WSH Council consults on proposed revisions to Guidelines on Diagnosis and Management of Occupational Diseases
29 July 2025
From 1 to 29 July 2025, the Workplace Safety and Health Council (“WSH Council”) conducted a public consultation and sought feedback on proposed revisions to the WSH Guidelines on Diagnosis and Management of Occupational Diseases (“draft Guidelines”). The proposed revisions seek to raise the capabilities of the medical community in detecting and diagnosing occupational diseases (“OD”).
ODs refer to any disease specified in the Second Schedule of the Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006, and any other disease that is directly attributed to any exposure to any chemical or biological agent, arising out of and in the course of any employment or the provision of any platform service.
Under the Workplace Safety and Health (Incident Reporting) Regulations, a registered medical practitioner or registered dentist who certifies that an employee or a platform worker has contracted an OD must report the matter to the Commissioner of Labour within 10 days after the date of certification.
The early detection and intervention of ODs can minimise or help prevent morbidity and disability arising from these diseases. Doctors play an important role in the diagnosis, management, and reporting of ODs, which enable affected workers to receive compensation under the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019. Employers and platform operators also play a critical role in the early reporting of ODs and implementing preventive measures to protect other workers who may be exposed to similar risks.
To aid medical practitioners in detecting and diagnosing ODs, the WSH Council, in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower, proposes to revise and update the Guidelines with the addition of new chapters and details on the conditions and diagnostic criteria for occupational cancers, occupational infectious diseases, noise induced hearing loss, pesticide and fumigant poisoning, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders, among others.
Reference materials
The following materials are available on the WSH Council website www.tal.sg/wshc: