Gardens by the Bay

Best Practices

Work at Height Safety

A 25-year-old Indonesian foreign domestic worker (FDW) fell to death in December 2016 from her employer’s flat’s kitchen window in Punggol. Employers can be fined up to $10,000 and imprisoned for up to 12 months, or both, if they fail to ensure the safety of their FDWs.

Ministry of Manpower (MOM) gives one-day Settling-In Programme (SIP) training to FDWs, and employers must remind them on a regular basis.

Living in a high-rise setting might be a new experience for your maid, and she may not yet be fully aware of the potential dangers that come with working at height. It’s important to take a moment to guide her and ensure she understands the safety measures needed to stay safe while handling tasks like cleaning windows or hanging laundry. A little extra care and communication can make all the difference in keeping everyone protected.

Cleaning Window Exterior

You or responsible person must be present to supervise.
The windows must have grilles and must be locked during cleaning.
Use cleaning tools with extended handles.
Do not stand on chairs, stools, or raised platforms.
Do not clean window exterior if window has no grilles.
Do not climb onto the ledge or lean out the window to clean the window exterior.
Do not climb onto the ledge or lean out the window to get anything.

Contracts and safety agreement for MDW

You are advised to establish an employment contract with your migrant domestic worker (MDW) and must sign a safety agreement1 with her.

The Employment Act does not regulate certain features of domestic labor, including hours and public holidays.

Electrical Safety

Do’s
You should demonstrate how to use electrical appliances properly and safely.
After use, first switch off the appliance, turn off the socket switch, and then pull the plug out of the wall socket.

Don’ts

Do not touch electrical appliances, switches, plugs and power points with wet hands.
Do not overload electrical outlets by using too many plugs in one electrical socket.

Fire Safety

Do’s

Store alcohol, paint, and other flammable materials in safe containers, away from open flames and heat sources.
If using table top oven, ensure power cord do not touch the oven.
Where possible use induction cooktop2 instead of gas stove to minimize fire hazards. Nowadays induction cooktop are affordable and energy efficient.

Don’ts

Do not leave stoves, bread toaster and other heat appliances unattended.
Do not leave plastic/paper bags, cloths, or other inflammable material near
lighted stoves.
Do not leave clothes iron unattended, switch off and unplug if need to walk away.

Emergency telephone numbers

Your FDW should know how to get help in an emergency. Give her a list of emergency telephone numbers, such as:
  • Your mobile phone /office number
  • Contact numbers of other family members in case of emergency
  • Police
  • Ambulance services
  • Fire station

First aid

Your FDW should be taught how to handle minor injuries.
  • Treating minor cuts and bruises
  • Using common drugs and medications (for eg, cough syrup, Panadol)
  • When to call for an ambulance
  1. Source: Safety Agreement – https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-foreign-domestic-worker/employers-guide/contracts-and-safety-agreement ↩︎
  2. Source: Going Green and More with Induction Cooking – EMA of Singapore ↩︎