Saving money by keeping them safe
The following article was published in the New Paper on 23 May 2009.
Saving money by keeping them safe
23 May 2009
The New Paper
Some construction firms feel workers keep healthy and safe travelling in buses
IT'S COMMON to see construction workers travel to work in open-air lorries in Singapore, but these batch of workers are different.
They travel to and from their worksite in Clementi in an air-conditioned bus hired by their company, Straits Construction.
And the company has been doing so since 2002.
Said Mr Alex Lim, 35, a human resource consultant with Straits Construction: 'We could choose to ferry them by lorry, but in Singapore, we are likely to meet with rain 50per cent of the time. Then most of them will get theflu or catch a cold.
'What's the point if we save money but get lower productivity?'
The workers, mostly in their 20s, are grateful.
While their compatriots have to brave the weather and face the danger of accidents and falling off the lorry,the men at Straits Construction can catch a quick nap, chat or drink coffee during their daily journey.
Mr S B Alagesan, 23, who has worked in Singapore for two years, said: 'Buses are better, at least when it rains. We have cover and won't have mud flowing all over our body.'
Fellow worker R Panchanathan, 25, said he was grateful for the increased safety of buses.
He said: 'Last time I used to travel by lorry. When it stops, I sometimes jerk forward and fall but the driver will continue to speed very fast.
'No one cares. In buses we won't fall down.'
Currently, it costs a company about $4,000 to hire a bus for a month. The sum is for two trips a day, to and fromthe work site, including public holidays.
Typically, each bus can carry about 45 workers.
In contrast, hiring a lorry for a month costs about $3,000.
'We have about 800 workers and need to hire about 20 buses. The workers need to be safe and healthy for work,' said Mr Lim.
Mr Lim estimates that hiring a lorry to transport workerswould save his company about $20,000 every month.
Another company that ferries workers to and from their dormitories to their various worksites in air-conditioned buses is Keppel Fels.
When contacted, it declined to comment.
Buses too expensive
But not everyone is convinced that buses are better. At CP Ong Construction, workers are still ferried to work by lorries owned by the company.
Said Ms Sharon Qiu, 27, a purchaser: 'It will definitely be more expensive if we have to hire a bus company. We own the lorries, so there's no external costs.'
Ms Marie Palma, an administrative manager at Chuan-Yu construction company, said that their workers have always been transported on lorries and this is unlikely to change.
'We have had no problems sending the workers to workon lorries and I don't think we will switch to buses,' said Ms Palma.
Meanwhile, companies who are using buses have adapted well.
For example, workers are told to change out of their typically muddy work boots and sweaty clothes before they get on the bus to prevent them from dirtying thevehicles too much.
Said Mr V Pichau of Straits Construction, 37, who has worked in Singapore for more than five years: 'We change into our workclothes and boots only when we reach the site and back into our home clothes when we are going back.
'Still, we are very sweaty. Sometimes, we complain among ourselves that the bus is smelly, especially withthe air-conditioning.'
Bus driver Chan Ah Soon, 58, who has been ferrying the workers for about two years, said that the men are generally well-behaved.
He said: 'Sometimes some of them forget to change their clothes and shoes, but it's just dirt, I can wash it away.
'I've seen lorries ferrying workers involved in accidents and I pity them. No matter what, buses are definitely safer than lorries.'
Mr Chan said he takes about two hours to clean the bus every evening.
Workers who have travelled in lorries told The New Paper that it was scary.
Said Mr S Koorthilkeyam, 28: 'When it rains, we get wet and the floor is slippery and because we sit on chairs, we will slide around.'
Another worker, who was waiting for his company lorry, admitted that he dreaded every ride he took.
Said Mr Kibria Sarker, 38: 'Every time I take the lorry, I am scared.
'Whether it rains or it is sunny, it is also no good. We siton the chairs at the back of the lorry and it's like dancing, any time can fall over, only for us it's onto theroad.'
As The New Paper team waited for the Straits Construction bus to pick the workers up from their dormitory, we witnessed a group of about 60 men rushing forward to board a large lorry.
They climbed and pushed one another to get on. Some stumbled but quickly picked themselves up to try to geton again.
The workers seemed to understand that the lorry could not stop by the roadside for too long as the heavy traffic rushed by.
In less than five minutes, the men were packed into thecargo deck on plastic chairs and the lorry moved off.
