What are some of the new rules at workplaces from May 12 as Singapore eases tightened Covid-19 circuit breaker measures

SINGAPORE - Firms must put in place safe management measures at workplaces to prevent Covid-19 from spreading in the community again even as local transmission numbers fall, the Ministry of Manpower said on Saturday (May 9).

Here are some of the measures.

- Appoint safe management officers to put in place safe distancing measures.

- The officers must ensure compliance, conduct checks regularly, and keep a record of inspections.

- Meetings should be conducted virtually.

- Conferences, seminars and social gatherings at workplaces, including eating in groups, must be postponed or cancelled.

- Those who cannot work from home must stagger working or break hours.

- They should work in split teams or in shifts, and cannot meet colleagues in other teams.

- Those in the same shift or team must be at least 1m apart and wear a mask at all times.

- Onsite employees' temperatures to be taken twice daily.

- Checks for respiratory symptoms among employees twice daily too.

- Temperature screening and respiratory symptoms for visitors where applicable.

- Employees and visitors to submit declarations of travel history before being allowed to enter offices and worksites.

- Confirm that they have not received a quarantine or isolation order, stay-home notice, or been issued medical certificates for respiratory symptoms.

- Declare that they are not a close contact of confirmed cases.

- Employers to keep records for at least 28 days.

- Employers must ensure that each employee visits only one clinic for checkups.

- Otherwise, employees should inform the clinic of doctor visits over the past 14 days for any Covid-related symptoms.

- Onsite employees who have visited a clinic must submit records of their MCs and diagnoses provided, only for Covid-19- related symptoms, to employers.

- They should also submit the results of their Covid-19 tests if they took them.

- Evacuation plan must be prepared for unwell or suspected cases, as well as for other onsite personnel.

- Employers must demarcate distances of at least 1m in offices or at worksites.

- For example, they can install high barriers between workstations.

- Applies to common spaces such as pantries, meeting rooms and lifts.

- Limit number of attendees at important meetings that cannot be postponed.

- Shorten the time needed to meet.

- Safe distancing rules apply.

- Stagger delivery times by different suppliers.

- Keep deliveries as brief as possible.

- Show where customers and visitors should queue, according to the Trade and Industry Ministry.

- Install self-ordering options and contactless payment modes accordingly.

- Use CCTV or video analytics to ensure safe distancing.

- Employers to encourage workers to download contact-tracing app TraceTogether.

- Limit workplace access to essential employees and authorised visitors.

- Use national digital check-in system SafeEntry to record all entries and exits, including employees and visitors.

- Common spaces, including lifts, pantries and visitor rooms, must be cleaned regularly.

- Shared machinery and equipment must be disinfected before being used by others.

- Toilets and hand-washing areas to have soap and toilet paper

- Hand sanitisers at lift lobbies, security booths and reception areas.