Employers need to plan how to protect workers if haze situation worsens: MOM

SINGAPORE - Employers should plan for changes to work arrangements and protective measures for workers ahead of worsening haze conditions, which could hit hazardous levels.

This includes discussions on flexible work arrangements where feasible, said Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau at an Oct 16 press conference.

This comes as hazy conditions deteriorated across Singapore on Oct 16, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) hitting a high of 229 for the current haze season at 3pm in the central region.

Singapore is in its 12th consecutive day of unhealthy air since Oct 5 – the longest continuous stretch of poor air quality the country has endured since the 2015 haze crisis. That year, bad air lasted 14 days from Sept 23 to Oct 7.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has conducted more than 400 worksite inspections since September, said Lau, and “most employers have done the right thing” in protecting their employees from the effects of the haze.

About a quarter of the companies have fallen short, however, and have been directed to put things right.

“We will check again. We will continue the inspections while the haze lasts,” Lau said.

Lau said employers should adhere to MOM’s published guidelines to carry out risk assessments and implement appropriate measures.

For instance, if the 24-hour PSI forecast goes beyond 200 - into the very unhealthy range, prolonged or strenuous outdoor work should be avoided.

For vulnerable workers, such as seniors, pregnant women, and those with chronic lung or heart disease, employers should minimise or avoid their outdoor work.

In addition, N95 masks should be provided for workers who need to work outdoors for a prolonged period of time.

When the PSI forecast goes above 300 and into the hazardous range, outdoor work should be minimised and non-essential outdoor work deferred, even for workers who are healthy.

Lau said that MOM will issue additional advice to aid employers in referencing the one-hour PM2.5 reading, including when they might need to completely pause outdoor work for vulnerable workers.

She pointed out that the haze situation has created practical problems at home, such as parents having to take care of sick children, or in the case of worsening air quality, dealing with home-based learning.

In such circumstances, if the job allows for it, she urged employers to allow employees to work from home, especially for those who are more vulnerable.

She pointed out that under the tripartite guidelines on flexible work arrangement requests, employers must properly consider such requests from their employees.

She noted however, that flexible work arrangements may not be feasible for all jobs, and for these other workers, they could be allowed to use their annual leave or childcare leave entitlements when needed.

For those who had already utilised their leave entitlements, Lau urged employers to be flexible in allowing their workers to draw on the following year’s entitlement, or to grant them paid time-off.