Singapore's new rules for transporting workers in lorries effective 1 Jan 2023

Requirements and recommendations on rest periods for drivers, designating a "vehicle buddy", alternative modes of transport, and more.

Singapore employers with workers who need to be transported in lorries with rear decks will have to abide by new requirements under the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSH Act), effective 1 January 2023 (Sunday). 

These requirements are part of an advisory issued on Friday (31 December 2022), by the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Transport, Land Transport Authority, Singapore Police Force, and Building and Construction Authority. Employers are to note the following:

New requirements under the Road Traffic Act

Starting 1 January 2023, newly-registered lorries are required to be fitted with rain covers on all non-enclosed sides of the canopy, with at least one side being transparent.

• The requirement for rain covers will apply to in-use light lorries (lorries with maximum laden weight not exceeding 3,500kg) from 1 July 2023, and to in-use heavy lorries (lorries with maximum laden weight exceeding 3,500kg) from 1 January 2024. An example of these can be found here.

Existing requirements under the Road Traffic Act

• All front passenger seat(s) in the lorry’s cabin must be occupied before workers can be transported in the rear deck.
• Lorries must not transport an excess number of workers in the rear deck based on the minimum space requirement of 0.372m or 4 ft per seated worker.
• A Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC) label with white characters on a black background must be displayed on the right side of the rear tailboard indicating the maximum number of workers that can be transported.
• Any loads being transported must be properly secured, including lashing to prevent side lateral movement or when the vehicle is braking, and should not pose any danger to the workers in the rear deck or other road users.
• Lorries used to transport workers must be fitted with canopies and protective side railings of at least 700mm from the rear deck and at least 300mm from the top of the sideboards.

New WSH Act requirements for employers

Employers of dual-role drivers* must:

• Provide at least a 30-minute rest period for dual role drivers who have worked for at least six hours in their work shift immediately prior to driving workers in lorry rear decks.

Employers of lorry drivers who drive workers in the rear deck must:

• Designate a person as a "vehicle buddy" to sit in the cabin beside the driver at all times while the driver is driving workers in lorry rear decks.
• Brief the "vehicle buddy" on his/her role to take reasonable measures to ensure that the driver is alert and able to drive in a safe manner at all times (e.g., check that the driver is fit to drive before driving off, and that driver remains alert while driving).

*A dual-role driver is defined as a person required or authorised by the employer of that person to drive a lorry with workers in the rear deck, where driving such a lorry is not the primary work that the person is required to perform. 

Existing requirements for employers under the Employment Act

• Employers should not require drivers of lorries with workers in rear decks to work for more than 12 hours a day including overtime, driving, or any other work activities.
• Employers are not allowed to deduct the salary of drivers for being behind schedule and employers should not make workers consent to such deductions.

The advisory added that to improve the safety of workers, employers must consider using other modes of transportation, such as buses, where possible. In instances where an alternative mode of transport is not practical, employers should ensure the safety of drivers and workers travelling in lorries by adopting the recommended practices.

Employers should:

• Set the right tone and culture to emphasise the importance of safety, so that workers do not feel pressured to rush;
• Ensure safe means of access and egress to and from the lorry deck;
• Avoid ferrying workers together with heavy goods/equipment;
• Avoid incentives or disincentives that may encourage drivers to rush or drive recklessly;
• Be prepared to activate a backup driver where necessary; and
• Provide avenues for reporting unsafe driving (e.g., display a hotline number to report unsafe driving).

At the same time, employers are encouraged to:

• Reward good driving behaviours. For example, an incentive bonus for clean driving history (e.g., 0 demerit points) or achieving an accident-free record for a period of time;
• Deploy vehicular safety technologies to improve driving safety. This can include (a) an Advanced Driver Assistance System to enhance the situational awareness of drivers and provide warning of collision risks, (b) a Driver Status Monitoring System to detect driver fatigue and distraction such as mobile device usage, and (c) a Driver Behaviour Management System to monitor reckless driving behaviour (e.g., harsh turning, acceleration or braking), and
• Provide raincoats and rain boots to workers to protect them against inclement weather.

In addition to the above, the advisory listed out requirements and recommendations for drivers, vehicle buddies, and workers in rear decks to note:

Requirements for drivers

Existing requirements for drivers under the Road Traffic Act

• Drivers must always drive within the posted road speed limit or the vehicle speed limit of 60km/h, whichever is lower.
• Drivers must not hold in his or her hand, and use, mobile devices or other devices (e.g., tablets) while driving (this requirement does not apply to wearable devices).
• Drivers and passengers must wear seat belts.

Drivers are to adopt safe and good driving habits, have sufficient rest, and not rush. If the driver feels unfit to drive (e.g., unwell, drowsy from medication), the driver or the vehicle buddy should inform his/her supervisor or employer immediately and seek the necessary medical treatment.

Before driving, it is important that drivers:

• Perform daily checks on the general condition of the vehicle.
• Check that the workers are seated properly and have their seat belts fastened (where applicable) before moving off.

Next, when driving, drivers must:

• Always stay focused on the road.
• Adopt safe driving habits including:
• Not make any harsh turning, acceleration, and braking;
• Slow down when approaching road humps, and
• During adverse weather conditions, drive slower, keep a longer safe distance from the vehicle in front as a longer braking distance may be required, and turn on headlights.
• Finally, when the vehicle stops at a destination, drivers should:
  Pull the handbrake and make sure the vehicle comes to a complete stop before letting passengers alight, and
• Switch on hazard lights if stopping at the roadside.

Recommendations for vehicle buddies

As stated in the advisory, it is the responsibility of the vehicle buddy to:

• Remind the driver to drive safely (e.g., stay within the speed limits, no reckless driving);
• Assist the driver to look out for obstruction, hazard, or danger, and
• Assist the driver with navigating to the destination if asked, to allow the driver to focus on driving.

Requirements and recommendations for workers in rear decks

On the workers' part, the existing requirements for workers in lorry rear decks under the Road Traffic Act are as follows:

• They must be properly seated:
  • Do not allow any part of his/her body to project beyond the side of the vehicle, and
  • Do not be seated more than 1.1m above the rear deck.

These workers are also reminded to:

• Board and alight the lorry with care. Do not rush or jump down from the lorry;
• Not move around when the lorry is moving;
• Report defects on the vehicle to employers or driver so that timely repairs can be carried out;
• Report unsafe driving to their employers or the authority, and
  Report unsafe behaviour of other lorry passengers during the commute to their employers.

Image / Shutterstock

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