More firms have been penalised for failing to adhere to workplace safe management measures despite repeated calls to make working from home the default and to ensure safe distancing at the office.
Between September 28 – when the measures were last eased – and January 15, there were 42 employers fined for such lapses, the Ministry of Manpower told The Straits Times.
The most common violations were firms getting their employees to report to the office although they could work from home, and for failing to put clear safe distancing markers in common areas at the workplace.
The ministry fined the 42 companies after inspecting 5,380 workplaces.
This comes after the ministry imposed 52 fines of S$1,000 (US$750) each on errant employers in June, and ordered seven workplaces to shut for lapses.
In December, it had also launched an operation targeting the transport and storage sector in anticipation of increased activities due to the festive period.
While the vast majority of firms have been compliant, the ministry said it will continue to step up inspections and highlight areas employers should pay attention to.
Workplace safe management measures, which include caps on the number of workers allowed back in offices, were put in place at the end of the circuit breaker period in June last year.
They were last eased on September 28 when more employees were allowed to return to the workplace.
Last month, the Singapore National Employers Federation, the National Trades Union Congress and the ministry said working from home should remain the default arrangement to minimise the risk of Covid-19 transmission in offices.
THE STRAITS TIMES (SINGAPORE)/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
