Currently, all work permit and S Pass holders in the construction sector are serving a mandatory stay-home notice (SHN) till May 4, 2020.

Their dependant pass holders were also issued the same SHN.

Extension of SHNs

In a May 1 joint news release by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and Ministry of Health (MOH), it was announced that the SHN period will be extended by a further 14 days.

This is to cover another incubation cycle to help break the cycle of transmission.

All work permit and S Pass holders in the construction sector will now serve their SHNs until 11:59pm on May 18.

The Dependant Pass holders of these workers will also be placed on SHN for the same extended period.

This SHN excludes those staying in any dormitory gazetted as an isolation area, or any foreign employee dormitory as defined in the 2015 Foreign Employee Dormitories Act, as special arrangements have already been catered for them.

It only applies to all workers and their dependents in any place of accommodation, or any place which is converted into a place of accommodation on a temporary basis, or otherwise.

Reason for extension

In the news release, the agencies said that they have been closely monitoring the infections among construction workers living outside purpose-built dormitories (PBD).

The number of infected construction work pass holders living in non-PBD premises continues to rise and remain noticeably higher than the general community.

This suggests that Covid-19 transmission at construction worksites among such workers had occurred before the start of the SHN period.

The cases that are now being observed could have been incubated earlier or may have spread among the workers’ close contacts and house mates.

Unlike most individuals who serve their SHN in isolation, the construction work pass holders are likely to be in shared accommodation where they have continued interactions with one another.

Thus, this extension was introduced as a precautionary measure to protect employers and workers from the risk of further Covid-19 transmission at construction worksites.

Employers must cooperate

"We recognise the impact on affected employers and appreciate their cooperation. Their efforts will help to enable an eventual restart of the sector. Thus far, the vast majority of employers have looked after their workers well. We will need them to continue doing so for the remaining period of the SHN," said the agencies.

Employers should make arrangements for the delivery of food or groceries for cooking and other daily essentials.

They should also ensure their workers consult a doctor immediately when unwell.

Those who are unwell should be isolated as a precautionary measure.

Further advisory

On Apr. 18, an advisory was issued to employers on their obligations for their affected workers.

Employers, who have been approved by BCA for their foreign workers to carry out essential services during the SHN, may continue these works unless BCA terminates the approvals.

No reapplication is necessary.

Foreign workers granted exemption are allowed to leave their places of residence only to perform essential activities.

All remaining conditions of the SHN, such as the daily declaration of the workers’ health status, shall continue to apply.

Top image by Roslan Rahman via Getty Images.