Haze Advisory for Businesses

Haze Advisory for Businesses

Protecting employees from the effects of haze

Haze Advisory for Businesses

Singapore may experience transboundary haze from time to time. The haze is caused by forest fire in the region which arise when open burning is carried out to clear land for agricultural uses. The haze situation can be made worse by dry seasons, changes in wind direction, and during the Southwest monsoon season when the prevailing winds sometimes carry smoke haze over Singapore’s sky.

General guidelines for employers

Employers should carry out proper risk assessments of their various work activities and implement appropriate measures. Employers should also look after the employee’s well-being, especially for those involved outdoor work. This will minimise the health risk for their employees so that productivity and can still be maintained.

Below are some guidelines for employers:

    • Identify susceptible employees

    • Conduct mask fit testing for employees

    • Determine criteria for stopping outdoor work

    • Shorten the time spent by workers performing outdoor work

    • Improve efficiency of air cleaning devices

    • Employees with existing heart or respiratory illness are more susceptible to the effect of haze

    • Adjust work schedules to cater for sufficient rest breaks

    • Shorten the time spent by workers performing outdoor work

    • Employers should ensure their BCPs are in place and to brief employees on their roles and responsibilities

    • Employers should conduct their BCP exercises to ensure readiness of the organisation and employees

    • Employers should ensure sufficient stock of mask (1-week supply)

Employer guidelines based on the 24-hour PSI

Employers should note that environmental conditions may fluctuate throughout a work day and factor this into their risk assessments.

24-Hour PSI: ≤ 100 (Good / Moderate)

Healthy employees Normal activities
Elderly, pregnant employees Normal activities
Employees with chronic lung disease, heart disease Normal activities
General measures to be taken by employers Normal activities

24-Hour PSI: 101 - 200 (Unhealthy)

Healthy employees Reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor work
Elderly, pregnant employees Minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor work
Employees with chronic lung disease, heart disease Avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor work
General measures to be taken by employers Take risk mitigating measures such as use of mechanical aids, job rotation, instituting indoor rest breaks, ensuring adequate hydration, etc.

24-Hour PSI: 201 - 300 (Very Unhealthy)

Healthy employees Avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor work
Elderly, pregnant employees Minimise outdoor work
Employees with chronic lung disease, heart disease Avoid outdoor work
General measures to be taken by employers Take risk mitigating measures such as use of mechanical aids, job rotation, instituting indoor rest breaks, ensuring adequate hydration, etc.

If prolonged or strenuous outdoor work is not avoidable, and an employer still requires an employee to do so due to extenuating circumstances, the employer is strongly urged to provide mask.

24-Hour PSI: > 300 (Hazardous)

Healthy employees Minimise outdoor work
Elderly, pregnant employees Avoid outdoor work
Employees with chronic lung disease, heart disease Avoid outdoor work
General measures to be taken by employers Take additional risk mitigating measures such as job redeployment, reducing the intensity and duration of outdoor work, institute regular breaks or deferment of non-essential jobs.

If outdoor work is not avoidable, and an employer still requires an employee to do so due to extenuating circumstances, masks or appropriate respirators (e.g. full face respirators for prolonged outdoor work at 24-hours PSI > 400) should be provided.

Risk assessment should consider the additional risk posed by poor visibility for work activities such as lifting operations involving tower and mobile cranes.

For more information