From 1 December 2025, Singapore will implement significant updates to the Second Schedules of the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA) and the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA). These changes aim to strengthen worker protection, enhance occupational health surveillance, and provide clearer guidance to employers, platform operators, medical practitioners, and insurers.

The revisions reflect evolving workplace risks and advances in occupational health knowledge, ensuring that workers affected by occupational diseases (ODs) receive timely reporting, appropriate care, and fair compensation.

What Is an Occupational Disease (OD)?

An occupational disease is a disease:

• Listed in the Second Schedule of WSHA and WICA, or

• Not listed but proven to be caused by exposure to chemical or biological agents arising from work activities.

The updated framework improves detection, reporting, and prevention of occupational diseases across all sectors.

Key Update: Harmonised OD Coverage

From 1 December 2025:

• Both WSHA and WICA will recognise the same list of 38 occupational diseases

• All listed diseases will be both reportable and compensable

• The alignment removes ambiguity and ensures consistency across reporting and compensation processes

This harmonisation facilitates easier compliance for employers and more equitable outcomes for workers.

Who Needs to Take Action?

Employers and Platform Operators

• Understand the updated OD coverage

• Ensure timely reporting of occupational diseases to the Ministry of Manpower

• Maintain proper records and workplace risk controls

Medical Practitioners

• Recognise occupational diseases based on the revised Second Schedule

• Fulfil statutory reporting obligations under WSHA

• Refer complex cases to Occupational Medicine specialists when necessary

Insurers

• Apply the revised WICA coverage accurately when assessing and processing claims

Employees and Platform Workers

• Be aware of entitlements under WSHA and WICA

• Seek appropriate medical care, reporting, and compensation for work-related diseases

Key Changes to WSHA and WICA

The updates introduce five major changes:

1. Revision of Occupational Disease CoverageExpansion and clarification of diseases recognised as occupational in nature.

2. Updated NomenclatureModernised disease names aligned with current medical standards.

3. Alignment Between WSHA and WICAIdentical lists of reportable and compensable ODs under both Acts.

4. Removal of Accident-Related ConditionsDiseases arising from work-related accidents have been removed, as these are already covered under separate accident-reporting frameworks.

5. Reorganisation by Disease CategoryODs are now grouped by causative agents or body systems for clarity and ease of use.

Updated List of Occupational Diseases (38)

Diseases Caused by Physical Agents

1. Barotrauma

2. Cataract due to infra-red, ultraviolet, or ionising radiation

3. Compressed air illness and sequelae (including dysbaric osteonecrosis)

4. Diseases caused by excessive heat

5. Diseases caused by ionising radiation

6. Noise-induced hearing loss

Diseases Caused by Chemical Agents

7. Poisoning by aniline

8. Poisoning by arsenic

9. Poisoning by benzene or its homologues

10. Poisoning by beryllium

11. Poisoning by cadmium

12. Poisoning by carbamates

13. Poisoning by carbon disulphide

14. Poisoning by carbon monoxide

15. Poisoning by cyanide

16. Poisoning by halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons

17. Poisoning by hydrogen sulphide

18. Poisoning by lead

19. Poisoning by manganese

20. Poisoning by mercury

21. Poisoning by organophosphates

22. Poisoning by oxides of nitrogen

23. Poisoning by phosphorus

24. Toxic anaemia

25. Toxic hepatitis

Diseases Caused by Biological Agents

26. Anthrax

27. Glanders

28. Leptospirosis or its sequelae

29. Occupational infectious disease

Musculoskeletal Disorders

30. Work-related musculoskeletal disorder

Respiratory Disorders

31. Asbestosis

32. Byssinosis

33. Occupational asthma

34. Silicosis

Skin Disorders

35. Occupational skin disease

Cancers (Malignant Diseases)

36. Malignant mesothelioma

37. Occupational liver angiosarcoma

38. Occupational skin cancer

Conditions Removed from the OD Lists

The following conditions have been removed:

1. Poisoning by carbon dioxide gas

2. Ulceration of the corneal surface of the eye

These conditions are addressed under other workplace injury or health management frameworks.

Reporting Requirements Under WSHA and WICA

The reporting requirements remain unchanged.

Legislation	Who Must Report
WSHA	Employers, Platform Operators, Doctors
WICA	Employers, Platform Operators

All stakeholders must continue to comply with existing timelines and reporting procedures.

Clinical Guidance for Doctors

Medical practitioners are encouraged to refer to the revised WSH Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Management of Occupational Diseases for:

• Proper diagnosis

• Confirmation of work-related causation

• Reporting standards

Where uncertainty exists, referral to an Occupational Medicine specialist is recommended.