Forum: Practical guidelines needed on haze for workers who can’t avoid being outdoors

As the air quality worsens and the haze becomes a concern again, Singaporeans are rightly reminded to reduce outdoor activity, stay hydrated and take extra precautions if they are elderly, pregnant, unwell or have heart or lung conditions.

But we should also remember the many workers who cannot remain indoors. Delivery riders, cleaners, security officers, construction workers and staff who move supplies, clear tables or manage outdoor queues at food and beverage outlets may still have to spend long hours exposed to the haze.

I welcome the advisories for employers to assess risks and put protective measures in place. But workers should also receive clear and practical information early: when masks will be provided, when outdoor tasks can be reduced or postponed, where they can take indoor breaks, and whom they can approach if they feel unwell.

For businesses, especially smaller food and beverage operators, the measures need not be complicated. Providing drinking water, allowing more frequent breaks, rotating outdoor duties and communicating openly with staff can make a meaningful difference.

The haze affects all of us, but not everyone has the same ability to avoid it. Protecting the health of front-line workers should be part of Singapore’s haze response.

Madan Kishor