Next step is to minimise daily impact of haze: Ng Eng Hen

SINGAPORE — Having addressed the immediate problem of a shortage of face masks, the next step for the Government is to minimise the daily impact of the haze on people’s lives, said Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen today (June 24). Speaking at a press conference, Dr Ng, who is chairman of the Haze Inter-Ministerial Committee, appealed to Singaporeans to adjust their expectations and be patient and understanding about any possible disruptions in essential services such as public transport, waste disposal, should the haze return. Cars and buses may move more slowly, vehicle accidents may rise and cleaners may work more slowly with masks on, said Dr Ng. The key, he said, is to adjust and slow down, but not to stop. Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew and Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan Jin were also present, and outlined their ministries’ haze contingency plans. Other ministries will be announcing their contingency plans over the rest of the week. Mr Lui said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and Changi Airport Group have contingency plans, and public transport operators are advised to pay attention to staff with breathing difficulty. Since June 19, as a precaution, the separation between aircraft take-offs and landings have been increased, airfield lights are also turned on in the daytime. Under normal circumstances, Changi Airport can allow aircraft to land safely when the runway visual range is more than 550 metres. If it falls to between 300 and 550 metres, aircraft can still land safely with more stringent measures, such as enforcing obstacle protection. Mr Tan added that the priority is to make sure all workers are looked after, and that life goes on as the dry season continues. He urged employers to be vigilant and aware, to mitigate risks and be flexible. They must stay up to date with the health advisories, and adjust work processes accordingly, he said. To help employers to access and process relevant information to manage the ill effects of the haze, the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) said in a statement today that it will “distill relevant and practical information provided by the Haze committee and other relevant agencies to keep employers informed and updated especially on the measures to take at the workplace”. SNEF has also launched a hotline (Tel: 6327 9297) and a dedicated email (haze [at] snef.org.sg) for employers to seek advice on managing workplace issues that arise. Dr Ng added that he is very encouraged by Singaporean groups who reach out to the less privileged on their own, and that Singaporeans know what is important and pool together to make things work in times of difficulty. Earlier today, Dr Ng and Mr Tan visited Singapore’s first waterfront public housing project, Waterway Terraces, to meet with workers on the ground and staff from the Housing and Development Board to find out more about their concerns and measures taken during the haze. Tiong Seng Contractors, which is in charge of the project, conducts daily briefings with workers and issues N95 masks to all workers. Mr Derick Pay, Director of Tiong Seng Contractors, said it is business as usual at the site when the PSI is under 300, but at above 200 all workers must wear masks. Work stopped for two hours when the 3-hour psi surpassed 400 on Friday (June 21). Despite the work stoppages, Mr Pay said the construction project is on schedule as work is only halted at two or three hours at a time. Dr Ng was also joined by Mr Lui for a visit to Changi Airport to meet air traffic controllers and the ground staff. To counter the haze, Changi Airport Group has halted non-essential outdoor maintenance work, such as grass cutting and trolley maintenance. CAG has also swapped older workers with younger ones and moved the former indoors.