OS+H Asia 2012, 8th Occupational Safety & Health Exhibition for Asia, will again have strong support from local and international industry associations. They include the Ministry of Manpower Singapore, the Workplace Safety and Health Council Singapore (WSHC), the Singapore Institution of Safety Officers (SISO), the Occupational and Environmental Health Society, the National Safety Council of Singapore and the International Powered Access Federation as well as the Department of Labor & Welfare (Thailand) and the Institution of Fire Engineers. The trade fair will take place from September 12 – 14, 2012 at Suntec Singapore.

SISO has been a supporting organization since the first edition of OS+H Asia in 1998 and considers the event an important element for Singapore’s safety sector. “OS+H Asia is a partner in the Singapore safety scene and helps with increasing awareness. This is a crucial aspect for raising the level of safety here, not just for the building, construction and marine sectors but for all workplaces,” stated Seet Choh San, President of SISO.

With OS+H Asia 2012 being held about a year after the implementation of the Workplace Safety and Health Act last September, the timing is ideal. “The implementation of the WSH Act in September 2011 will improve the safety of workers and workplaces. There will be initial hurdles but we will be rewarded when workplaces all over Singapore perceive working safely as a way of life,” said Seet Choh San. “The exhibition will provide a sourcing and business platform for all workplaces to get the latest updates on products, applications and solutions to create an even safer and healthier working environment.”

Shirley Lim, General Manager of Messe Düsseldorf Asia (organizer of OS+H Asia 2012), commented: “The increase in support from associations has been met by an equal demand from exhibitors both locally and internationally to be present at the exhibition. We had strong interest from exhibitors and are delighted to be able to meet this demand in light of the implementation of the WSH Act which is an essential part of the new framework to cultivate good safety habits and encourage a strong safety culture in the workplace.”

While Singapore’s Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC) and Ministry of Manpower work continuously towards making Singapore one of Asia’s best in terms of occupational safety and health, SISO’s contribution to Singapore’s drive for a safer and healthier workplace includes enhancing the competence of workplace safety and health professionals and by upholding high standards of professional practice among its members. SISO is currently reorganizing itself to further influence the workplace safety and health sector in Singapore.

According to Seet Choh San, the association will introduce more demanding programs to broaden the skills of workplace safety and health professionals: “Beyond technical competency, we are considering the coaching especially of newer workplace safety and health professionals. We will also increase our involvement with strategic partners, both in quality and quantity. SISO will also increase the engagement of its members to influence the workplace safety and health sector in Singapore. This will begin in 2012 and will be implemented in the next 18 months. To support these initiatives, we will expand our full-time staff by at least 50% in 2012.”

At the national level, the Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC) is a strong medium that engages the workforce. The council has extensive representations from the industry and is a platform that SISO actively participates in. As stated by Seet Choh San, WSHC and SISO are working together in collaboration with the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) in order to raise the expertise of workplace safety and health professionals.

For further information on visiting or exhibiting at OS+H Asia 2012, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America, 150 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2920, Chicago, IL 60601. Telephone: (312) 781-5180; Fax: (312) 781-5188; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit our web site www.mdna.com; Subscribe to our blog at blog.mdna.com; Follow us on twitter at twitter.com/mdnachicago