2 worksites that let in workers who later tested positive for Covid-19 among 26 ordered to halt construction: BCA

SINGAPORE — The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has ordered 26 builders found to have flouted safe management measures (SMM) to suspend work, including two worksites that had let in workers infected with the coronavirus.

They were among more than 65 errant builders discovered during inspections since tighter Covid-19 restrictions were imposed last month. BCA has stepped up checks threefold to more than 900 inspections a week compared with 300 a week in June last year. 

In a statement on Wednesday (June 2), BCA said that the 26 builders had failed to ensure workers checked in with their TraceTogether mobile application or tokens before entering the worksites, potentially hampering the nation’s contact-tracing efforts.

The builders were ordered to stop work for three days until they have reviewed their safe management plan, corrected their mistakes and submitted a compliance report to BCA. The two sites that let Covid-19-positive workers through also had to thoroughly disinfect their premises.

Restrictions were tightened nationwide when Singapore entered a heightened alert state on May 16 in response to a rise in coronavirus cases in the community.

Many of the builders found flouting Covid-19 rules over the past two-and-a-half weeks did not properly segregate their worksite into specified zones, had people working onsite who had not been approved by BCA, or had workers who were not wearing their masks or keeping a safe distance from each other.

From now on, errant builders will be issued longer stop-work orders, composition fines of up to S$2,000 or face prosecution, BCA said.

“BCA takes a serious view of any failure to comply with SMM in worksites.

“Any non-compliance can easily undermine the efforts and good work of the rest of the industry in combating the transmission of Covid-19.”

The authority on Wednesday reminded builders to appoint safe management officers or safe distancing officers to supervise workers or visitors who work at multiple worksites. 

These officers need to make sure that the roving workers do not mingle with other workers at construction sites and that all safe management measures are strictly followed throughout their stay at the site.

Clarification: An earlier version of this article said that the two worksites had let in workers who were infected with Covid-19. BCA has clarified that the two worksites had let in workers who were subsequently found to be infected with Covid-19.