Hansard Explorer
Search and read the Parliament of Singapore's debates, questions and statements, since 1955.
By Sitting Date
By MP
Browse all topics discussed on a specific date
The paragraphs closest in meaning to your words, from every speech, with who said them. Search above, or use “Similar passages ›” beside a search's count in Sections.
164 results · 2026
By year
By type
Speakers in these results
Timeline of the top 40
Positions taken
Haze Guidelines for Employees in Naturally Ventilated Workplaces Such As Coffee Shops and Hawker Centres
Speakers: Dinesh Vasu Dash, Eileen Chong Pei Shan
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan asked the Acting Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry's 20 October 2026 haze guidance applies to employees in naturally ventilated workplaces such as coffee shops and hawker centres; and (b) how the Ministry ensures such employees, particularly older, vulnerable workers and those employed by individual stallholders, receive sufficient masks and adequate rest breaks when indoor areas are unavailable.
The Minister of State for Manpower (Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash) (for the Acting Minister for Manpower): The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM's) haze guidelines based on the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) forecast and the additional haze guidance issued on 20 October apply to employees in naturally ventilated workplaces, including coffee shops and hawker centres, as work in these settings are still exposed to the outdoor environment and hence considered as outdoor work.
Employers should assess the haze risks and put in place the appropriate protections for their employees. Depending on the air quality and the work involved, these include rotating or redeploying workers, providing suitable masks or respirators and giving adequate rest breaks. Employers should take additional precautions for vulnerable employees, including elderly employees and those with chronic heart or lung conditions.
Since September this year, MOM's worksite inspections included naturally ventilated workplaces, such as warehouses, to check on haze-related protections.
Mr Speaker: Ms Chong.
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Minister of State. I am happy to hear that the guidelines actually apply to naturally ventilated workplaces, including our 123 National Environment Agency-managed hawker centres, as well as the more than 776 coffee shops that we see in the Housing and Development Board estates.
I have one supplementary question. Can the Minister of State clarify or confirm who will be responsible for implementing some of these general measures at coffee shops and hawker centres, especially given the fact that many of our stallholders are self-employed rather than employees? Specifically, would it then be the coffee shop operators and/or owners? And if that is the case, how would MOM work with the relevant agencies to engage them to ensure that these measures apply when the haze readings reach those thresholds in the guidelines?
Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash: I thank the Member again for the supplementary question. Just to add that the current regulations require employers to take care of the health and well-being of their respective employees, including during conditions of, such as the haze. They are required to have the necessary masks, for example, at least a week's worth of supply.
As to the question as to who, it depends on the setting and the environment. Most of the time, it is the stall owners to look out for their employees and to make sure that they are adequately equipped with the necessary protections for the purpose of the haze.
MOM aims to conduct inspections to ensure that this is followed through on the ground. We do share the same concern that the workers in our coffee shops and hawker centres should be adequately protected, especially if and when the haze conditions worsen.