• Six cleaning companies said they are taking special care to protect their workers aged 60 and above
• As precaution against Covid-19, these workers are deployed to lower-traffic areas
• Some security agencies have also adopted the same measures
• Supermarket chains said they did not have specific allowances just for older workers, but have safety mesures in general

SINGAPORE — With Singapore in a phase of heightened alert against Covid-19, companies with significant proportions of older employees who have to work outside their homes said that they have taken steps to better protect this group of seniors, for example, by deploying them to lower-traffic areas and reducing their work hours.

One company, McDonald's, has even asked its workers aged 80 and above, of whom there are about 70, to stay home while receiving full pay during this period.

Other fast-food companies and firms with high numbers of older workers, such as supermarket chains, said that they did not have specific allowances just for this group of employees, but have put in place other measures to ensure safety for staff members during this period.

TODAY spoke to six cleaning companies, all of which said that they are taking special care to protect their workers aged 60 and above.

Mr Ang Feng Yao, the business development manager at One Heart Cleaning, said that his company has reduced the working hours of cleaners in this age group — who make up about half of a total of 80 employees — without reducing their pay.

The company deploys cleaners to places such as Tekka Centre in Little India, fitness centre Absolute Cycle@Zouk and Kim Keat Palm Market & Food Centre, among other places.

The older workers are now working two to three days a week, down from five to six days before, for about five to six hours a day, compared with eight before.

“Unlike in other industries, these on-the-ground workers usually come from difficult backgrounds, so they are not able to stop working even in the current situation, as they need the income to feed themselves and their families,” Mr Ang said.

During this period, he has begun deploying workers above the age of 60 to hawker centres only, as these are now sparsely visited.

“We do professional cleaning, home cleaning, aircon services, upholstery service, which require travelling to multiple locations in a day. So to allocate a less strenuous workload (to the senior workers), we are now stationing them at just one location to help to sanitise tables and chairs instead,” he added.

Mr Jabez Liow, general manager at Imperial Cleaning Services, said that cleaners aged above 60, who make up 80 per cent of the manpower strength, are no longer deployed to higher-risk areas such as food-and-beverage establishments, clinics and hospitals.

They are also not required to carry out “tougher and more dirty jobs like dealing with rubbish”, he said.

Over at UEMS Solutions, where 450 out of its 1,000 cleaners are above the age of 60, senior workers, especially those who have not been vaccinated, are also being deployed to low-risk and low-traffic areas, as well as during off-peak periods.

“Their respective supervisors are also required to physically check on them twice during their work shift to ensure that face masks are worn at all times, ascertain their health condition and that proper hand-washing protocols are followed. For some vulnerable workers, we also provide them with vitamin C to boost their immunity,” the firm said.  

Mr Belamy Lim Jun Hao, assistant chief executive officer at SQ 1 Development, said that they have increased the deployment of robotics on-site, including floor-scrubbing robots, vacuum robots and automated glass cleaning robots, which can take over manual jobs and lighten their cleaners’ workloads.

The company has 152 cleaners above the age of 60, out of a pool of 500. These older cleaners are also being assigned to lower-risk jobs during this period. Some are being sent to attend courses to improve their skills.

Security agencies interviewed have adopted similar measures.

At Volantra Security, managing director Amar Raj Singh said that security officers in this age group — 25 out of 120 employees — are deployed to sites that are deemed to be of low risk.

Another firm, Soverus, also adopts the same practice, its managing director Kelvin Goh said. The company has safety steps in place that apply to all.

For example, it has implemented staggered lunch timings to avoid crowding, eliminated cross-deployment and ensured that workers who cannot be vaccinated are deployed to low-traffic areas.

Workers who are unable to work because they have been exposed to suspected cases of Covid-19 will still be paid their regular salary, he added.

Mr Singh of Volantra Security said that guardhouses are well-sanitised and his operations team regularly pays visits to ensure conditions are of high standards.

Similarly, at supermarkets, general safety measures are in place for all employees, although older workers may ask for more support if needed.

Dairy Farm, which operates Giant, Cold Storage, CS Fresh and Market Place by Jasons supermarkets, said that 24 per cent of its 3,000 workers are above 60 years old.

All are provided with personal protective equipment such as masks, face shields and gloves, while hand sanitisers are readily available. The company ensures that safe distancing is adhered to in stores.

“Our elderly workers are encouraged to approach our store managers for any additional support they might need. They are also given priority over break time and are encouraged to take additional breaks,” it said.

At NTUC FairPrice, 20 per cent of its 9,700 workers are above the age of 60.

The supermarket chain said that it conducts daily temperature checks and has implemented safe management measures and provided personal protection equipment such as masks and face shields to staff members.

Vaccination has also been offered to all employees. Hotline services and counselling by trained professionals are available should staff members need advice or a listening ear.

As for other fast-food chains, KFC declined to comment while Burger King said that it has not introduced age-specific measures, though it has safety measures in place that apply to all workers.