SINGAPORE, Aug 28 — Singapore’s outdoor workers will get mandatory access to cool drinking water, emergency ice packs and heat-suitable clothing from December 1 under tougher measures aimed at reducing heat stress.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said four practices that were previously recommendations will become mandatory, including heat stress training and ensuring cold water, ice packs or water spray are available for emergencies, Singapore-based news outlet CNA reported.

“These enhanced measures provide clearer expectations for employers while strengthening protection for workers,” Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash was quoted as saying.

The new rules will apply to all outdoor work regardless of wet bulb globe temperature, alongside existing requirements for heat acclimatisation, hourly temperature monitoring, regular rehydration, shaded rest and emergency response.

Employers that fail to comply could face enforcement action including stop-work orders and composition fines.

From December 1, employers will also be encouraged to provide shaded rest areas that are well ventilated and insulated or cooled.

Dinesh said the measures, developed with employers, unions and industry stakeholders, were being made mandatory two years after they were introduced as recommendations.

He said the changes were timed ahead of the hotter weather expected from May next year, while MOM was also monitoring haze risks in the region.

“Thankfully, we haven't seen an uptick,” Dinesh was quoted as saying.

He added that measures were in place to alert outdoor worksites and protect workers if haze levels worsened.

And if haze and extreme heat occur together, additional rest measures may be needed to protect workers, he said.