Platform workers should not be penalised for delays during haze: Jasmin Lau

SINGAPORE: Platform workers should not be penalised for taking longer to complete deliveries or other jobs during the haze, said Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau on Friday (Oct 16). 

This includes penalties imposed through incentive schemes, reduced job allocations or pay deductions, she said, adding that platform operators have been reminded of their duty to protect workers from haze-related health risks.

Under the Platform Workers Act, platform operators have workplace safety and health responsibilities towards their workers, including advising them on how to protect themselves during haze episodes.

Ms Lau was speaking at a press conference on the haze situation at the National Press Centre, which included Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu and Minister for Education Desmond Lee on the panel. 

Ms Lau said some platform operators, including Grab and foodpanda, have partnered with the National Delivery Champions Association to distribute N95 masks to workers.

She welcomed these efforts and encouraged more platform operators to follow suit.

About a quarter of over 400 worksite inspections on haze management plans by the Ministry of Manpower were found to have fallen short in September, said Ms Lau.

The reasons were “extremely varied” across sectors, Ms Lau said, adding that she did not have the details about exactly what the reasons were.

Emphasising that protecting workers from the haze is “not optional”, Ms Lau said employers must take “reasonable and practicable measures” to keep their workers safe, and that includes protecting them from the haze, she said.

She added that MOM will issue additional advice on how employers can use the one-hour PM 2.5 readings to decide on immediate outdoor work activities and measures to be taken, which may include pausing outdoor work completely for vulnerable workers.

This will help employers make decisions on the ground operationally, as the haze conditions change throughout the day.

The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings reached the very unhealthy range in three regions on Friday. 

Central Singapore was the first to cross into the very unhealthy band at midnight, and its 24-hour PSI climbed to 229 at 3pm – the highest reading recorded this year.

Singapore has now endured nearly two weeks of unhealthy air quality in at least one part of the island.

The last time all five regions recorded moderate air quality simultaneously was at midnight on Oct 5, when 24-hour PSI readings ranged from 77 to 100.

Friday also marks six weeks since Singapore recorded its first unhealthy 24-hour PSI reading of the year. 

On Friday afternoon, national sports agency Sport Singapore said that outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at all ActiveSG sport centres had been temporarily closed amid the current haze situation.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Thursday that Singapore is looking into which companies may be responsible for the forest and peatland fires in Indonesia that have caused the worsening haze.