SINGAPORE – Three years after Mr Richard Lim, 68, installed caged decks on his 10 lorries, he will need to modify his vehicles again to comply with the ban on ferrying workers in such lorries taking effect in 2027.
The director of waterproofing and plumbing company B4 Water Leakage Specialist, which employs about 100 workers, paid almost $5,000 to modify each lorry in 2023.
Explaining why he spent “so much” on installing caged decks, Mr Lim said he felt it would be safer for the workers riding on the back of the lorries, as the barriers would prevent them from falling out if the vehicle braked suddenly.
“My first priority is the safety of my workers… I want them to come back in one piece and go home happily.”
Mr Lim added that these cages are useful for storing expensive equipment such as water jets and high-pressure polyurethane foam machines, preventing theft when his lorries are parked by the road.
Mr Richard Lim, director of B4 Water Leakage Specialist, spent about $5,000 to get each of his 10 lorries caged up in 2023.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
The ban, which kicks in on Jan 1, 2027, was announced on March 4 during the debate on the Transport Ministry’s budget.
It is meant to address the issue of workers being unable to escape when a lorry with a caged compartment – locked or latched from the outside – is involved in an accident or a fire.
Companies may continue to use their caged lorries to transport goods and equipment, but would need to replace the cage structure with a canopy, side railings and rain covers if they want to transport either workers or goods on their rear decks.
According to the Land Transport Authority, caged lorries comprise about 1 per cent to 2 per cent of the approximately 50,000 lorries here.
B4 Waterproofing Specialist plumbing worker Muthu Krishnan, 35, is among those ferried between jobs on the company’s caged lorries.
The Indian national said the rear cage doors have always been fully opened and secured to the sides of the deck when the lorry is on the move with workers at the back. He does not fear being thrown out, as the lorry “cannot drive quickly” since the speed limiter caps its speed under 60kmh.
He and his co-workers usually secure all equipment tightly so they do not budge when the lorry moves, and there is enough space for five workers at the back, he added.
