Start on 13 April 2020, The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Traffic Police (TP) have commenced a joint enforcement operation on 13 April 2020 to ensure the compliance of safe distancing measures for workers ferried by lorries. The MOM has issued an advisory on safety distancing measures on 10 April 2020.
For those company is using lorry to ferry workers daily by using of 10ft, 14ft or 20 ft lorries need to adhere with new rules of safe distancing at least 1 m apart as follows :
For the front cabins, it should limited to 1 pax beside of the Driver compare with last time 2 pax is preferable sitting at front cabin.
Most of employer is caught in the surprise as the measure is still not wide spread and not well prepare when caught in operation inspection by LTA in these few days. Especially the company is still operating during the Circuit Breaker period where the work is under essential services.
Safe Distancing
What should the employer must do :
- review maximum seating seating capacity to ensure occupants are seated at least 1 m apart. If there is material transport at the same time, it should be reviewed the best arrangement, and or make a second trips or more trips.
- Clearly mark sitting locations. Of course, need to educate the worker to follow the mark.
- Arrange for additional trips or lorries, if necessary. As last time the capacity for the 10 ft lorry can take 13 Pax and now down to 4. There are at least 3 trips are required. Logistic disruption for the operations will be badly impact on many SME.
- Ensure workers wear masks at all times. This should be come a must have habit for all when go out to wear masks.
- Communicate these safe distancing measures to your workers and drivers. Briefing and communicate daily to all workers become a must during this Covid 19 period.
If the driver and workers not follow the new guide line, they may subject to the following:
- The employer will be faces a fine up to $10,000 or jail team of up to 6 months, or boths. For second or subsequent offences, the penalties will be doubled under COVID-19 ( Temporary Measures) Act 2020. If the company is not providing the new provision.
- Workers that not wearing mask will be fined $300.00. From Thursday (April 16), first-time offenders will be fined $300, and repeat offenders will face higher fines or prosecution in court.
For more information, you can visit go.gov.sg/safedistancingonlorries.
Or follow LTA facebook page to find our more latest information.
In this critical period, we all should work together and stay safe, stay distancing and break the circuit.
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