TRANSPORTATION OF WORKERS IN BACK OF LORRIES AND PICKUPS

TRANSPORTATION OF WORKERS IN BACK OF LORRIES AND PICKUPS

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(Steps to ensure safety): **

34.

Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for Transport (a) what steps are available to ensure the safe transport of workers in the back of lorries and pickups; and (b) how many errant companies and employers have been warned/given summonses over the last three years for going against the Land Transport Authority's requirement of providing at least 0.372 square metres of space for each of these workers.

Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat: LTA has put in place a set of rules under the Road Traffic Act to enhance the safety of workers transported at the rear of lorries and pickup trucks. These rules require the workers to be safely seated at a height of not more than 3.2 metres from the ground. The vehicles must also not travel faster than 60 km/h. As part of the safety requirement, drivers must also display a label on their vehicles indicating the maximum number of workers that can be transported on the cargo deck of the vehicle, based on the minimum space requirement of 0.372 square metres per person. If goods are also transported, the

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number of persons should be reduced accordingly. The label serves as a reminder to the vehicle owner of the maximum number of workers the vehicle could carry as well as facilitates enforcement against errant employers.

LTA also conducts regular dialogue sessions with the associations such as the Singapore Contractors Association and the Singapore Transport Association to communicate the rules and regulations relating to the transport of workers on lorries and pickup trucks.

LTA takes a serious view of safety rules violations. It conducts regular enforcement against vehicle owners or drivers who violate safety rules. In 2005 and 2006, LTA issued 262 and 293 summonses respectively to owners or drivers of goods vehicles caught carrying more workers than the maximum number that can be carried. For the first seven months of this year, 182 summonses were issued for such violations. The LTA and Traffic Police (TP) will continue to conduct strict enforcement against lorry owners or drivers who violate safety rules when using their vehicles to transport their workers.

LTA will also continue to work closely with stakeholders such as the Traffic Police, the Ministry of Manpower, and the various associations, to explore ways to improve the safety of workers transported on such vehicles.