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Construction firms, foreign workers may resume Singapore home renovation, some other work without needing approval
SINGAPORE, Aug 13 — Construction firms and their migrant workers may now resume home renovation and other types of work done outside construction sites and premises such as prefabrication factories without seeking approval from the authorities.
Types of work that can be done without approval include repairs and rectification of defects, facilities management and the maintenance of lifts and escalators, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said yesterday.
This means that about 40,000 migrant workers are expected to return to work.
Last week, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said that 265,000 workers from the construction, marine shipyard and process sectors had been given the nod to return to work.
Even so, companies deploying workers at construction sites and premises that assemble supply works will still have to seek approval from BCA before they resume work.
Such premises include conventional precast concrete yards and prefabricated mechanical, electrical and plumbing factories.
The main contractors for these projects should continue to file applications on behalf of their subcontractors and workers, BCA said.
The relaxation of work restrictions for the construction sector comes a day after MOM declared all migrant worker dormitories cleared of Covid-19, barring some standalone blocks serving as quarantine facilities.
BCA said that it has been focusing its efforts on helping construction firms restart construction projects safely.
With yesterday’s rule change, the SGWorkPass mobile application will reflect a blanket approval for all foreign construction workers to start work.
Workers will also require a separate “green” approval on MOM’s Safe@Work AccessCode portal. For this, they would have to meet four conditions, including being cleared of Covid-19 and having installed the TraceTogether app.
Separately, BCA said that it would also temporarily suspend its requirement for contractors to “cohort” the main workforce of each project into 10 or fewer places of accommodation before they are allowed to resume work.
This cohorting strategy was previously rolled out to house and separate workers based on the projects that they are working on.
With this requirement temporarily lifted, workers presently undergoing these cohorting measures in the 43 purpose-built dormitories will be allowed to resume work.
BCA said that employers should still work towards cohorting their workers in their place of accommodation, based on the companies they work for, so as to minimise intermingling.
During the circuit breaker from April 7 to June 1 to curb the spread of the coronavirus, construction work had mostly been suspended.
But since the circuit breaker was lifted on June 2, more than 3,300 projects at construction sites have been approved to resume, BCA said.
BCA reminded employers to work with accommodation operators to put in place safe living measures, such as tightening controls at dormitory entries and exits. Employers should also provide dedicated transport for foreign workers to travel to work, enforce strict zoning in their workplaces, and ensure workers residing in different places do not mingle on site.
It also reminded employers to book swab test appointments for their workers every 14 days and to apply for the Construction Restart Booster fund, which helps construction firms defray procurement costs to comply with the rules to restart operations.
Other hurdles to cross
Most of the contractors TODAY interviewed said that the majority of their workers have already resumed work prior to Wednesday’s announcement, and that the relaxed approval process provides some added convenience for their remaining workers.
One firm, however, still faces a labour crunch.
Pang Jian Hao, a manager at Hiap Seng Lea Engineering Works, has about 10 workers stuck in Malaysia because of border closures. They are trying to get approval to return to Singapore for work on the new Periodic Commuting Arrangement scheme.
“Costs notwithstanding, they need to find a place to stay and the general sentiment is that local homeowners most likely will not rent to construction workers,” he said.
Contractors said the resumption of work is just the first step towards returning to business as usual, especially with months of backlog to complete.
Peh Ke Pin, director of construction firm PQ Builders, said the safety measures still in place for migrant workers, such as the splitting of workers in separate zones in worksites, will create a lot of waiting time that will “severely” crimp their productivity.
For his firm, he estimates a minimum of 15 to 20 per cent loss in productivity.
“For most of the subcontractors, the previously signed contract rates will no longer be commercially viable,” he said.
Nick Tay, director of Hiap Huat Demolition Contractors, said his projects now take twice as long to complete because his workers are unable to work overtime and have to return to the dormitories by 8pm every day.
Johnny Lim Chee Hwa, executive director of Teambuild Engineering and Construction, expects the construction sector to take about three months before things start to stabilise as work resumption processes smoothen out and productivity picks up.
“It’ll probably go through a phase of gradual pick-up and a bit of consolidation,” he said. “That’s provided we don’t get a third or fourth wave.” — TODAY
Source: https://www.malaymail.com/news/singapore/2020/08/13/construction-firms-foreign-workers-may-resume-singapore-home-renovation-som/1893465