Science Improves Lives, Safety Saves Lives
November 28, 2022
Science Safety Day 2022, with the theme of ‘Science Improves Lives, Safety Saves Lives’, was held on 16 November as part of an annual safety event organised by the Faculty of Science (FoS). With Singapore and the rest of the world gradually transiting from Covid pandemic to endemic status, our Science Safety Day was back in full swing to an in-person format. It was heartening to see more than 200 participants join the event.
The event aimed to heighten the safety and health awareness among our staff and students. Field experts were invited to share their views and research findings on laboratory safety as well as mental health.
Assoc Prof ANG Wee Han, Vice Dean (Special Duties) and Faculty Safety Chair, kickstarted the event with a welcome address. In his speech, Assoc Prof Ang highlighted that the annual Science Safety Day is an important event in the FoS calendar to remind us about workplace safety and wellbeing. It is also an opportunity to learn about new practices and recognise students and colleagues who have contributed to workplace safety in FoS. He noted that safety is an endeavour that requires a high degree of commitment and effort, from the individual as well as the organisation. He encouraged FoS staff and students to continue to upkeep high safety standards by observing three thrusts, namely People, Process, Practice. It was encouraging to see a gradual decline in safety-related incidences over the past five years, especially in 2022, where FoS recorded its lowest number of safety incidences by far.
He also shared the top three most common types of incidents: (1) cuts by objects, (2) chemical exposure and (3) chemical spills, which comprise 60% of all incidents. With cuts by objects being particularly concerning because of the resulting serious bodily harm, FoS safety units have focused on reducing such incidents this year by introducing various measures, such as issuing hand protection gloves to laboratory users, providing Hands Safety training etc. He urged all to be on the constant lookout for areas of improvement.
Lastly, he touched on the Total Workplace Safety and Health Programme (TWSH). Some departments have started on their journey to incorporate TWSH principles and methodologies into their ways of working and other departments are expected to follow suit in the near future.
Dr Patrick TAN, Director, NUS University Health Centre, was invited to share some tips on ergonomics – the designing of safer and more efficient workspaces to allow users to work comfortably in the ideal posture. Creating an ergonomically friendly computer workspace will pay off in the form of decreased risk of musculoskeletal strains and reduced eye strains and discomfort.
The second speaker, Dr Caroline SEVOZ-COUCHE, Senior Research Officer at the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), gave the audience a health talk about the importance of deep breathing – a simple technique that has proven to be a beneficial tool to ease the tension we feel and by extension, improve physical wellbeing.
The last speaker, Mr S DAMODARAN, who works in safety consultancy, shared his expertise and experience from surveying various laboratories, and provided some insights and management tips in chemical safety including usage and storage, inventory management and waste disposal.
To recognise and support the departments, staff and students who have demonstrated exemplary efforts in driving a healthy safety culture in their workplace, the Department Safety Committee Chairs presented awards to the winners of top performing laboratories.
Department Safety Chairs/Coordinators giving out the prizes to Safety Leads
Last photo: Assoc Prof Ang presenting the prize to the winner of Safety Slogan Competition, Dr LIM Whye Kit Leonard, for his slogan: NUSafe: [N]ever [U]nderestimate [SAFE]ty!
To echo the theme and support the event, FoS department safety committees set up game booths, such as the Hands Safety Quiz, Safe Transportation of Chemicals (Teambuilding), GHS Labelling, and Hand Washing techniques. These games were designed to reinforce safe working procedures and behaviours in the laboratory environment. Small prizes were given out to the winners of the games.
At the end of the event, Mr Eugene FAN, Senior Manager in the Faculty Safety Unit expressed the Faculty’s gratitude and appreciations to the Organising Committee. He said, “The event would not have been successful without the support and participation of the management, department SHCs and FoS staff. It’s truly fulfilling to see that the participants enjoyed the programmes we planned at Science Safety Day. We look forward to another safe and healthy year ahead!”
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