SINGAPORE — Some employers are heeding calls from the Manpower Ministry to protect the safety and health of employees at work.
The ministry yesterday (June 17) advised minimising strenuous outdoor work when the PSI is in the unhealthy range.
Construction companies like Samsung C&T Corporation have taken that advice. Besides reducing outdoor activities, the company is also advising workers to wear dust muffs and protective masks, and to work under shelter, if possible.
Mohamad Zamri Kamar, the health, safety and environment manager of Samsung C&T Corporation, said: “Those who need to go out, there will be a supervisor around to monitor works. For the workers, we advise them to drink a lot of water to hydrate themselves. When possible, we will also advise them to work indoors. If its outdoors, we advise our workers to carry work out under our temporary shelter.”
Over at Sanwah Construction, supervisors check on workers and advise them to work indoors, if they are not feeling well.
Mr Anthony Ong, managing director at Sanwah Construction, said: “For us, when we do minor hacking works and minor rectification works, my workers they actually wet the surface. They make sure that this very dusty condition does not worsen. If they do not feel well, we have our first-aid room on standby. We also identify our nearest clinics, so we play safe.”
Restaurants are also making preparations for hazy conditions, such as providing information on the haze to their staff and advising them to drink more water. Some restaurants have also installed air purifying systems in their outlets.
RESTAURANTS, SPORTING ACTIVITIES AFFECTED
The haze, however, has affected business at some eateries, particularly those with outdoor seating.
Managing director at Suki Group of Restaurants, Kelvin Ong, said: “We are about 20 per cent down, especially when we’ve got a full-house in the air-con area. So the customers don’t want to sit at the al-fresco area. They were telling us that while they were eating, they can smell something burning.”
He added: “I think over the years, we have had such experiences, especially for those outlets that have al-fresco dining. Customers actually refuse to sit at the al-fresco areas.”
At the Renn Thai restaurant in Clarke Quay, Manager Mary Ann said it is business as usual, although there have been more requests for seats indoors.
She said: “In the past few days, our business this week compared to the other weeks, is the same. Actually, it was more brisk (on Monday)... Most of our customers, 80 to 90 per cent of our customers are tourists. Some people thought it was fog.”
When Channel NewsAsia visited Toa Payoh Stadium this afternoon, a few brave souls were still in action. But some were cautious, avoiding the outdoors.
Mr Justun Koh, an athlete, said: “We change it more to exercise, biometric and more of mobility instead of running, because we take in less of the dirty (air), the haze.”
The gym at the complex also saw heavy use yesterday.
Fitness enthusiast Jacqueline Lee said: “I am very much affected by the haze because the level is more than the usual, it is very unhealthy actually. I am actually an outdoor user, I use to run outdoors but because the haze situation is so bad, I had to do my running indoors.”
The Balestier Khalsa football team continued training yesterday evening, despite the thick haze. However, the normal two-hour session was shortened.
Mr S Thavaneson, chairman of Balestier Khalsa, said: “Like (on Sunday), the smell alone, the haziness was bad, so we cut short training, kept training to about 30 to 40 minutes only. Because we know training under such conditions, 35 to 40 minutes is as good as training an-hour-and-a-half.”
The Singapore Sports Council has placed notices at its facilities, reminding those with health problems to take extra precautions. CHANNEL NEWSASIA
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