Dear All,
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is implementing new safety regulations for light lorries which transport workers.
This new regulation w.e.f. February 1, 2011 will require the lorries to be fitted with canopies and higher side railings to ensure the safety of passengers.
It also imposes a stringent penalty liable for the Driver and Owner of the lorry (e.g. with demerit points and court action for 1st offender).
Read on below, for site information and compliance.
Have a good weekend.
Regards,
David Simon.
Phase 01 – From 1 September 2009
Lower maximum allowable height of a seated worker.
Passenger seat(s) in the lorry’s cabin must be filled up before workers can be carried at the rear carriage of lorries.
Phase 02 – From 1 January 2010
Lorries registered from 1 January 2010 and used for carrying workers on the carriage deck must be fitted with higher protective side railings – up to a height of at least 700 mm (up from 550 mm) from the carriage deck, and at least 300 mm (up from 150 mm) from the top of the side-boards. To effectively shelter workers from inclement weather, lorries will also need to be fitted with canopies if they are to carry passengers on the carriage deck.
1 Feb 2011: Stringent penalty of offences (see below LTA/SPF Press Release)
Phase 03 – From 1 September 2012 — “Akan Datang” (coming soon)
Minimum deck space required per seated worker will be doubled to 8 square feet from the current 4 square feet from 1 September 2012. This will reduce the number of workers that can be transported on lorries as compared to what is stipulated today, and will lower the risk exposure in the event of an accident. The lead time of three years will also allow businesses to phase in operational changes and make decisions on their existing assets.
LTA/SPF (17 Jan 2011) – Press Release
More Stringent Penalties For Non-Compliance With Safety Regulations For Lorries Carrying Workers
From 1 February 2011, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Traffic Police (TP) will impose higher fines as well as demerit points for non-compliance with safety regulations put in place for the transportation of workers on lorries. Penalties for first-time offenders will carry demerit points for most offences. Fines will also be increased to $500 for various offences. (Details of the enhanced penalties can be found in Annex A.)
These measures follow the announcement in July 2010 that penalties will be enhanced for non-compliance with vehicle safety rules and to bring forward the two remaining vehicle-related measures to 2011:
- All light lorries used to transport workers are to be fitted with canopies and higher side railings by 1 February 2011. Heavy lorries will need to comply by 1 August 2011.
- The minimum deck space requirement per seated worker will be doubled to eight square feet for both light and heavy lorries from 1 August 2011. Lorry owners are required to recalculate the Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC) and affix the correct MPC label on their vehicles by 1 August 2011.
In gist, the LTA and TP will continue enforcement efforts to stem dangerous driving behaviours and any non-compliance with the safety measures. (Please refer to Annex B for the list of safety regulations for lorries carrying workers.)
Mr Colin Lim, LTA’s Group Director for Vehicle and Licensing said, “While we have enhanced penalties and stepped-up enforcement efforts, we urge all the relevant stakeholders — the employers, vehicle owners and drivers, to play their part in ensuring the safety of their workers.”
Commander Traffic Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police Cheang Keng Keong said, “Traffic Police take a serious view on those who endanger the lives of others on our roads with their reckless behaviour. We will spare no efforts in our enforcement against such irresponsible motorists.”
Public Education
Lorry stickers and flyers will be distributed progressively following the announcement to all lorry owners. Posters will also be displayed at the foreign worker dormitories to educate the workers on the safety regulations. Some of these materials will also be distributed to the relevant industry stakeholders to raise awareness of the safety regulations and the enhanced penalties. (Samples of the public education materials are available in Annex C.)
In addition to reaching out to the lorry owners and drivers, the LTA will be working closely with the Ministry of Manpower to educate the workers at the dormitories as well as employers to drive home these safety measures.
ANNEX A: ENHANCED PENALTIES FOR VARIOUS LORRY OFFENCES
ANNEX B: SAFETY REGULATIONS FOR LORRIES CARRYING WORKERS
- The lorry must not travel faster than the posted road speed limit or the vehicle speed limit of 60 km/h, whichever is lower.
