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

Under the Platform Workers Act, platform operators have workplace safety and health responsibilities towards their workers, said the Acting Minister for Manpower.

A man fishing along Kallang River with HDB blocks in Bishan shrouded in haze, Oct 16, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)

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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.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less 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 .

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 .

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人力部代理部长表示，根据《平台工人法》，平台运营商对其工人负有工作场所安全和健康责任。

2026年10月16日，一名男子在加冷河畔垂钓，碧山组屋笼罩在薄雾之中。（图片：CNA/Wallace Woon）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新加坡：人力部代理部长刘嘉敏周五（10月16日）表示，平台工人在雾霾期间不应因完成送货或其他工作时间延长而受到惩罚。

她表示，这包括通过激励计划、减少工作分配或扣减工资等方式施加的惩罚，并补充说，已提醒平台运营商有责任保护工人免受雾霾相关的健康风险。

根据《平台工人法》，平台经营者对其工人负有工作场所安全和健康责任，包括指导工人如何在雾霾天气中保护自己。

刘女士在国家新闻中心举行的关于雾霾情况的新闻发布会上发表了讲话，出席发布会的还有永续发展及环境部长傅海燕和教育部长李智陞。

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小谜题，脑力挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 刘女士表示，包括Grab和foodpanda在内的一些平台运营商已与全国配送冠军协会合作，向员工分发N95口罩。她对这些努力表示欢迎，并鼓励更多平台运营商效仿。刘女士说，人力部9月份对400多个工作场所的雾霾管理计划进行检查，发现约有四分之一的计划不合格。刘女士表示，各行业不合格的原因“千差万别”，并补充说她不了解具体原因。刘女士强调，保护工人免受雾霾危害“并非可有可无”，雇主必须采取“合理可行的措施”保障工人安全，这其中就包括保护他们免受雾霾危害。她补充说，人力部将发布更多建议，指导雇主如何利用一小时PM2.5读数来决定当前的户外工作活动和应采取的措施，包括完全暂停弱势工人的户外工作。这将有助于雇主根据全天雾霾情况的变化，在实际操作中做出决策。周五，三个地区的24小时污染物标准指数（PSI）读数达到了“非常不健康”的水平。新加坡中部地区于午夜率先进入“非常不健康”的区间，其24小时PSI在下午3点攀升至229，创下今年以来的最高纪录。新加坡至少部分地区已连续近两周空气质量不佳。上一次所有五个地区同时达到“中等”空气质量是在10月5日午夜，当时的24小时PSI读数在77至100之间。周五也是新加坡今年首次出现“非常不健康”的24小时PSI读数以来的第六周。周五下午，新加坡国家体育局（Sport Singapore）表示，鉴于目前的雾霾情况，所有ActiveSG体育中心的室外及无空调设施已暂时关闭。新加坡总理黄循财周四表示，新加坡正在调查哪些公司可能应对印尼森林和泥炭地火灾负责，这些火灾导致了雾霾加剧。

刘女士表示，包括 Grab 和 foodpanda 在内的一些平台运营商已与全国配送冠军协会合作，向配送员分发 N95 口罩。

她对这些举措表示欢迎，并鼓励更多平台运营商效仿。

刘女士表示，人力部9月份对400多个工作场所的雾霾管理计划进行了检查，发现其中约有四分之一不合格。

刘女士表示，各行各业的原因“千差万别”，并补充说她并不了解具体原因。

刘女士强调，保护工人免受雾霾危害“并非可有可无”，雇主必须采取“合理可行的措施”来保障工人的安全，这其中就包括保护他们免受雾霾危害。

她补充说，人力部将发布更多建议，说明雇主如何利用一小时 PM 2.5 读数来决定立即开展户外工作活动以及应采取的措施，其中可能包括完全暂停弱势工人的户外工作。

这将有助于雇主根据一天中雾霾情况的变化，在实际操作中做出决策。

周五，三个地区的 24 小时污染物标准指数 (PSI) 读数达到非常不健康的范围。

新加坡中部地区在午夜率先进入了非常不健康的空气污染等级，其 24 小时空气污染指数在下午 3 点攀升至 229，创下今年以来的最高纪录。

新加坡至少有一部分地区已经连续近两周空气质量不佳。

上一次所有五个地区同时记录到中等空气质量是在 10 月 5 日午夜，当时 24 小时 PSI 读数在 77 到 100 之间。

周五也是新加坡今年首次录得不健康的 24 小时 PSI 读数的第六周。

周五下午，新加坡国家体育机构Sport Singapore表示，鉴于目前的雾霾情况，所有ActiveSG体育中心的室外和非空调设施已暂时关闭。

新加坡总理黄循财周四表示，新加坡正在调查哪些公司可能应对印尼森林和泥炭地火灾负责，这些火灾导致了日益严重的雾霾。

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