Singapore employers to face higher costs, operational challenges in preparing for erratic weather

SINGAPORE: Stronger winds, hotter days and flash floods. As Singapore begins to experience the effects of climate change, what does this mean for employers in the outdoor sector?

Higher costs in dealing with these extreme weather events and challenges in balancing operational demands, they told CNA. 

Authorities released an advisory on Sep 22 for companies to prepare for erratic and sudden changes in weather conditions – from higher temperatures to increased occurrences of lightning and flash floods.

Employers should be aware that besides extreme heat, other weather conditions can also occur with climate change, said Associate Professor Jason Lee from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

Adverse weather can cause injuries and in the worst-case scenario, they can be fatal, added Assoc Prof Lee, who is the director of the university's heat resilience and performance centre. 

Projects can be delayed if such situations increase in frequency. "Assuming additional time is not catered for companies and workers to complete their projects due to the delay, the natural tendency to rush and meet deadlines can also have negative implications," he said. 

Preparing for erratic conditions can thus help to prevent negative outcomes, he added. "It is recommended that companies cater for such disruptions instead of being reactive."

Associate Professor of Urban Sustainability at the Singapore Management University (SMU) Terry van Gevelt also pointed out that existing preparations for adverse weather conditions are "likely to be insufficient" going forward.

Calling the advisory a first step towards adapting to a "new normal", he said that protocols and building codes will need to be updated to build resilience against these weather conditions.

COSTS LIKELY TO GO UP

The Singapore National Employers Federation also welcomed the advisory, as it provides clear and actionable guidance on the preventive measures that employers can take against specific weather-related hazards, said its deputy honorary treasurer and workplace safety and health council member Adrian Lim.

It also serves as a "timely reminder" for all employers to conduct regular risk assessments of safety and health hazards at workplaces and implement the necessary measures to mitigate the risks, he added. 

Still, Mr Lim acknowledged that employers would run into practical challenges when making the recommended weather-related adjustments.

In the construction sector, for example, rescheduling outdoor work to parts of the day when the temperature is cooler could mean extending work into the night. 

"This is not always possible due to noise affecting nearby residents," said Mr Lim. 

Costs for employers would likely go up, said SMU's Assoc Prof van Gevelt, such as in the form of installing cooling infrastructure for workers.

NUS' Assoc Prof Lee said: "Ensuring workers’ safety and health is always a good investment, but ultimately, this depends on what measures the employers choose to implement."

Some are cost-free, while there are upfront costs for other measures which need to be weighed against the longer-term benefits, he said. 

One infrastructure and civil engineering company, OKP Holdings, told CNA that it has already spent more than S$50,000 (US$39,000) implementing measures to cope with extreme weather conditions. 

Its workers are generally exposed to two types of weather-related risks - lightning during heavy rains and heat stress due to rising temperatures.

Workers are prohibited from working outdoors during adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain and when there is lightning.

In cases of extreme hot weather, workers are provided with cooler boxes and ice cubes to keep their bottled water cold. The company also sets up water points and water parades – a local term for water drinking session – as well as heat stress boxes for emergencies.

Misting systems and solar fans have also been installed at sheltered rest areas at construction sites.

With the recent advisory, OKP Holdings said it will review and revise its risk assessment to ensure that adverse weather conditions are taken into consideration. 

This is among the four measures that MOM and the WSH Council advised employers to implement to better prepare for adverse weather conditions.

Others include monitoring weather conditions closely by using weather monitoring systems and subscribing to weather alerts; communicating possible weather-related hazards to workers and training them to recognise such hazards; as well as preparing recovery plans and inspecting affected structures and essential outdoor machinery and equipment.

"The group expects to incur additional costs as we continue to enhance measures to safeguard the welfare of workers in adverse weather conditions," said OKP Holdings, adding that the investment will be "beneficial in the long run".

Other construction firms have also stepped up measures in light of the recent advisory.

Straits Construction has installed a new shelter within work sites to combat adverse weather. Its beams and features are nailed into the ground to withstand strong winds and rain.

Evacuation drills for workers were also stepped up to three or four times a week.

Speaking to CNA for Singapore Tonight, the firm's workplace, safety, health and environmental manager Marcus Ho said the measure will be continuously monitored and practised on-site.

"We already done a lot of simulation with all the ground staff, and as you can see from the ground itself, we have already prepared all the shelter and stages for them to evacuate," he said.

Another company, Team Build Construction Group, plans to add strong winds updates to its WhatsApp group, which already provides alerts to extreme weather conditions such as rain and heat.

On making sure equipment is anchored or stored securely, and ensuring safe conditions before resuming work after bad weather, the Manpower Ministry has advised firms to have a long-term view even if the new measures come with additional costs.

"I think the best way is to realise through business costs, because if they don't tie down their recovery cost, the damage to the equipment, is going to cost more, and by the time they want to resume operations ... they will have already suffered losses," said Ms Jaime Lim, director of the occupational safety and health specialist department at MOM. 

"But if they start preparing, planning for the worse and taking steps when it actually happens, they can recover very quickly and resume business."

SAFETY KIT, WEATHER-RESISTANT GEAR

Two delivery platform operators said they have equipped their workers with gear for wet weather conditions. 

A foodpanda spokesperson said the company distributed rain jackets and a safety essentials kit – with items such as umbrellas and mini-umbrellas for motorcycle phone mounts – to thousands of riders earlier in July.

Likewise, Deliveroo said it has handed out rider safety tips, offered weather-appropriate gear and encouraged riders to prioritise their health and safety during extreme conditions.

Riders also get a safety kit with a waterproof jacket, long-sleeved base layer and a delivery bag.

Its large thermal bag and each clothing item in the safety kit is reflective, to increase visibility while riders are on the move in bad weather, Deliveroo said.

"Additionally, while rainy weather often leads to a rise in orders as consumers stay indoors, we do not penalise riders for rejecting orders they may be uncomfortable with, nor do we impose strict time limits or offer incentives tied to delivery speed as our priority is safe delivery," it added.

This is also the case for foodpanda. "Delivery partners have the freedom to choose when they work, including the flexibility to pause their session at any time.

"We encourage our delivery partners to take breaks as they need to, particularly during periods of rainy weather," said its spokesperson.

Ultimately, workplace safety must be a collective effort between employers and employees, said SNEF's Mr Lim, adding that the responsibility "cannot be shouldered by employers alone".

Employees play an equally vital role by staying abreast of safety guidelines, being vigilant and keeping a look out for one another, as well as proactively reporting potential safety hazards to help maintain a safe working environment, he added.

Additional reporting by Muhammad Bahajjaj.