34-year-old Lynnette Goh has always identified as an introvert. Upon graduation, the Chemical Engineering graduate found herself a job that she thought did not involve much interaction with others as a Major Hazards Department (MHD) specialist at the Ministry of Manpower.
“I thought I only needed to review technical documents,” Goh told Mothership in an email interview.
Much to her surprise, she was assigned to follow up on a toxic gas exposure accident on her very first day of work. Within her first month with MHD, Goh was also called up after office hours to attend to a serious fire accident on an offshore island, which she recalled as her most memorable experience in her five years with the department.
Fortunately, Goh has supportive colleagues who briefed her on what to do and ensured she brought along the necessary personal protective equipment. She added that her bosses are always a text away to give her necessary support whenever she’s attending to cases on-site.
While the actual job scope was not entirely what Goh had expected, she is glad that the role of a principal specialist at MHD is multifaceted and she has the opportunity to meet various people on the ground.
“But I am glad that didn’t turn out to be the case as it would have meant less action on the ground and more deskbound tasks,” Goh said.
“Every work day is different.”
Not a typical 9-5 deskbound job
On some days, Goh buries herself in heaps of documents at her workstation in MOM Services Centre. These documents, including reports and technical drawings submitted by companies, can go up to 1,000 pages.
Goh also has to spend time updating herself on new processes or technologies so that she can better understand companies’ operations.
This helps her to assess the control measures that companies have taken to minimise major accidents and safeguard workers’ safety. To do so, Goh inspects workplaces and meets employers and employees on a regular basis, including those on Jurong Island.
After five years, Goh has grown to become the “big sister” of the team as she now takes on various roles to support her peers and helps guide her newer colleagues.
Goh taking a wefie with her co-workers. Photo courtesy of Lynnette Goh.
“I could be a stickler for grammar when editing their reports, or I could also be defending the team when companies challenge us. Sometimes, I could just be the entertainer on our journey back to the office,” she shared.
And it really shows through in the interview with us that Goh is now very comfortable at work and in this team, which she describes as “indispensable” to her.
“I always strive to build a harmonious team and I am so blessed [to have] a fantastic team that I can depend on. We are great team players who contribute in every way we can.”
A team bonding activity in 2019. Photo courtesy of Lynnette Goh.
Beyond the MHD, she has also become a familiar face at other workplaces. She said:
“I remembered that there was one occasion I had to enter Jurong Island repeatedly over a few days, an auxiliary personnel recognised me at the checkpoint and he joked, ‘Is you again?’. These snippets of human interactions really brighten up my job.”
Such bonds and good rapport definitely do not come easy and can only be formed after years of frequent interaction and, perhaps, several memorable encounters.
The most memorable case so far
One memorable accident that Goh will always remember is a serious fire accident that she attended to back in 2015 during her first month in MHD.
“At that time when I got the call, I remembered I was still at Bras Basah for the Night at the Museum festival. I returned to the office, prepared my gear and took off for the response with my team,” Goh recounted.
The accident occurred on an island off mainland Singapore. Goh arrived at the site at around 11pm and only returned to mainland Singapore by a police fast craft at around 4am.
Besides being the first responder to the case from MOM, Goh was also the investigating officer for the case, so she had to find out the cause of the accident and if there were any lapses by the company.
She had to gather evidence such as statements from eyewitnesses, operators and victims as well as collect photos, technical drawings and permits.
To Goh, this was one of the most challenging cases as it was both mentally and physically exhausting. Goh had to work closely with other agencies such as the Singapore Civil Defence Force and had to gather information quickly and communicate clearly with the agencies’ involved for an effective investigation.
The case took a total of three-and-a-half years to conclude due to the rigorous investigation and the team did not want to leave any stones unturned. The company’s operations were highly complex and she had to interview different parties to understand their processes. She also had to work closely with the Legal Services Department in MOM and the Attorney-General’s Chambers as the company was eventually prosecuted. Alongside the investigation, Goh also guided the company to rectify the lapses so that they could resume work safely again.
Goh also recalled waiting for about four months for the victims’ conditions to stabilise before she could take their statements in the high dependency ward. “I could still remember that one of the victims thanked me for hearing him out and hoped that I could find the cause of the fire so that his fellow migrant worker brothers would not get hurt like him,” Goh recounted.
“It is never a good feeling whenever we hear of injuries and illnesses suffered by anyone, due to work-related causes. Everyone deserves to go home safely to their loved ones,” Goh said.
A sense of fulfillment to keep workplaces safe
Such incidents drive Goh to give her best at her job, and have open conversations with companies to find ways to reduce risks at their workplace.
“...I always emphasise during inspections that we are not here to find fault, but rather to work with companies to find solutions,” Goh said.
And being able to keep workplaces safe gives Goh an immense sense of fulfilment at her job.
“This is a demanding yet fulfilling role which requires strong technical knowledge and, more importantly, the ability to communicate well with others.
If you also enjoy a mix of deskbound jobs and working outdoors, as well as fire retardant overalls as the dress code on some work days, you will be rewarded with a wealth of knowledge and experiences on process safety.
Most importantly, it is satisfying to know that you have played a part in ensuring that every worker goes home safely to their loved ones.”
Top image courtesy of Lynnette Goh and by Valerie Ng
Work in Progress is a sponsored series by MOM which has officers like Goh who goes the distance to ensure it is safe to work in Major Hazards Installations.