Safety Time-Out (STO)
Safety Time-Out (STO)
What is a Safety Time-Out (STO)?
Safety Time-Out (STO) refers to a temporary pause in work activities, especially high-risk ones, so that employers and workers can review safety practices, assess risks, and recalibrate safety measures on-site.
This proactive pause in operations, is typically initiated when there are:
● Rising trends in workplace incidents; e.g., recent fatalities or near misses,
● New safety regulations or advisories,
● High-risk tasks are about to commence; e.g., lifting operations, work at height, confined space
In Singapore, Safety Time-Outs (STOs) are strongly encouraged by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and are part of Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) strategies. Although not mandatory, MOM or industry associations may call for Safety Time-Outs (STOs) across sectors when fatal incidents occur or systemic lapses are observed.
For example: In 2022 and 2023, MOM called for nationwide Safety Time-Outs (STOs) across construction and manufacturing sectors following a spike in workplace deaths, urging companies to revisit their safety procedures and retrain staff.
Why Safety Time-Outs (STOs) are important?
In the context of Singapore's workplace safety landscape, Safety Time-Outs (STOs) are a critical proactive measure designed to prevent accidents before they happen, especially in high-risk industries like construction, marine, manufacturing, and logistics. Here’s why Safety Time-Outs (STOs) matter:
● Preventive Pause Before Problems Escalate: Safety Time-Outs (STOs) allow teams to pause operations and reassess safety controls before resuming high-risk work. It is a way to catch gaps, outdated procedures, or unsafe behaviour before they lead to injury or death.
● Response to Rising Accident Trends: Singapore has seen periods where workplace fatalities or serious injuries were on spike. In such cases, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) may advise Safety Time-Outs (STOs) across affected sectors to reset safety standards. It helps prevent reactive firefighting after incidents.
● Reinforces Safety Awareness and Culture: Safety Time-Outs (STOs) encourage open dialogue between management and workers. They reinforce the message that safety is everyone's responsibility and not just the safety officers’. It builds a safety-first mindset on-site.
● Opportunity for Review and Rectification: They serve as a structured opportunity to inspect the worksite, update outdated risk assessments, review Safe Work Procedures (SWPs), and correct unsafe conditions or behaviours on the spot.
● Demonstrates Due Diligence: Implementing Safety Time-Outs (STOs) reflects well on companies during audits or inspections. It shows they take WSH ownership seriously, which aligns with MOM's push under the SAFE (Safety Accountability, Focus and Empowerment) measures framework.
Thus, Safety Time-Outs (STOs) are not just “pauses.” They’re prevention tools that save lives, strengthen safety culture, and ensure compliance with Singapore’s high WSH standards.
How is Safety Time-Out (STO) different from Stop Work Order (SWO)?
Difference between Safety Time-Out (STO) and Stop Work Order (SWO) are as follows:
●Safety Time-Out (STO) is a voluntary or MOM-advised pause in operations for safety review. On the other hand, Stop Work Order (SWO) a legal directive issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to immediately stop work due to serious safety lapses.
● Safety Time-Out (STO) usually initiated by employers, supervisors or sometimes the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) as an advisory. On the other hand, Stop Work Order (SWO) is only issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) under the Workplace Safety & Health (WSH) Act.
● The purpose of Safety Time-Out (STO) is to proactively review and reinforce safety procedures and prevent incidents. On the other hand, Stop Work Order (SWO) is aimed at halting dangerous work due to immediate threats to worker safety or breaches of Workplace Safety & Health (WSH) regulations.
● Safety Time-Out (STO) is a short term pause until safety checks are complete and assurance is restored. On the other hand, Stop Work Order (SWO) can be indefinite until the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is satisfied that all issues are rectified and give clearance.
● Safety Time-Out (STO) involves no direct legal penalty. On the other hand, Stop Work Order (SWO) may include legal penalties, including fines or prosecution, if breached.
How can companies in Singapore avoid Safety Time-Out (STOs)?
The following steps can be adopted by the companies in Singapore to avoid Safety Time-Out (STOs):
● Conduct quick pre shift risk checks: Pause before every shift or new task to spot hazards and confirm safe procedures.
● Analyse and improve: After any pause, dig into root causes and fix systems, not just symptoms.
● Keep equipment well maintained: Inspect and service tools and machinery regularly to prevent unexpected breakdowns.
● Leverage technology: Use digital tools, like apps, wearables, sensors and analytics and modern technologies like AI & video analytics to detect hazards early and streamline incident reporting.
What is the role of AI video analytics in preventing Safety Time-Out (STOs)?
Here’s how AI video analytics can help prevent Safety Time-Outs:
● Real time hazard detection: AI video analytics scans live video feeds to identify unsafe behaviours, like workers entering restricted zones, improper PPE use, or proximity to live machinery, and triggers alerts for immediate intervention.
● Instant alerts: When risks are detected, systems powered by AI video analytics can automatically send alerts, via mobile, dashboard, or wearables, so teams can pause and correct the issue, and resume safely, eliminating surprise stops.
● Automated compliance monitoring: AI video analytics continuously checks for rule violations, e.g., missing helmets or unfastened harnesses and notify supervisors, preventing unsafe work conditions from persisting.
● Trend analysis & predictive insight: By tracking incidents and near-misses, video analytics reveal patterns, e.g. a high risk zone or recurring behavior, helping managers proactively adjust protocols or retrain staff before a serious threat emerges.
● Post event review & training: Recorded footage enables targeted training. Teams can review what went wrong and visualize best practices, reinforcing safety standards and reducing chances of future interruptions.
Thus, AI video analytics acts as a virtual safety guard, monitoring constantly, alerting instantly, and learning over time, so that companies can prevent unsafe conditions proactively, reducing the need for disruptive Safety Time-Out (STOs).
Article by
Barnali Sharma
Content Writer
Barnali Sharma is a dedicated content contributor for viAct. A university gold medalist with an MBA in Marketing, she crafts compelling narratives, enhances brand engagement, and develops data-driven marketing campaigns. When she’s not busy working her content alchemy, Barnali can be found commanding stages with her public speaking or turning data into stories that actually make sense -because who said analytics can’t have a little creativity?