Singapore protects workers at workplace against Covid - but not Malaysia? Do we need a new HR Minister?

In Malaysia, there are no regulations about what employers must do to protect workers from Covid-19 at their workplaces BUT Singapore has...

Comparatively, Singapore, for instance, already now has the Infectious Diseases (Workplace Measures to Prevent Spread of Covid-19) Regulations 2020.- 26 Groups - Minister Fails to Protect Workers from Becoming Victim of Covid-19, only social protection AFTER worker already infected and/or dies now exists. Clear Regulations and Standards Needed that Employers Must Comply to Protect Worker Safety and Health

Sebagai perbandingan, Singapura, misalnya, sudah memiliki Peraturan Penyakit Berjangkit (Langkah-langkah Tempat Kerja untuk Mencegah Penyebaran Covid-19) 2020/ the Infectious Diseases (Workplace Measures to Prevent Spread of Covid-19) Regulations 2020. -Menteri Gagal Melindungi Pekerja dari Menjadi Mangsa Covid-19, hanya ada perlindungan sosial SETELAH pekerja sudah dijangkiti dan/atau meninggal dunia

The Regulations that were in Malaysia, only deals with general restrictions as to movement - but no Regulations at Workplaces, which are still operating, because they provide 'essential services' or because they have received 'exemptions' allowing them to operate during the MCO period. 

Oddly, we also see so many individuals being arrested and charged - but almost no Companies or their Director for violating the MCO laws...

Many companies, in breach of the law, have been operating ...hence putting so many workers at HIGH RISK during this period...

How can companies/businesses not allowed to operate be still operating - Are the police and those responsible for the enforcement of the special MCO laws not aware of this?

People are arrested for parties, playing football - but is there not a bigger gathering at the companies and businesses - DOUBLE Standards? 

Peraturan untuk melindungi keselamatan dan kesihatan pekerja dari Covid-19 (dan / atau penyakit menular lain) dapat meliputi, antara lain,:

-          Pemeriksaan/Saringan pekerja setiap hari,

-          Penggunaan alat pelindung termasuk topeng muka,

-          Pembekalan cecair pembersih tangan,

-          Keperluan penjarakan sosial,

-      Penyediaan pengangkutan pekerja yang selamat dari rumah ke tempat kerja dan balik,

-      Sekatan kehadiran pekerja di tempat kerja yang kini tinggal di kawasan yang dinyatakan sebagai kawasan 'merah' atau mereka di bawah perintah pergerakan yang ditingkatkan, atau pekerja yang ahli keluarga/ahli rumah mereka telah dijangkiti (dan dia masih belum diperiksa/disaring dan/ atau menyelesaikan tempoh kuarantin diri,

-     Penutupan Ruang Solat(atau Bilik Sembahyang) atau sekatan jumlah dibenarkan  pada satu-satu masa, mengambil kira bahawa semua pekerja Islam wajib bersolat 5 kali sehari;

-          Keperluan pembersihan/sanitasi harian di tempat kerja dan kawasan umum lain:

-          Pemberitahuan Segera dan Penutupan Tempat Kerja jika ada pekerja dijangkiti Covid-19, sama ada di tempat kerja atau di mana sahaja, kerana pekerja biasanya melakukan perjalanan setiap hari dari tempat tinggal ke tempat kerja mereka. Penutupan tempat kerja akan berlaku selama 14 hari, dan semua pekerja di tempat kerja akan dikuarantin selama 14 hari;

-    Majikan harus menyimpan catatan harian mengenai hubungan dan pergerakan pekerja, kerana jika mereka dijangkiti, ini akan memudahkan pihak kesihatan untuk mengesan hubungan rapat;

-         Majikan hendaklah menyebabkan mana-mana pekerja yang menunjukkan gejala penyakit segera dihantar ke hospital / klinik untuk ujian, saringan dan/atau rawatan perubatan;

-          Semua pekerja, yang sakit dan/atau di bawah kuarantin, akan diberikan cuti sakit berbayar, walaupun mereka telah melebihi hak kontrak cuti sakit berbayar.

-          Peraturan mesti dipaparkan  di papan kenyataan yang dapat diakses oleh semua pekerja. Majikan juga harus memastikan Peraturan diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa pekerja yang bekerja di tempat kerja.

Coronavirus pandemic

Action taken against 21 workplaces lacking safe distancing measures

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No safe distancing at common area.PHOTO: MINISTRY OF MANPOWER

Published

Mar 24, 2020, 5:00 am SGT

Clara Chong

 

Enforcement action has been taken against 21 workplaces for failing to comply with government advisories on safe distancing measures meant to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a statement yesterday.

Thirteen stop-work orders and eight remedial orders were issued to workplaces that ignored safe distancing yesterday, the very first day of enforcement, MOM said. These orders will remain in place until rectifications are made.

The inspections target workplaces with a large workforce such as factories, construction sites and shipyards, as well as collaborative workplaces.

MOM also noted that some companies have adopted additional precautionary measures to protect the well-being of their workers, such as temperature screening.

The ministry reminded all employers to place their employees on work-from-home arrangements wherever possible, especially vulnerable employees such as older workers, pregnant workers and those with pre-existing medical conditions.

For roles requiring workers to be physically present on company sites, employers should ensure wider physical spacing of at least 1m between work stations and seats in meeting rooms, pantries, rest areas and other congregation points, MOM said.

They should also reduce the duration and proximity of physical interactions, stagger working hours, defer non-critical work events and scale down critical work events, as well as implement or enhance shift or split-team operations, MOM added in the statement.

Safe distancing measures should also be clearly communicated to all workers.

"Such measures may require businesses to adjust work processes but are necessary to suppress the spread of Covid-19 and protect our community. We also urge employees to practise social responsibility and stay safe by maintaining good personal hygiene and safe distancing," said Mr Silas Sng, commissioner for workplace safety and health.

MOM said that these inspections will continue and appropriate enforcement actions against non-compliant workplaces will be taken.

Meanwhile, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) also issued a similar advisory yesterday to all financial institutions in Singapore to implement safe distancing measures in all aspects of their business operations, especially customer touch points.

Financial institutions were advised to encourage all customers to use electronic platforms for financial transactions, limit the number of people waiting at their premises, prioritise service to vulnerable customers as well as collect details of visitors for contact tracing purposes, MAS said.

The ministry reminded all employers to place their employees on work-from-home arrangements wherever possible, especially vulnerable employees such as older workers, pregnant workers and those with pre-existing medical conditions. - Straits Times, 24/3/2020