Debated in Parliament on 21 Feb 2014.
Ms Mary Liew asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs whether there are measures in place to ensure that immigration officers on duty at immigration checkpoints across Singapore have sufficient rest breaks so that their attention levels do not suffer as a result of fatigue and long hours of repetitive work.
Our checkpoints are operational round the clock, every day of the week. To meet this demand, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the checkpoints work on shifts. The morning and afternoon shifts last seven hours each, and the night shift lasts 10 hours, which usually includes two to three hours of low traffic volume during the night. ICA officers are given a meal break and a rest break during their shift. Overall, they work an eight-day shift cycle with days on duty and days off, with total normal working hours during the cycle of 42 to 44 hours.
The officers are monitored by their supervisors for signs of fatigue. Over-time work, which may be necessary during peak periods, is closely regulated. To maintain officers' awareness of operational fatigue, regular advice and updates on fatigue management are also disseminated to them.
MHA reviews ICA's manpower situation on a regular basis. Every two to three years, ICA conducts the Organisational Health Survey (OHS), during which officers can provide feedback on a range of issues, including workload and working hours. Operational fatigue was not highlighted as an area of concern by ICA officers during the last OHS conducted in 2011.
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