- The workers must be properly seated in a manner that would not cause them to fall off the vehicle.
- The lorry must not carry an excess number of workers based on the minimum deck space requirement of 0.372 square metres (or four square feet) per seated worker. If goods or equipment are also transported, the number of workers that may be carried is reduced according to the remaining floor area available.
- Lorry owners who wish to use their lorries to carry their workers must display a Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC) label on the right side the rear tailboard indicating the maximum number of workers that can be transported.
- If goods are also transported, they must be properly secured such that they will not endanger the workers onboard or other road users.
- No part of the worker when he is in a sitting position shall be more than 1.1 metres from the carriage deck. This is to lower the risk of a worker falling off from the back of a lorry [Implemented on September 2009].
- The front passenger seat(s) in the lorry’s cabin must be occupied before workers can be carried on the rear carriage deck [Implemented on 1 September 2009].
- Lorries registered on or after 1 January 2010 and used to carry workers must be fitted with higher side railings and canopies. The side railings should be fitted up to a height of not less than 700 millimetres from the carriage deck, and not less than 300 millimetres from the top of the side boards.
- Light lorries (with maximum laden weight not exceeding 3,500 kg) registered before 1 January 2010 and used to carry workers will have to be fitted with canopies and higher side railings by 1 February 2011. Heavy lorries (with maximum laden weight exceeding 3,500 kg) registered before 1 January 2010 and used to carry workers will need to comply by 1 August 2011.
- The doubling of minimum deck space requirement per seated worker to 0.744 square metres (or eight square feet) will be implemented for both light and heavy lorries on 1 August 2011.
Owners will need to re-calculate the Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC) based on this new requirement and affix on the back of lorries, an MPC label with black characters on a yellow background
ANNEX C:
From: David Simon [mailto:davidsimon@zappiling.com.sg]
Sent: Saturday, 26 June, 2010 12:03 PM
To: ‘David Simon'; ‘fred_tang@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘Zap-Yang Y M'; ‘peter_lam@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘Ng Beng Chong'; ‘ZAP-Leong Sung Juat ‘; ‘Zap-Frankel Chan'; ‘kangkae@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘patrickleo@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘Michael Ho'; ‘Thomas Tan'; ‘Thomas Heng'; ‘Roland Yap'; ‘chowfc@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘Zuraimi'; ‘khinaungtin@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘Ang Poh Ann'; ‘Zap-Arthur Jiang'; ‘tyam_pui@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘Tan Gim Tiong'; ‘Yap Kwa Choy'; ‘Leslie Chua'; ‘shaheen@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘Ramdhan’
Cc: ‘Tay Tong Tham'; ‘Yong Hwee Chia'; ‘chorcl@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘ericlow@zappiling.com.sg'; ‘Zap-Jane Tay'; ‘Zap-Sandy Tay’
Subject: Road Safety (recent Road Accident case involving Lorry ferrying workers)
Importance: High
Dear All,
As reported in the newspaper, on Wednesday this week there were 3 (three) accidents involving lorries that ferry workers. The most serious one with casualties claimed the life of 3 (three) workers with many injured.
Reflect on those cases, the management would again highlight the importance of road safety to all company motorists (especially for those who ferry workers) to ascertain they abide the regulations.
And also, for those soccer fans, yeah.. It’s a ‘world cup’ season and we could enjoy this 4-yearly event very much 😉 But please ensure to have enough rest for working days and refrain yourself to ‘drink’ excessively while watching the matches.
The message was strictly emphasized by the management in recent EHS committee meeting and instructed the Site Management team to observe on this matter and to pass down the message to all supervisors and workers on their respective sites. Anyone who found unfit to work (due to lack of sleep, etc) shall be withdrawn from site to avoid any potential Safety Risk for him and others; HR department to be informed afterward.
Additionally, for your perusal, below is LTA News Release published on 18/08/2009 pertaining various measures to enhance safety of workers transported on lorries. It is phased in over 3 years.
