bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore in 2026: What Every CEO Needs to Know
Direct Answer: bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore has been replaced by the Top Executives WSH Programme (TEWP). For companies in construction, manufacturing, marine, and transport & storage industries, TEWP is now legally mandatory under the Ministry of Manpower’s SAFE measures framework. At least one CEO or Board Director must complete it. Completing TEWP qualifies your company to proceed directly to bizSAFE Level 2. Ensure Safe Consultancy guides you through every step.
“I’ve Heard bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore Was Changed. What Exactly Happened?”
This is the update Singapore business owners in higher-risk sectors have most commonly missed — and the confusion around it is creating active compliance gaps.
The original bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore programme officially ceased. In its place, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) mandated the Top Executives WSH Programme (TEWP) as the new entry point — with one critical difference: it is no longer voluntary for companies in high-risk industries.
TEWP is not a rebrand. It is a more substantive, legally-anchored programme covering topics the original never addressed — including the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) for chief executives’ and board directors’ WSH duties, and accident root cause analysis based on MOM and WSH Council guidelines.
For companies outside the high-risk sectors, TEWP is now the only valid entry pathway into the bizSAFE programme. Completing it qualifies your company to proceed directly to bizSAFE Level 2.
“Is My Company Actually Required to Do This?”
The answer depends on your industry, and you need to be exact.
TEWP is legally mandatory if your company falls under either trigger:
Trigger 1 — Your SSIC code under ACRA falls in these ranges:
| Industry | SSIC 2020 Codes |
|---|---|
| Construction | 41–43 |
| Manufacturing | 10–32 (excluding 14103, 301) |
| Marine | 301, 52252, 52225 |
| Transport & Storage | 49–53 (excluding 52252, 52225) |
Trigger 2 — Your company employs work pass holders under the Construction, Manufacturing, Marine shipyard, or Process sector, based on the SSIC declared to MOM — regardless of your ACRA SSIC.
How to verify: Log in to your company’s Bizfile account to check the SSIC declared to ACRA. If the first two or three digits fall within the ranges above, your company is required to comply.
There are no exemptions for companies in higher-risk sectors. Dormant companies are not exempt. Companies whose SSIC does not accurately reflect their activities are directed to update their SSIC with ACRA accordingly — not to skip the requirement.
“Who Exactly Has to Attend — Can I Send My COO or Head of Department?”
No. This is where companies make errors that result in wasted effort and rejected compliance.
The requirement is specific: At least one person per company — identified by UEN — who is either the CEO or a Board Director responsible for WSH must complete TEWP.
Substitutes who cannot fulfil the requirement:
- COO or CFO: Cannot fulfil the requirement unless formally appointed as a Board Director responsible for WSH.
- Project Director or Head of Department: Cannot fulfil the requirement regardless of seniority. They may attend as supplementary participants but do not satisfy the obligation.
- CEO or Board Director of a parent company: Cannot represent a subsidiary. The attending person must directly manage the company in question.
- Overseas CEO or Board Director: Still required. The online version is accessible from any internet-enabled device worldwide.
One clarification many companies get wrong: The attending Director does not need to be registered as a director in ACRA. What matters is that they hold a Board Director position with responsibility for WSH.
If your CEO oversees multiple entities: One attendance fulfils the TEWP requirement for all directly managed companies — declare all relevant UENs during registration. This does not extend to subsidiaries.
“How Is TEWP Different From the Old bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore?”
This distinction matters because outdated information is still circulating — including from some consultants — that conflates the old programme with the current requirement.
The old programme (pre-April 2024):
- Covered an introduction to Risk Management principles
- Was voluntary for all industries
TEWP (current requirement):
- Covers the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) for chief executives’ and board directors’ WSH duties — a deeper legal framework the old Level 1 never addressed
- Includes root cause analysis of top workplace incident types
- Covers legal responsibilities of top executives under Section 48 of the WSH Act
- Addresses how top executives shape WSH culture and build WSH capabilities
- Is legally mandatory for companies in construction, manufacturing, marine, and transport & storage
The critical bridge: Completing TEWP qualifies your company to proceed directly to bizSAFE Level 2. It replaces what the old Level 1 used to do — but with significantly greater legal weight.
If anyone tells you that an existing bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore certificate satisfies the TEWP requirement for high-risk industries — that is factually incorrect. The WSH Council is explicit: companies in high-risk industries must complete TEWP regardless of any existing bizSAFE level.
“Why Does Getting Certified Still Matter Commercially?”
Beyond mandatory compliance, here is what the certification pathway is actually unlocking or blocking for your business.
