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Oral Answer by Mr Sam Tan Minister of State for Manpower to Parliamentary Question on workplace safety for self-employed persons

Workplace safety and health

NOTICE PAPER NO. 858 OF 2017 FOR THE SITTING ON 02 OCTOBER 2017

QUESTION NO. 1466 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong

To ask the Minister for Manpower what are the specific challenges in ensuring that self-employed persons who provide delivery services on their own bicycles and personal mobility devices enjoy similar and adequate workplace safety protection as employees working for delivery companies, including insurance coverage in respect of injury, death and property claims arising from accidents while working.

Answer

  1. Employees and self-employed persons (SEPs) enjoy similar protection under the Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA). Companies are required to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of both their employees and SEPs they contract with. Whether as employees or SEPs, delivery riders on bicycles or personal mobility devices (PMDs) should have the proper equipment, protective gear and sufficient training to ensure that they can do the work safely.
  2. Companies can be prosecuted under WSHA for failing their duty of care to SEPs, as well as to employees. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to a $500,000 fine for companies, or up to a $200,000 fine and a 2-year jail term for individuals.
  3. Companies are not required to buy Work Injury Compensation insurance for SEPs. This is because their relationship is one of client-contractor and not employer-employee. To help SEPs get adequate insurance coverage, a Tripartite Workgroup has been formed to look into this matter as well as address other main concerns of SEPs. This was announced by the Ministry in its Committee of Supply debate this year.