Enhancing Worker Transport Safety on Roads and at Work Sites

Dr Choo Pei Ling asked the Minister for Manpower how will the Ministry enhance worker transport safety on the roads and at work sites, in view of workplace deaths involving vehicles.

​Work-related vehicular incidents comprise traffic accidents on public roads where the victim was at work and accidents within workplaces where the victim was struck by a vehicle.

The Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act obliges employers to ensure safe use of vehicles. Vehicle owners must maintain their vehicles properly and operators must possess relevant qualifications. In addition, the WSH Council has published various guidelines that give practical guidance on proper traffic management plans, safe operation of forklifts and trucks and fatigue management.

The Ministry of Manpower also encourages vehicles owners to adopt technology to prevent vehicular incidents, with funding via the Productivity Solutions Grant for local SMEs. For instance, companies can deploy cameras or sensors on their vehicles to warn drivers of collision risks, as well as detect signs of driver fatigue or distraction.

In addition to the work-related vehicular incidents captured in WSH statistics, workers may also be exposed to safety risks while commuting or being transported to work. The Ministry of Transport leads efforts to improve the transportation safety of workers through a multi-pronged approach. This includes reducing the need to transport workers, encouraging alternatives to lorries for worker transport, and making it safer for those who still need to be ferried using lorries.