Letting Staff Work In Office Among Most Common Violations
SINGAPORE – The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed that the most common violations against the city-state’s workplace safe management measures (SMM) include companies requiring their employees report to the office even though they can work from home, reported The Straits Times on Monday morning (1 February, SGT).
Another common infringement is businesses failing to clearly mark safe distancing spots for workers at common areas at their offices.
Overall, MOM fined 42 employers for such infringements from 28 September 2020 to 15 January 2021 after inspecting a total of 5,380 workplaces. This comes after the government agency levied fines of S$1,000 each on 52 erring employers last June and instructed 7 workplaces to close for failing to adhere to the measures.
Businesses who violate the measures not only endanger the health and safety of their staff, but also the community at large, commented Lim How Kiat, General Manager at Ademco Security Group, which is among the inspected workplaces.
“More often than not, the employers lack trust in their employees. That’s why they call them back, which is totally unnecessary,” he noted.
Lim said it was hard for all of Ademco’s 190 staff to follow the workplace measures, but they managed to adapt. However, he prefers to have his workers back at the workplace as they have been missing the family-like culture.
Meanwhile, DBS and UOB stated that their staff will have the option to work from home even after workplace restrictions are rescinded.
The 2 financial institutions and OCBC shared that those who report to the office were reminded to follow the workplace measures, like mandatory wearing of face masks and social distancing rules, with superiors conducting regular checks on their compliance.
With the Chinese New Year happening next week, UOB has also informed its staff not to hold workplace gatherings, while OCBC’s Head of group corporate security Francisco John Celio revealed that they will not hold events that could draw crowds.
“We are mindful that we are not out of the woods yet,” he added.
