Grey Singapore in partnership with the Workplace Safety Health Council Singapore (WSH) has developed a new television commercial that aims to change employer and employee mindsets on personal safety issues at the workplace. The 45-second spot launched late last month will run on local free-to-air channels, cable television and in cinemas.

The television commercial is directed by one of Singapore’s acclaimed directors, Royston Tan, of local movie hits 881 and 12 Lotus. The commercial begins with a young boy talking to a man seated behind an office desk about preventing an accident if only he had shown more care. In response, the man’s inner voice of reason surfaces in an attempt to justify his actions. As the office employee heads out to his car, the child appears again; this time in the passenger seat where he points out that it is futile to pretend that he was not the cause of the accident. This time the man becomes introspective and regrets making certain assumptions.

In the following scene, the man is seen arriving at a hospital and peering into a ward where an injured man is seen lying on a hospital bed with his wife and young son next to him. It then becomes apparent that the young boy was a manifestation of the man’s own guilty conscience and it was that guilt that had driven him to visit an injured employee under his supervision at the workplace. To view the spot, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgtSwTrjv7w&feature=youtu.be

In his speech at the launch of the National WSH Campaign 2012. To view the speech in full, visit at the launch of the National WSH Campaign on 26 April 2012, Mr Heng Chiang Ngee, Acting Chairman of the WSH Council said, “From studies into the causes of accidents, we realise that is it very common for “assumptions” to be made by stakeholders involved. The “assumption” that safety has been taken care of or is the responsibility of someone else is a key contributing factor for many accidents. Hence, our message this year serves to remind one and all not to make assumptions but to instead, take personal responsibility towards WSH.”

“The idea behind the TVC was to communicate that it is everyone’s responsibility when accidents happen in the workplace – be it at the office or a building site. Presenting a real situation that people could relate to, understand as well as prick the conscience of the target audience was the most effective way to go about it,” said Ali Shabaz, Chief Creative Officer, Grey Group, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

The TVC is scheduled to run until July 2012.