16/09/2026
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ:
๐๐๐ณ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐
๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ
Dear EMAS community,
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has reported that the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) has crossed into the Unhealthy range due to shifting prevailing winds bringing transboundary smoke haze into Singapore.
As the Environmental Management Association of Singapore (EMAS), representing environmental service providers, we urge all members to activate their Haze Contingency Plans.
Our cleaning workforce is heavily exposed to the elements, and it is our collective duty to balance operational excellence with rigorous workplace health and safety protocols under the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act.
To ensure compliance with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Ministry of Health (MOH) guidelines, we recommend the following operational safeguards:
๐. ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ค-๐๐ข๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ
Adjust and limit manual, strenuous outdoor tasks based on the active 24-hour PSI forecast:
โข PSI 101 โ 200 (Unhealthy): Reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor cleaning activities. Introduce mandatory indoor rest periods and implement job rotation.
โข PSI 201 โ 300 (Very Unhealthy): Avoid prolonged outdoor work. Transfer workforce deployment to internal facility maintenance wherever practical.
โข PSI > 300 (Hazardous): Defer all non-essential outdoor cleaning tasks (e.g., high-pressure jet spraying, facade cleaning, or intensive sweeping).
๐. ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฐ-๐๐ฑ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐๐ฌ
โข Switch to Wet Cleaning: Avoid dry-sweeping or blow-dusting which kicks up dust particles into the air. Utilise damp-mopping and wiping techniques instead.
โข Leverage Mechanisation: Maximise the deployment of mechanical cleaning aidsโsuch as ride-on scrubbers and automated sweepsโto reduce the physical strain and respiratory rates of your cleaning staff.
๐. ๐๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐
๐ข๐ญ-๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐
โข Ensure an adequate stockpile of N95 masks specifically for workers assigned to unavoidable outdoor tasks. Please note that normal surgical masks are ineffective against fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
โข All deployed personnel must undergo proper mask fit-testing before beginning their shifts.
๐. ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ
Identify and pull back vulnerable employees - including elderly cleaners, pregnant staff, or individuals with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions - from all outdoor duties when the PSI is elevated.
๐. ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ & ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ
Members are reminded that if cleaning services are temporarily scaled back due to hazardous air quality, employers ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ .
EMAS remains committed to helping the industry navigate this period smoothly.
For comprehensive compliance matrices, template action plans, or reporting protocols, please reference the official MOM Haze Guidelines Portal: https://www.mom.gov.sg/haze
๐ณ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐.