Pearly Tan, newsroom intern
Copyright 2009, Singapore Press Holdings Limited
Saving money by keeping them safe
23 May 2009
The New Paper
Some construction firms feel workers keep healthy and safe travelling in buses
IT'S COMMON to see construction workers travel to work in open-air lorries in Singapore, but these batch of workers are different.
They travel to and from their worksite in Clementi in an air-conditioned bus hired by their company, Straits Construction.
And the company has been doing so since 2002.
Said Mr Alex Lim, 35, a human resource consultant with Straits Construction: 'We could choose to ferry them by lorry, but in Singapore, we are likely to meet with rain 50per cent of the time. Then most of them will get theflu or catch a cold.
'What's the point if we save money but get lower productivity?'
The workers, mostly in their 20s, are grateful.
While their compatriots have to brave the weather and face the danger of accidents and falling off the lorry,the men at Straits Construction can catch a quick nap, chat or drink coffee during their daily journey.
Mr S B Alagesan, 23, who has worked in Singapore for two years, said: 'Buses are better, at least when it rains. We have cover and won't have mud flowing all over our body.'
Fellow worker R Panchanathan, 25, said he was grateful for the increased safety of buses.
He said: 'Last time I used to travel by lorry. When it stops, I sometimes jerk forward and fall but the driver will continue to speed very fast.
'No one cares. In buses we won't fall down.'
Currently, it costs a company about $4,000 to hire a bus for a month. The sum is for two trips a day, to and fromthe work site, including public holidays.
Typically, each bus can carry about 45 workers.
In contrast, hiring a lorry for a month costs about $3,000.
'We have about 800 workers and need to hire about 20 buses. The workers need to be safe and healthy for work,' said Mr Lim.
Mr Lim estimates that hiring a lorry to transport workerswould save his company about $20,000 every month.
Another company that ferries workers to and from their dormitories to their various worksites in air-conditioned buses is Keppel Fels.
When contacted, it declined to comment.
Buses too expensive
But not everyone is convinced that buses are better. At CP Ong Construction, workers are still ferried to work by lorries owned by the company.
Said Ms Sharon Qiu, 27, a purchaser: 'It will definitely be more expensive if we have to hire a bus company. We own the lorries, so there's no external costs.'
Ms Marie Palma, an administrative manager at Chuan-Yu construction company, said that their workers have always been transported on lorries and this is unlikely to change.
'We have had no problems sending the workers to workon lorries and I don't think we will switch to buses,' said Ms Palma.
Meanwhile, companies who are using buses have adapted well.
For example, workers are told to change out of their typically muddy work boots and sweaty clothes before they get on the bus to prevent them from dirtying thevehicles too much.
Said Mr V Pichau of Straits Construction, 37, who has worked in Singapore for more than five years: 'We change into our workclothes and boots only when we reach the site and back into our home clothes when we are going back.
'Still, we are very sweaty. Sometimes, we complain among ourselves that the bus is smelly, especially withthe air-conditioning.'
Bus driver Chan Ah Soon, 58, who has been ferrying the workers for about two years, said that the men are generally well-behaved.
He said: 'Sometimes some of them forget to change their clothes and shoes, but it's just dirt, I can wash it away.
'I've seen lorries ferrying workers involved in accidents and I pity them. No matter what, buses are definitely safer than lorries.'
Mr Chan said he takes about two hours to clean the bus every evening.
Workers who have travelled in lorries told The New Paper that it was scary.
Said Mr S Koorthilkeyam, 28: 'When it rains, we get wet and the floor is slippery and because we sit on chairs, we will slide around.'
Another worker, who was waiting for his company lorry, admitted that he dreaded every ride he took.
Said Mr Kibria Sarker, 38: 'Every time I take the lorry, I am scared.
'Whether it rains or it is sunny, it is also no good. We siton the chairs at the back of the lorry and it's like dancing, any time can fall over, only for us it's onto theroad.'
As The New Paper team waited for the Straits Construction bus to pick the workers up from their dormitory, we witnessed a group of about 60 men rushing forward to board a large lorry.
They climbed and pushed one another to get on. Some stumbled but quickly picked themselves up to try to geton again.
The workers seemed to understand that the lorry could not stop by the roadside for too long as the heavy traffic rushed by.
In less than five minutes, the men were packed into thecargo deck on plastic chairs and the lorry moved off.
Pearly Tan, newsroom intern
Copyright 2009, Singapore Press Holdings Limited
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