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Employers are required to report all injuries from traffic accidents involving workers travelling between workplaces or using company-provided transport for work commutes.
Singapore's statistics on workplace injury currently do not cover employees who were not performing work duties at the time of accident, such as while being transported to work or between workplaces. However, safeguards remain in place such that "workers’ livelihoods are protected from the impact of such accidents", the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has stated.
The Ministry was responding to a Parliamentary query on the processes in place to notify the Ministry on traffic accidents involving transportation of workers, and whether such incidents are assessed as workplace incidents. To this point, it noted that the approach ensures that workplace injury statistics accurately reflect risks that are directly related to the work activity.
"Notwithstanding this, for the purposes of work injury compensation, employers are also required to report to MOM all injuries from traffic accidents involving workers travelling between workplaces or using company-provided transport for commuting to work," the Ministry added.
Once an employer becomes aware of an accident and submits a report, a claim is automatically initiated, ensuring that workers can receive timely compensation.
Ferrying of workers in caged lorry decks to be banned from 2027 for safer worker transportation
In similar news, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) Singapore announced that effective 1 January 2027, ferrying of workers in caged lorry decks will be banned, following consultations with industry stakeholders and non-governmental organisations.
Authorities noted that in emergency situations, caged lorries — where the gate of the cage is latched or locked from the outside — can pose additional risks, as workers may be trapped inside.
Companies that wish to continue using such vehicles to ferry workers or equipment may convert the rear deck to include a canopy and side railings. Caged lorries will still be allowed for the transportation of goods and equipment.
Companies that fail to comply with the ban from 1 January 2027 will be subjected to penalties. More details will be shared ahead of the ban. In the interim, companies must ensure workers have safe access to and from lorry decks.
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