SINGAPORE: There is a need to meet the immediate demand for dormitory facilities for foreign workers, so some vacant government buildings will be converted into transitional dormitories even as permanent ones are being built.

Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said this at the opening of the second Singapore Petrochemical Project Dormitories and Safety Training and Security Centre on Jurong Island.

Channel NewsAsia understands from the National Development Ministry that one of the sites for transitional dormitories is the former View Road Hospital building in Woodlands. Others are at Simpang (Simpang Residences) and recently tendered sites at Cochrane Crescent and Changi East.

Mr Gan noted that the demand for housing foreign workers has increased as more workers are needed to support the growth in various industries.

More land has already been set aside to build the dormitories and since February last year, both the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Jurong Town Council have released 11 dormitory sites to provide some 65,000 additional housing spaces.

The phased construction of dormitories in these new sites will be completed by 2010.

On Jurong Island, ExxonMobil's new dormitories have been built to cater for some 9,000 workers. At the opening ceremony, Mr Gan also took the opportunity to emphasise the need for workplace safety.

He said while the Manpower Ministry can set mandatory training requirements for workers in high-risk work areas, it cannot provide continuous safety education and re-education for workers. That, ultimately, is the employer's responsibility.

He added that the need to be vigilant on the workplace safety and health front is even more critical during periods of high workload and tight business deadlines.

Mr Gan said: "It is important for us to ensure that the safety message filters down to every level of the workers. Sometimes when the economic activity is high, workers tend to be in a hurry and safety tends to be neglected.

"Sometimes complacency will set in and that will lead to accidents. These accidents, many of them are avoidable."

ExxonMobil's workers go through extensive safety and security courses conducted in seven different languages.

Mr Gan said: "We have to ensure that their (foreign workers') health is looked after, the place is hygenic and it doesn't create public health problems. It is also important for us to ensure that their morale is high and will be able to be productive, if they are given proper housing."

- CNA/ir

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