Scaffold netting at new worksites in Singapore must be fire-retardant from March 2027

SINGAPORE – All scaffold netting used outside buildings must be fire-retardant from next year, to reduce fire risks at work sites, said Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash on Sept 24.

This rule will apply to projects awarded from March 1, 2027, regardless of the material used for the scaffold.

Dinesh added that scaffold netting must be tested in accordance with established international fire test standards that are relevant to Singapore’s environment, as identified by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

The new measure is part of recent efforts to reduce fire risks at construction sites here after a deadly fire at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in November 2025 killed 168 people.

The Singapore Government said in January that it was reviewing early findings from Hong Kong’s probe into the fire and studying if worksite and residential building maintenance regulations here need to be strengthened.

In July, the authorities shortened the duration scaffolds made of timber can be used, from nine to three months. This rule, which takes effect from January 2027, seeks to reduce the amount of combustible timber materials at construction sites and to address concerns about the deterioration of timber over time.

A circular outlining the scope of the new requirements for scaffold netting, acceptable fire test standards and compliance measures, including labelling and certification requirements, will be issued by MOM, said Dinesh. Details will be available on MOM’s website.

In a separate fact sheet on Sept 24, MOM said fire-retardant scaffold netting must also be certified by certification bodies accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council from March 1, 2028.

This will provide independent third-party verification of product compliance, it added. More details will be shared at a later date.

Dinesh made the new announcement at the annual Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Awards ceremony, which was attended by over 2,000 people from industries ranging from construction to transport and healthcare.

Singapore’s safety standards must keep pace with emerging risks and lessons here and abroad to enhance workplace safety and health, he added.

While he noted a “marked improvement” in the Republic’s performance on this front, with the workplace fatality rate reduced to about 1 per 100,000 workers in recent years, Dinesh stressed that this progress must be sustained through deliberate efforts.

Singapore’s workplace fatality rate in the first half of 2026 rose to 1.1 deaths per 100,000 workers, up from 0.97 in the same period in 2025. In June, MOM enhanced penalties and stepped up other workplace safety measures following a spate of workplace deaths.

Dinesh also said the WSH Council has launched a programme to have consultants help firms identify safety risks, strengthen safety management practices, and sustain improvements.

“Not every company is at the same stage of WSH maturity. Our task... is to help each and every one of us take that first step in building the capacity and capability to protect our workers,” he said.

Called StaySAFE, this new initiative builds on the StartSAFE programme started in 2016 to give companies free access to consultants who can advise them on workplace safety and health.

Smart watches for workers to monitor heart rate

A record 367 firms and individuals received awards for effective workplace safety and health practices at the ceremony, which was held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

Among the winners is Longxiang Construction, which developed its own system to monitor workers’ heart rate, body temperature and blood oxygen level in real-time using smart watches. The system alerts supervisors to possible heat stress, fatigue or medical emergencies.

Longxiang’s chief operating officer Leong Chee Keng said the system, which took around six months and cost about $200,000 to develop in-house, has helped to ensure workers stop to rest when their body temperature or heart rate is too high.

The firm won recognition in three categories, including the WSH Tech Award.

Asked how smaller, less well-resourced firms can tap technology to improve safety and health for their workers, Leong said: “Since we already developed this system, we can also help them to use (it)... They can approach us.”