Resumption of All Renovation Projects, Subject to Availability of Workers

Saturday, 13 June 2020

-       More than 19,000 suspended home renovation projects have been approved to resume work. All other types of renovation work will be allowed to submit applications to start work from 15 June 2020
-       More than 300 construction projects have been approved to resume work. Self-check tool to help companies assess their restart readiness.

1          The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has so far approved more than 19,000 suspended home renovation projects to resume work. Applications that were in order have been processed within two days.

2          From 15 June 2020, BCA will allow new home renovation works as well as new and previously suspended renovation works for non-residential premises (e.g. industrial and commercial premises) to begin. Companies should submit applications to BCA if they employ Construction Work Permit and S Pass Holders, and if these workers were not listed in earlier approved applications to restart suspended residential renovation works. The resumption of renovation works will also be dependent on the companies’ availability of manpower and supplies. Homeowners are advised to check with the companies on their manpower and supply availability.

3          Companies performing renovation works must comply with BCA’s COVID-Safe Workforce and COVID-Safe Worker Accommodation and Transport criteria, as well as Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Safe Management Measures[1] at workplaces.

Safe Restart of Construction Projects

4          Besides renovation work, BCA has approved more than 300 construction projects to resume work. BCA is working closely with construction firms on another 250 projects to help them meet the COVID-Safe Restart requirements, so that their projects can resume work safely. This is necessary to prevent another COVID-19 outbreak among construction workers, who account for the majority of COVID-19 cases in Singapore.

Partnering the Industry for Safe Restart of Construction Works

5          As the one-stop shopfront for all matters relating to construction restart, BCA has been working in partnership with the relevant Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) to develop safe restart guidelines. The Singapore Contractors Association Ltd (SCAL) has consulted its members extensively in recommending a comprehensive set of guidelines and a standard design template to expedite the approval of submission for new Construction Temporary Quarters to provide safe onsite accommodation for their construction workers. The SCAL Academy has joined the BCA Academy in conducting training courses for Safe Management Officers (SMOs). Separately, the Micro Builders Association of Singapore (MBAS) has developed a set of COVID-Safe worksite practices for landed housing projects, which form the bulk of the projects that its members undertake. MBAS will also be guiding their members through the restart application process and COVID-Safe criteria, to enable them to resume work quickly but safely.

6          In addition, BCA has been working with the TACs to address feedback, and facilitate information sharing with their members, the wider industry and the public. For example, webinars co-organised by BCA and the TACs last week have reached out to over 11,000 participants from the construction industry.

Self-check Tool

7          One key outcome of these joint efforts is a self-check tool that has been launched to help companies assess their readiness for restart. The self-check tool (https://go.gov.sg/bca-project-readiness) enables a company to assess whether its project can meet the three COVID-Safe Restart Criteria, including: (i) COVID-Safe Worker Accommodation and Transport, (ii) COVID-Safe Workforce and (iii) COVID-Safe Worksite. Based on the self-assessment, companies which are ready for restart will receive an email with a link for them to apply for approval to resume works. Companies can email bca_construction_restart@bca.gov.sg if they require assistance with the self-check tool.

Getting Ready for Restart

8          Upon receiving approval from BCA, construction workers residing in private residential properties and HDB premises can start work. Workers residing in dormitories (whether Purpose Built Dorms, Factory Converted Dorms, or Construction Temporary Quarters) will only be able to work after their dormitories have been cleared. All construction workers who are Work Permit or S Pass holders, will subsequently need to undergo regular COVID-19 testing after they start work. BCA will assist companies with scheduling these tests.

9          For the latest updates from BCA, companies can visit BCA’s COVID-19 webpage (www1.bca.gov.sg/COVID-19) or subscribe to BCA’s channel on the Telegram app (t.me/BCASingapore).

[1] MOM’s advisory on Safe Management Measures: https://www.mom.gov.sg/covid-19/requirements-for-safe-management-measures.

Download PDF version of the media release here