Employers need to plan how to protect workers if haze situation worsens: MOM

N95 masks should be provided for workers who need to work outdoors for a prolonged period of time.

ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Published Oct 16, 2026, 06:15 PM

Updated Oct 16, 2026, 06:16 PM

Employers in Singapore must plan for worse haze and protect workers, Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau said. MOM wants risk checks, flexible work where possible, and outdoor work limits if PSI rises.

MOM has done more than 400 worksite inspections since September. About a quarter of companies failed to meet rules and were told to fix problems, while checks will continue during the haze.

Workers at higher risk, including seniors, pregnant women, and people with lung or heart disease, should avoid outdoor work. Employers should provide N95 masks, allow work from home, or give leave if needed.

SINGAPORE - Employers should plan for changes to work arrangements and protective measures for workers ahead of worsening haze conditions which could hit hazardous levels.

This includes discussions on flexible work arrangements where feasible, said Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau at an Oct 16 press conference.

This comes as hazy conditions deteriorated across Singapore on Oct 16, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) hitting a high of 229 for the current haze season at 3pm in the central region.

Singapore is in its 12th consecutive day of unhealthy air since Oct 5 – the longest continuous stretch of poor air quality the country has endured since the 2015 haze crisis. That year, bad air lasted 14 days from Sept 23 to Oct 7.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has conducted more than 400 worksite inspections since September, said Lau, and “most employers have done the right thing” in protecting their employees from the effects of the haze.

About a quarter of the companies have fallen short, however, and have been directed to put things right.

“We will check again. We will continue the inspections while the haze lasts,” Lau said.

Lau said employers should adhere to MOM’s published guidelines to carry out risk assessments and implement appropriate measures.

For instance, if the 24-hour PSI forecast goes beyond 200 - into the very unhealthy range, prolonged or strenuous outdoor work should be avoided.

For vulnerable workers, such as seniors, pregnant women, and those with chronic lung or heart disease, employers should minimise or avoid their outdoor work.

In addition, N95 masks should be provided for workers who need to work outdoors for a prolonged period of time.

When the PSI forecast goes above 300 and into the hazardous range, outdoor work should be minimised and non-essential outdoor work deferred, even for workers who are healthy.

Lau said that MOM will issue additional advice to aid employers in referencing the one-hour PM2.5 reading, including when they might need to completely pause outdoor work for vulnerable workers .

She pointed out that the haze situation has created practical problems at home, such as parents having to take care of sick children, or in the case of worsening air quality, dealing with home-based learning.

In such circumstances, if the job allows for it, she urged employers to allow employees to work from home, especially for those who are more vulnerable.

She pointed out that under the tripartite guidelines on flexible work arrangement requests, employers must properly consider such requests from their employees.

She noted however, that flexible work arrangements may not be feasible for all jobs, and for these other workers, they could be allowed to use their annual leave or childcare leave entitlements when needed.

For those who had already utilised their leave entitlements, Lau urged employers to be flexible in allowing their workers to draw on the following year’s entitlement, or to grant them paid time-off .

Ministry of Manpower

Flexible work arrangements

应为需要在户外长时间工作的工人提供N95口罩。

《海峡时报》摄影：郭志雄

发布于 2026 年 10 月 16 日下午 6:15

更新于2026年10月16日下午6:16

新加坡人力部代理部长刘嘉敏表示，新加坡雇主必须为更严重的雾霾做好准备，并保护员工。人力部希望进行风险评估，尽可能实行灵活工作制，并在雾霾指数上升时限制户外工作。

自9月以来，人力部已进行了400多次工地检查。约四分之一的公司未能遵守规定，并被要求整改，雾霾期间检查工作将继续进行。

高风险人群，包括老年人、孕妇以及患有肺部或心脏疾病的人，应避免户外工作。雇主应提供N95口罩，允许员工居家办公，或在必要时给予休假。

新加坡——随着雾霾情况恶化，可能达到危险水平，雇主应提前计划调整工作安排和采取保护措施。

人力部代理部长刘嘉敏在10月16日的新闻发布会上表示，这其中包括在可行的情况下讨论灵活的工作安排。

10 月 16 日，新加坡雾霾天气恶化，中部地区 24 小时污染物标准指数 (PSI) 在下午 3 点达到本雾霾季的最高值 229。

自10月5日以来，新加坡已连续12天空气质量不佳，这是自2015年雾霾危机以来该国持续时间最长的空气质量差时期。2015年，空气质量差的情况从9月23日持续到10月7日，共14天。

刘先生表示，人力部自9月以来已进行了400多次工地检查，“大多数雇主都采取了正确的措施”来保护员工免受雾霾的影响。

然而，约有四分之一的公司未能达标，并被责令改正。

刘先生说：“我们会再次检查。只要雾霾还在，我们就会继续进行检查。”

刘先生表示，雇主应遵守人力部公布的指导方针进行风险评估并采取适当措施。

例如，如果 24 小时 PSI 预报超过 200（进入非常不健康的范围），则应避免长时间或剧烈的户外工作。

对于老年人、孕妇以及患有慢性肺病或心脏病等弱势劳动者，雇主应尽量减少或避免其户外工作。

此外，应为需要在户外长时间工作的工人提供N95口罩。

当 PSI 预测值超过 300 并进入危险范围时，应尽量减少户外工作，即使对于健康的工人，也应推迟非必要的户外工作。

刘先生表示，人力部将发布更多建议，帮助雇主参考一小时 PM2.5 读数，包括何时可能需要完全暂停弱势工人的户外工作。

她指出，雾霾情况给家庭带来了实际问题，例如父母不得不照顾生病的孩子，或者在空气质量恶化的情况下，应对居家学习。

在这种情况下，如果工作允许，她敦促雇主允许员工在家工作，特别是对于那些更易受感染的员工。

她指出，根据关于灵活工作安排请求的三方指导原则，雇主必须认真考虑雇员提出的此类请求。

但她指出，灵活的工作安排可能并不适用于所有工作，对于其他一些员工，可以允许他们在需要时使用他们的年假或育儿假。

刘先生敦促雇主们对那些已经用完休假权利的人采取灵活措施，允许员工使用下一年的休假权利，或者给予他们带薪休假。

人力部

灵活的工作安排