Locals and Foreigners Employed at Registered Pet Groomers and Regulations to Ensure Safe Work Environment for Them

Ms See Jinli Jean asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry has data on the current number of locals and foreigners employed by registered businesses as pet groomers; (b) what are the requirements for these businesses to (i) undertake the professional development of groomers (ii) insure groomers for work-related liabilities and (iii) conduct proper inquiry in event of grooming incidents; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider introducing guidance to these businesses on providing a safe and healthy work environment for pet groomers.

Dr Tan See Leng: There are currently 310 resident and 70 non-resident employee pet groomers. Under the Code of Animal Welfare (for the Pet Industry) developed by the National Parks Board, pet groomers should be properly and adequately trained, including in the areas of animal care, animal handling and grooming requirements of the various breeds and species.

Under the Work Injury Compensation (WIC) Act, all employees, regardless of occupation and nationality, are covered for work injuries and occupational diseases sustained out of and in the course of work. Employers are required to purchase WIC insurance for employees doing manual work regardless of salary level – including all pet groomers – and employees doing non-manual work, who earn $2,600 or less a month. If groomers are injured in the course of their work, the employer should conduct a proper inquiry and take remediation action.

Under the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act, employers are responsible for identifying safety hazards at workplaces and taking reasonably practicable measures to eliminate or reduce risks. Employers can refer to the Approved Code of Practice on WSH Risk Management for guidance on assessing WSH risks faced by their employees at work.