Have a good weekend.
Regards,
David Simon.
LTA NEWS: More Stringent Measures To Enhance Safety Of Workers Transported On Lorries
From 1 September 2009
- Lower maximum allowable height of a seated worker.
To further lower the risk of a worker falling off from the back of a lorry, no part of the worker when he is in a sitting position shall be more than 1.1 metres from the carriage deck. This is lower than the current requirement which specifies that no part of the worker, when he is in a sitting position, shall be more than 3.2 metres above the road surface. - Passenger seat(s) in the lorry’s cabin must be filled up before workers can be carried at the rear carriage of lorries.
All the passenger seat(s) in the lorries’ cabin must be filled up before workers can be transported on the carriage deck. Aside from the benefit of having more passengers seated in a safer environment, the front seat passenger(s) can also assist the driver by ensuring that workers carried on the carriage deck area, if any, are properly seated, and remind the driver to abide by the speed limit. - Enforcement operations further stepped up.
Enforcement activities have been intensified against lorry drivers who do not observe safety regulations since 2008. This will be further stepped up. - Penalties for non-compliance enhanced.
Penalties will be enhanced for drivers and owners who fail to comply with safety regulations, including carrying excess workers above the vehicle’s Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC). - Hotline to report non-compliance with safety regulations
The public can help by calling the LTA Hotline (1800-CALL LTA) to report any instances of non-compliance spotted on the road, such as lorries carrying excess workers or in a dangerous / precarious manner. - Expand outreach programmes
Ensuring safety is the joint responsibility of the Government, employers, drivers, workers and other road users. Government agencies such as LTA, MOM, Traffic Police and the various associations will continue in outreach programmes to educate employers and workers on their responsibilities and showcase welfare and safety best practices. - Lorries registered from 1 January 2010 and used for carrying workers on the carriage deck must be fitted with higher protective side railings – up to a height of at least 700 mm (up from 550 mm) from the carriage deck, and at least 300 mm (up from 150 mm) from the top of the side-boards. To effectively shelter workers from inclement weather, lorries will also need to be fitted with canopies if they are to carry passengers on the carriage deck.
- Minimum deck space required per seated worker will be doubled to 8 square feet from the current 4 square feet from 1 September 2012. This will reduce the number of workers that can be transported on lorries as compared to what is stipulated today, and will lower the risk exposure in the event of an accident. The lead time of three years will also allow businesses to phase in operational changes and make decisions on their existing assets.
In recent accident, it was found that an excess passenger over-crowded at the back of the lorry. The 10-foot Toyota Dyna lorry was occupied with 17 people at the back meant to sit only 13 people. Under LTA guidelines, if lorries exceed less than 25 per cent of its allocated capacity, a fine of $500 will be imposed, and if they exceed 25 per cent, the violator will be prosecuted in court, which could lead to a maximum jail term of six months.
From 1 January 2010
From 1 September 2012
Measures for existing lorries
- For existing lorries, owners will be given a lead time of three years (i.e. up to 31 August 2012) to install the higher protective side railings and canopies, if they are to continue to be used to transport workers.
- For more details of the new measures, please see www.lta.gov.sg
- In addition, current safety regulations as follows will continue to apply:
- Vehicle must not travel faster than the posted road speed limit or the vehicle speed limit of 60 km/h, whichever is lower
- Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC) label must be displayed on the lorry. Owners who wish to use their lorries to carry their workers must display a Maximum Passenger Capacity (MPC) label on the right side of the rear tailboard indicating the maximum number of workers that can be transported.
- Goods transported must be properly secured
If goods are also transported, they must be properly secured such that they will not endanger the workers carried or other road users 3 .
Note: 3) Open lorries with a maximum laden weight not exceeding 3,500 kg which are only used to transport goods (i.e. not used to transport workers) will still be required to have side protective railings along the sideboards of the rear carriage deck to prevent goods from falling off the carriage deck).
