evaluation by the AfA Secretariat — comprising MOM, NTUC, SNEF and the WSH Council — around 30 organisations are expected to be selected, with representation across the three focus areas.
Selected participants will join an innovation programme lasting about 14 months, beginning in August 2026. They will receive funding support, access to WSH and industry resource persons, and guidance from an assigned account manager to develop their prototypes.
Beyond prevention
Separately, NTUC Secretary-General Melvin Yong welcomed the launch of AfA-SHEL in a Facebook post, linking workplace safety and health more closely to Singapore’s wider employment agenda as the workforce ages and working lives lengthen.
“While preventing injuries remains critical, we must also pay greater attention to what happens after a worker experiences a serious injury or health condition,” he wrote.
“For many workers, that is when the real struggle begins. The longer a worker stays away from work, the harder it becomes to return.”
SG Yong said he hoped the open call would generate practical, ground-up solutions that prevent workplace injuries, support workers returning after a serious injury or health episode, and redesign jobs and workplaces for safer, healthier and more sustainable working lives.
He added that potential solutions could include return-to-work approaches, workplace adaptations, job redesign and technologies that enhance workplace safety. He encouraged organisations with relevant ideas, innovations or prototypes to participate in the AfA-SHEL open call.
Highlights from the conference
The conference, themed Insight to Impact: Collective Effort for Stronger WSH Outcomes, brought together policymakers, business leaders, WSH professionals and industry practitioners.
It also saw a welcome address by Abu Bakar Mohd Nor, Chairman of the WSH Council, who called on organisations to translate learning into everyday workplace practice.
“Insights only matter when we put them into action,” he said. “What we learn today should help us make our workplaces safer and healthier tomorrow.”
Abu noted that while Singapore has made significant WSH progress, workplace safety cannot be taken for granted — particularly as AI, automation, robotics, changing workforce needs and evolving business models bring its fair share of risks and challenges.
He stressed that stronger WSH outcomes require collective effort, with business leaders, supervisors, safety professionals and frontline workers all playing a role in creating safer workplaces.
New tools, communication channel and executive programme
AfA-SHEL was one of four initiatives announced at the conference to support the next stage of Singapore’s WSH journey. The initiatives are designed to improve access to timely WSH information, strengthen leadership accountability, equip practitioners with decision-support tools, and support safer and healthier working lives.
- Safety Advisory and Guidance Engine (SAGE)
- MOS Dinesh also announced the SAGE, an AI-enabled knowledge and decision-support platform designed for WSH professionals. Developed by the WSH Council in partnership with the Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO), SAGE was developed in consultation with industry and incorporates feedback from the Ministry of National Development’s Action Team to Improve Built Environment Productivity.
- SAGE is intended to help users identify workplace hazards and consider appropriate control measures. It is designed to support, not replace, the professional judgement of WSH practitioners.
- Rather than requiring users to write detailed prompts, the tool uses guided task categories based on common WSH activities. It will be available in English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, Bengali, Hindi and Burmese.
- Beta testing is scheduled to begin in August 2026, with a full public launch planned for January 2027.
- WSH Council WhatsApp channel
- The WSH Council has also introduced a WhatsApp Channel, “WSH Council SG”, to provide concise, timely and actionable WSH information.
- Available from today, the channel will share safety alerts, programme updates, climate-related WSH advisories, preventive messages, new resources and toolkits, as well as event registrations and key deadlines.
- It complements the Council’s website, WSH Bulletin and social-media channels.
- Enhanced Top Executive WSH Programme (TEWP)
- From 1 September 2026, the TEWP will be enhanced with a stronger focus on executive accountability, governance and due diligence.
- The revised programme, which was redesigned by the Institute of Adult Learning and Singapore University of Social Sciences in consultation with MOM, the WSH Council, training providers and the Singapore Institute of Directors, will feature:
- Targeted learning for C-suite leaders and board directors,
- Greater emphasis on governance and executive leadership,
- More scenario-based and application-focused learning,
- Increased focus on the CORE Framework and the 17 Approved Code of Practice measures, and
- Stronger emphasis on demonstrating leadership commitment and due diligence.
Staying vigilant amid emerging risks
In his speech, MOS Dinesh said Singapore must remain vigilant despite progress in reducing fatal and major injury rates over the years. He pointed to the recent uptick in workplace fatalities in June as a reminder that accidents can occur not only in high-risk activities, but also during routine work when awareness lapses, shortcuts are taken or basic safety steps are missed.
He also highlighted emerging risks such as heat stress and work-related traffic accidents. In the first half of 2026, Singapore recorded seven work-related traffic accident fatalities, exceeding the total recorded for the whole of 2025. Four involved platform workers.
MOM has established a Platform Worker Safety Workgroup with the labour movement and platform operators to better understand the risks and develop targeted measures.
MOS Dinesh urged employers to ensure workers are properly trained, safe work procedures are followed, and supervisors intervene when unsafe practices arise. He also encouraged workers to adopt the “I CHOOSE SAFETY” mindset and to practise the “LOOK-THINK-DO” philosophy before each task.
“Choosing safety also entails early reporting,” he affirmed, adding that reporting hazards, near misses and incidents promptly allows action to be taken before minor issues escalate.
Lead image / Provided
Infographics / WSHC
