Air quality back in 'moderate' range after thunderstorms

Monica Kotwani and Faris Mokhtar Channel NewsAsia 19 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE: The air quality in Singapore improved on Friday afternoon (Sep 19), after crossing into the unhealthy range earlier in the morning.

At 9am, the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reached an unhealthy level of 106. However, by 12pm, it had slipped to 97.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said this was helped by the thunderstorms in the western parts of Singapore.

As of 9pm, the three-hour PSI was 73, while the 24-hour mark showed it was in the 88-94 range.

NEA said thunderstorms are expected in the late morning and early afternoon of Saturday, with the prevailing winds blowing from the southeast or southwest. However, there might still be occasional hazy conditions during the day, the agency said.

A PSI reading over 100 refers to unhealthy air quality, while a reading of between 50 and 100 is moderate.

- CNA/xk

Employers take precautionary steps against haze
Siau Ming En Today Online 19 Sep 14;

SINGAPORE — With the air quality hovering in and around the unhealthy range over the past few days, some employers have begun to take precautionary steps against the effects of the haze, while others have adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

A few construction companies have stocks of masks on hand for their workers, while other employers have started to schedule more frequent breaks for staff working outdoors.

There has also been a 30 per cent jump in sales of N95 masks across NTUC Unity pharmacies. Guardian pharmacies have also seen sales of masks and other related products such as eye drops and lozenges rise slightly.

Unity said it had sufficient stocks of N95 face masks and was well-stocked on related items such as eye drops. It added that its pharmacists were also on standby to provide advice on haze-related health queries.

Yesterday, the National Taxi Association (NTA) made an impromptu decision to distribute 1,000 care packages to taxi drivers at Changi Airport in the afternoon, after the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading hit 100 at 9am. NTA adviser and Member of Parliament of Ang Mo Kio GRC, Mr Ang Hin Kee, took the opportunity to remind taxi drivers of safety protocols during hazy conditions, such as turning on headlights under poor visibility conditions.

Singapore’s air quality worsened on Sunday night when PSI readings climbed into the unhealthy range. Yesterday, the three-hour PSI reading peaked at 106 at 4pm.

Mr Koh Piak Huat, Sentosa Leisure Management divisional director of operations, said its staff were advised to use face masks and were given more frequent breaks when the rising PSI readings were detected on Monday. Depending on the readings, he said Sentosa might suspend operations for certain outdoor attractions or programmes until they improve.

On Wednesday, the Singapore Contractors Association issued to their members advisories that included the Manpower Ministry’s guidelines on protecting the health and safety of their workers.

At a construction site TODAY visited yesterday, Mr Mohammad Khairudin, a workplace safety and health officer at construction firm Contint, said N95 masks would be issued to workers should the PSI reading hit the mid-100s. A reading of 200 and above would require all workers to don masks, and if the PSI hits 300, all work would cease, he said.

In the meantime, some employers have continued to monitor the situation while staying prepared. For instance, technology firms Polycom and PASR Technologies are allowing employees the flexibility of working remotely to ensure minimal disruption.

Staff and principals of pre-schools under My First Skool and MY World Preschool have also been briefed on preventive measures and asked to stay alert.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said it was closely monitoring the situation, together with the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and other partner agencies. The spokesperson noted that in most cases, it was still safe for one to carry on with outdoor activities. Individuals with existing chronic heart and lung conditions should ensure that medication is on hand and readily available.

Nonetheless, contingency plans for the healthcare sector are in place, assured the MOH. They include sufficient stocks of N95 masks and a reactivation of the Haze Subsidy Scheme when the need arises.

In its daily haze advisory, the NEA said the overall air quality for today is expected to fluctuate between the high end of the moderate range and the low end of the unhealthy range. Hazy conditions may be sustained over the next one to two days.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY ROBIN CHOO AND EMILIA TAN