Employers and lorry owners must adopt safe distancing measures for workers seated at the back of lorries, according to an advisory announced on Apr. 10.

Issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA), it states that these measures are necessary to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Safe distancing measures required

These include:

• Reviewing the maximum seating capacity for each lorry to ensure that workers are able to maintain a safe distance of 1 metre from each other while seated at the back of the lorry.
• Marking out appropriate locations for workers to sit.
• Communicating these measures to workers and lorry drivers to ensure their effective implementation.
• Making provisions for additional trips or lorries, if necessary.

Employers and lorry owners are expected to comply with the above measures immediately, until the end of the circuit breaker period, or when notified by the authorities.

One metre spacing required at all times

The stricter measures for the current circuit breaker period from Apr. 7 to May 4 are contained in the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures)(Control Order) Regulations 2020.

According to the regulations, all individuals who leave their place of residence must keep a distance of at least one metre from others, regardless of the reason.

However, this does not apply to individuals who are in a lift, in a vehicle, or in public transport-related premises like bus interchanges and MRT stations.

During this period, only workers performing essential services are allowed to travel to their workplaces.

Top image via TWC2.