Written Answer to PQ on Safety Time-Out Participation and Thresholds for Platform Workers

NOTICE PAPER NO. 1381 OF 2026 FOR THE SITTING ON 6 OCT 2026
QUESTION NO. 3102 FOR ORAL ANSWER

MP: Cai Yinzhou

To ask the Acting Minister for Manpower given 44 fatal or major injuries to platform workers in the first half of 2026 (a) whether platform operators joined the June 2026 Safety Time-Out; (b) what thresholds trigger a Safety Time-Out; (c) whether platform injuries count towards these thresholds; and (d) whether the Ministry will mandate platform-specific Safety Time-Outs, such as pausing volume-based incentives, when thresholds are crossed.

Answer:

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) called for companies, including platform operators (POs), to participate in a nationwide voluntary Safety Time-Out (STO) from 26 June 2026 to 9 July 2026. This was to arrest the rise in fatalities, as seven workplace fatalities had occurred from end-May to June 2026 across different sectors and industries, including one platform worker (PW). The STO encouraged all companies to review their workplace safety processes and pay attention to vehicle-related activities and individual worker lapses. We understand that at least one PO participated in the voluntary STO.

2 In deciding whether to call for a STO, MOM will consider the number of fatal injuries and whether there are any recurrent underlying causes that require the need to heighten vigilance by industry to stem further accidents. If there is evidence that platform incentives are the cause of platform work accidents, MOM is prepared to take action including through mandating targeted platform operator-specific STOs, where applicable.

3 To address the high injury rate among PWs, the recently formed PW Safety Workgroup is studying further measures to improve platform work safety including the role of incentives and other potential causal factors for accidents involving PWs. The Workgroup expects to conclude its work by end-2026 and will share its
recommendations when ready.