Worker safety a top priority

This letter was published in The New Paper on 1 July 2010.

Worker safety a top priority
From reader Arthur Lim
The New Paper, 1 July 2010

I refer to the recent lorry accidents involving foreign workers.

Singapore prides herself on being No.1 in so many areas. Yet we allow human beings to be transported on the back of lorries.

Madam Halimah Yacob, the chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Manpower, has stated that ideally, these workers should be ferried by buses.

Even if that rule is not enforced, perhaps the Land Transport Authority and the Ministry of Manpower should explain why employers have been given such a long time to use lorries that comply with the new regulations.

Does it take three years to modify the existing lorries to meet these safety requirements?

Yes, this will add to costs for the employers, but they should factor that in when they submit tenders for projects.

They should not put in a low bid then cut corners, compromising the safety of workers.

A developed country like Singapore should ensure the safety of workers and reduce the risks they face.

Not only should the rules be laid down, they should be strictly enforced too.

Employers who breach the rules should not only be fined, but made to pay compensation to the workers or their families too in the event of a mishap or a tragedy.

Comments