PROTECTION OF WORKERS AGAINST LIGHTNING

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower, in view of the high incidence of lightning strikes, whether his Ministry will require employers to protect workers, who have to work in the open during thunderstorms, against lightning.

The Minister of State for Manpower (Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe) (for the Minister for Manpower): Sir, as there are no effective means to protect workers from lightning strike while working in the open during thunderstorms, it is advisable for them to stop work and seek shelter when there is lightning in the vicinity.

The Meteorological Service currently provides round-the-clock free updates of weather information, including actual locations of lightning and forecasts of thunderstorms for various parts of the island. These services can be accessed via the department's dial-a-weather telephone service and the Internet website. Also, a real time graphic display showing areas in Singapore which are affected by showers and possibly lightning is also available via the same website.

Sir, for those who wish to be alerted by telephone or pagers whenever the risk of lightning is very high over a particular location, a lightning watch service is available through subscription. Such a service has been implemented for a number of users in Singapore.

Sir, employers who need their workers to work in the open are advised to use the service provided by the Meteorological Service to find out the weather information of the work area. If there is imminent danger posed by lightning, employers should not insist that workers continue to work in exposed workplaces.

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Cheng San): May I ask the Minister of State whether the Ministry would consider working with CAAS and LTA to help in better protecting the workers who service the trains on MRT and LRT tracks and those who service aircraft in the airport round-the-clock?

Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe: Sir, as I mentioned, the Meteorological Service provides this round-the-clock free updates of weather information. I think the authorities, whether it is the CAAS or the LTA, can check with the Meteorological Service to get this service so that they can advise their workers whether or not to work, particularly when there is danger of lightning.