Speech by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment & Ministry of Transport, at the Launch of the SMRT Rail Safety Experiential Centre (SRSEC)

Chairman SMRT Group, Mr Seah Moon Ming,

SMRT Board Members and Management,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Introduction

1.     A very good morning to everyone. I am delighted to join all of you today at the launch of the “SMRT Rail Safety Experiential Centre”, or SRSEC in short.

 Kaizen for Safety at SMRT

2.     The SRSEC is another innovative initiative reflecting SMRT’s commitment to achieving excellence in safety practices, and a result of adopting Kaizen as an underlying philosophy.

3.     The drive to make continuous improvement is extremely important where safety is concerned, because we can never do enough to protect our co-workers and loved ones. Each improvement is potentially a mishap prevented, or even a life saved. I am deeply encouraged by SMRT’s Kaizen for Safety efforts. This is in fact the third time within the span of a year that I am launching a safety initiative by SMRT. In July 2023, I was at Bukit Panjang LRT to launch SMRT’s iSafe system that leverages advanced video analytics to detect track intrusions at LRT stations. Shortly after, in August 2023, I was at Kim Chuan Depot to launch Overwatch, a system that employs video analytics and AI to detect anomalies in train operations.

SMRT Rail Safety Experiential Centre

4.     These investments are crucial to ensure that our railway system continues to be safe and reliable. This is important, as we transport millions of passengers daily. With a vast workforce in the rail sector, operating across the island at all hours of the day, keeping each other safe every day is a demanding task. While monitoring technologies and other systems can be adopted to help alert us to hazards, nothing beats engaging our staff at the personal level and instilling within them a strong safety DNA. The two must complement each other. The hardware driven solutions are like tools, but if we do not have the right mindset, then we will not be able to optimize its use to enhance safety. 

5.     Unlike the more hardware-driven solutions, this is what the SRSEC aims to achieve. The SRSEC will house visuals and artefacts from past incidents, serving as valuable reminders on the need for vigilance and continuous improvement. At the SRSEC, staff will also participate in activities, such as penning down their safety reflections, that will help to inculcate and reinforce the importance of safety. I look forward to visiting the SRSEC later, and I hope that many generations of SMRT staff will see this and benefit from the Centre. The open sharing of SMRT’s safety journey and the lessons learnt through the years is a motivation for staff to practice the mantra of “think safety, work safely and go home safe” every day. This will go further to improve the safety culture at SMRT, towards a Safety Vision of “Zero Accidents at SMRT”.

Closing

6.     In conclusion, I want to thank SMRT for all your efforts towards enhancing safety. You have embodied the kaizen philosophy and made continuous improvements to your organisation’s safety capabilities. More importantly, you remain people-focused, knowing that every staff member contributes to safety, and that a strong safety culture lies at the heart of a safe organisation. Keep up the good work! Thank you.