Bandar Seri Begawan, 20 May 2026 – The Safety, Health and Environment National Authority (SHENA) commemorated the World Day for Safety and Health at Work (WDSHW) 2026 through the organisation of Safety Forum 2026, held at Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah.

Held in conjunction with Safety Month 2026, the forum aimed to raise awareness on the importance of workplace safety, health and wellbeing. It brought together more than 200 participants, comprising representatives from Government agencies, statutory bodies, industry stakeholders, health, safety and environment (HSE) professionals, academia and private sector organisations.

In alignment with the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026 theme, “Good Psychosocial Working Environments: A Pathway to Thriving Workers and Strong Organisations,” the forum highlighted the importance of psychosocial well-being in fostering safe, healthy and resilient workplaces. It also served as a platform for dialogue and knowledge-sharing on workplace mental wellbeing, leadership responsibility, psychosocial risk management and organisational resilience.

The opening ceremony was officiated by the Guest of Honour, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (R) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II, in his capacity as Minister-in-Charge of SHENA.

In his opening remarks, Yang Berhormat Pehin emphasised that psychosocial risks, such as excessive workloads, workplace harassment, prolonged stress, and unclear roles, could adversely affect workers’ judgement, performance,  and workplace safety. He underscored the importance of recognising mental wellbeing as an integral component of workplace safety and health, and reaffirmed the need for employers and organisations to foster respectful, supportive and psychologically safe working environments. He further highlighted that strengthening psychosocial resilience at work is critical to achieving a resilient, high-quality workforce in line with Wawasan Brunei 2035.

Following the opening remarks, the keynote presentation titled “From Emotional Stability to Organisational Strength: Building Psychosocial Resilience at Work” was delivered by Yang Mulia Dato Dr Haji Mohd Fadzilah Kamsah, Advisor, Emerging Journey (EJ) Asia Sdn. Bhd., Malaysia, who shared valuable insights on emotional resilience, leadership and workplace wellbeing.

The Forum featured three panel sessions focusing on psychosocial working environments, leadership’s commitment to shaping safe and healthy workplaces, and practical approaches to managing psychosocial risks. Speakers and panellists included representatives from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Ministry of Manpower Singapore, and the Malaysian Industrial Safety and Health Association (MiSHA), as well as local experts.

In addition, exhibition booths were showcased by the Department of Labour, SHENA, the Industry HSE Group (iHSEg), the Occupational Safety and Health Workers Association (OSHWA), and the Health Promotion Centre (HPC), highlighting various initiatives related to workplace safety, health, and psychosocial wellbeing.

The programme also featured the Digital Poster Competition Prize Presentation Ceremony as part of Safety Month 2026. The competition showcased selected posters covering topics such as occupational safety and health issues, mental health and psychosocial hazards at work, industrial hygiene and chemical safety, and safety culture and behaviour-based safety (BBS).

Through the organisation of Safety Forum 2026, SHENA reaffirmed its continued commitment to strengthening workplace safety and health culture in Brunei Darussalam, while encouraging organisations to adopt proactive, holistic approaches to managing psychosocial risks and promoting worker wellbeing.