Singapore, 23 January 2025 – The Safety, Health, and Environment National Authority (SHENA) has successfully concluded a three-day working visit to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in Singapore. The visit aimed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation on occupational safety and health between Brunei Darussalam and Singapore considering the similarities in both countries’ legislative framework.

The working visit kicked off with an introductory session between Yang Mulia Haji Muhsin bin Haji Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SHENA and Mr. Silas Sng, Singapore's Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health and Divisional Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Division (OSHD), MOM. In his introductory remarks, the CEO of SHENA acknowledged that SHENA has great respect for Singapore’s advancements in workplace safety and health, not only because of similarities in our legislative framework in WSH but also because of the quality achievements and impressive safety record that MOM has maintained over the past years and valued the opportunity to collaborate closely with Singapore.

The session continued with engagement with various departments under the OSHD, namely the OSH Inspectorate Department, OSH Specialist Department, Work Injury Compensation Department, Major Hazards Department, and Workplace Safety and Health Institute where SHENA had the opportunity to gain and exchange views on policies, strategies and approaches in strengthening the overall OSH framework.

The following days, MOM arranged for site visits to Neste Singapore Pte. Ltd and Zheng Keng Engineering & Construction Pte. Ltd. The experiences offered SHENA’s delegation insights into best practices, innovative solutions to promote safety culture, and practical implementations of safety and health measures. Besides site visits, MOM also organised a networking session with the Singapore Chemical Industry Council, WSH Council and National Trade Union Congress, showcasing the instrumental tripartite model in Singapore, among others.

The working visit concluded with a high-level discussion between the CEO of SHENA and the Divisional Director of the OSHD, on the possibility of enhancing the existing two-way cooperation for mutual benefits. One key outcome was to explore work placement for skill-building in various regulatory functions and networking opportunities. In the long run, it is hoped that this will advance SHENA’s vision of making Brunei Darussalam a safer place to work and live by fostering closer collaboration with Singapore on WSH-related matters.