No compromise on workers' safety
No compromise on workers' safety [by] SIMON LEE, Executive Director. Singapore Contractors Association Ltd I REFER to the letters, 'Stop transporting workers like animals' by Mr John Barker (ST, May 16); 'Back of pick-up safer than back seat' by Mr Ooi Jian Yuan (ST, May 16) and 'Spare thought for foreign workers' by Mr Seah Yam Meng (ST, May 18). In the three letters, references were made to transporting workers in pick-up trucks, transportingworkers like animals and feeling sorry for the way theseworkers are being treated. The Singapore Contractors Association (Scal) reiterates that these workers have always been treated fairly. There is always a harmonious working environment, based on racial equality and meritocracy, within the construction industry. On the subject of transportation, workers and employers accept the practicality of such mode of transport. To date, this is the most efficient means to ferry workers to and from their workplaces. The workers' safety is never compromised to the extent of exposing them to greater danger than that faced by other road users. The accident statistics of the Land Transport Authority show that the fatality rate involving the transporting ofworkers in open lorries is significantly lower than the overall fatality rate for all vehicles. Further, we would like to add that Scal works closely with LTA on measures to regularly remind drivers/owners to comply with safety requirements, for example, the danger of overloading and speeding. New measures were also introduced to enhance the safety of workers transported in lorries, like limiting the number of workers allowed to be transported in openlorries and installing speed-limiters on lorries. (c) 2002 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
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