Government Tenders and GeBIZ Procurement
Government procurement via GeBIZ and most statutory board vendor qualification frameworks require a minimum of bizSAFE Level 3. You cannot reach Level 3 without completing TEWP and progressing through Level 2 first. Without an active certification pathway, government contracts are structurally out of reach.
Main Contractor Supplier Shortlists
Contractors in construction, marine, oil & gas, and facilities management require subcontractors to hold bizSAFE Level 3 or higher as a baseline for shortlisting. If your certification is not current, you will not be considered — and no one will tell you why.
Director Personal Liability Under the WSH Act
Under Section 48 of the Workplace Safety and Health Act, directors can be held personally liable for WSH failures within their organisation. Completing TEWP and progressing through the bizSAFE framework demonstrates that top management exercised due diligence — a factor MOM investigators explicitly consider.
Workforce Quality and Retention
Skilled workers in technical trades assess employers based on safety culture. A CEO who has completed TEWP and embedded a WSH framework signals that safety is a leadership commitment, not an afterthought.
“We Tried to Do This Ourselves and Keep Getting Stuck. What Goes Wrong?”
After guiding hundreds of Singapore companies through their bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore journey, Ensure Safe Consultancy sees the same errors repeat.
Wrong person registered. The COO attends instead of a Board Director. Or the CEO attends but did not sign the declaration form — which must be completed by the same person who attends. The WSH Council rejects it. The company restarts.
Not distinguishing between TEWP and the old programme. Companies in high-risk industries that completed the old programme and have not completed TEWP are non-compliant. The old certificate does not satisfy the current mandate.
Stalling after TEWP without reaching Level 3. Completing TEWP alone does not place your company on the searchable bizSAFE certified register. That visibility begins at Level 3. Companies that stop at entry level remain invisible to the procurement systems that matter.
SSIC mismatches creating unexpected mandatory status. Some companies discover their SSIC triggers the TEWP requirement even though they do not consider themselves high-risk. The correct response is to update the SSIC with ACRA — not to ignore the requirement.
“What Does Ensure Safe Consultancy Handle for Us?”
We remove every obstacle between your company and a correctly registered certification — and manage the full pathway beyond.
SSIC and eligibility review: We verify your SSIC against mandatory TEWP criteria and flag any ACRA alignment issues before they become compliance problems.
Declaration and registration management: We ensure the correct top executive is registered, their declaration is accurately completed, and the training mode — in-person or online — fits their situation, including for overseas directors.
Portal confirmation: We verify your TEWP completion is correctly reflected across WSH Council systems and your company is positioned to advance to Level 2 without gaps.
Full pathway planning: Whether your target is Level 3 for a tender or long-term market positioning, we build a structured plan from your bizSAFE Level 1 certification onwards.
We are WSH consultants — not a training provider. We remove the friction that causes companies to stall.
Ready to Get Your bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore Sorted?
Stop deferring a process that unlocks government contracts, qualifies you for main contractor shortlists, and protects your directors from personal WSH liability.
Visit Ensure Safe Consultancy’s bizSAFE Level 1 consulting page to book your consultation and secure your workshop slot.
Tell us your industry, your SSIC, and your certification goals. We handle the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions: bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore
Has bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore been replaced? What should my company do now?
Yes. The original bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore programme has been replaced by TEWP. Companies in construction, manufacturing, marine, and transport & storage industries are legally required to complete TEWP. For all other companies, TEWP is the new entry point into the bizSAFE programme. Completing it qualifies your company to proceed directly to bizSAFE Level 2.
Can my COO or HR Director attend TEWP on behalf of the CEO?
No. Only the CEO or a Board Director responsible for WSH can fulfil the TEWP requirement. COOs, CFOs, HR Directors, and non-director employees cannot substitute — unless they hold a formal Board Director appointment with WSH responsibility.
Is there any exemption from TEWP for companies in high-risk sectors?
No. The WSH Council has confirmed there are no exemptions. Dormant companies are not exempt. Companies whose SSIC does not accurately reflect their activities are directed to update their SSIC with ACRA. The requirement applies as long as your company holds the relevant SSIC.
Does an existing bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore satisfy the TEWP requirement?
No. The WSH Council is explicit: companies in high-risk industries must complete TEWP regardless of any previously obtained bizSAFE Level 1 Certification Singapore certificate. TEWP covers substantially different content — including the ACOP for directors’ WSH duties — that the old Level 1 did not address.
Published by Ensure Safe Consultancy | WSH Consulting Singapore | www.ensuresafe.sg
Ensure Safe Consultancy is a Singapore-based Workplace Safety and Health consulting firm specialising in bizSAFE certification, TEWP compliance, risk management implementation, and WSH advisory for SMEs and large enterprises across all industry sectors.
