Revised SDU Framework Will Replace Current SDU Framework on 1 January 2023- WSHO Safety Officers

These are personal view points, please read the entire Revised SDU Frame Work document before deciding what to do next

These are my views and concerns

1) SISO List of CPD approved courses

I looked at the SISO list of CPD approved courses, its only up to Dec 2022. Will SISO be able to prepare a list that stretches for a longer period? This is because people want to plan how to upgrade themselves. They may want to develop a upgrading plan at the end of the year for the next year. WSHOs also have families and career commitments, they should be allowed to plan for their advancements.

2) Types of Courses and Accreditations

Again looking at the list of courses, 90% or even more of them are specifically safety related.

From things like Managing Work at Height, Confined Space Assessor, Design for Safety , Develop a Business Case for WSH, WSH (Design For Safety) Guidelines Course, Perform Manhole Safety Assessment, Manage Workplace Safety And Health In Construction Sites, Manage Workplace Safety And Health In Shipbuilding And Ship Repair, Confined Space Management 1 July 2022 31 December 2022, Legal Aspects of Workplace Safety, Health & Environment, Major Hazards Symposium 2022 etc

Majority of the courses are safety related- but yet the workplace environment now has so many aspects from human factors to behavior to using technology, robotics, and so on.

Again Safety Training Providers would want to submit their courses for accreditation

However why would companies doing AI, VR, AR, robotics, and other forms of technology training want to go through the hassle and trouble of submitting their course curriculum to a small little organisation like SISO (no offence but that's the truth)?

If we really want to embrace personal and professional growth, professionals should be allowed to attend any courses (real courses of course) and then explain how it helps them add to their professional growth or upgrading.

3) Non Conflicting Roles

SISO Singapore Institution of Safety Officers also runs SISO Academy. OK understandable. SISO Academy also creates and runs courses in the market. Creating a little friction. Other training providers may not want to submit their non WSQ course curriculums to SISO for accreditation for the simple fact that what if something goes wrong. What if someone from SISO says, hey look why doesn't SISO Academy too create this course and run it? After all SISO Academy is probably a for-profit organisation. I had always believed that the role of an association would be to help the members in the industry and not create competition. Why would any business want to groom or create competitors?

4) Real Change?

Personally I don't see it. I still have to do work which gives me 20 points. I still have to find a safety course or safety courses that give me a total of 20 points. I just need to make sure nothing is carried over.

What's the big deal? What's the change?

If Singapore, Singapore Ministry of Manpower, Singapore Workplace Safety Health Council is looking for real change- I'm more than willing to talk to Minister Tan but in the end I too feel nothing will change.

"Official Part"

In October 2022 the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO), the appointed Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Board for Workplace Safety and Health Officers (WSHO), announced that the Safety Development Unit SDU had undergone a comprehensive review. The Ministry of Manpower and Singapore Institution of Safety Officers SISO said that they had taken into account WSHO survey feedback at the 19th WSHO Conference. Also from 11 November to 15 December 2021 there was a consultation for the SDU framework with the aim to streamline the SDU process for practising WSHOs, encourage continuing professional development as well as prepare WSHOs for the new future and their career advancement.

The revised SDU framework, which is based on three categories, namely

(i) WSH in-employment practice (up to 20 Points)

(ii) Attending course/training/conference accredited by CPD Board

- Courses/trainings/conferences will be awarded SDUs based on two tiers.

a) Conferences/events organized by MOM, WSHC, and relevant agencies

b) Non-WSH courses that support Continuous Professional Development e.g. soft skills and IT skills (max 10 SDUs)

(Both classroom and online training)

and

(iii) Other WSH contributions/Attending unaccredited WSH training, up to 10 SDUs max

This will replace the current framework with effect from 1 January 2023.

The existing renewal requirement of 40 SDUs will remain.

WSHOs can still renew their registration with SDUs obtained from accredited courses attended before 1 January 2023.

However, excess SDUs will not be allowed to be carried forward for the next WSHO renewal.