More than 39,000 resident cleaners will be equipped with the necessary Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) knowledge and core competencies that cater to the industry’s current and future needs.
Additionally, the role of restroom cleaners will be added in the cleaning industry’s Progressive Wage Model (PWM) Wage Ladder, in recognition of the challenging work conditions experienced by such cleaners.
The Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners (TCC) recommended these enhancements to the PWM for the cleaning industry on 3 December 2019 at the sidelines of NTUC’s visit to Sun City Maintenance Pte Ltd. The Government accepted the recommendations on the same day.
The recommendations were part of the tripartite partners’ commitment to fulfilling the vision of Worker 4.0 in preparing cleaners with adaptive, technology and technical skills, said the TCC.
Before the review, the PWM Training Guidelines stipulated that all resident cleaners must attain at least two Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) certificates in environmental cleaning or equivalent.
As part of the new training guideline that will take effect in 2022, one of the two WSQ training modules for resident cleaners must be on WSH, and the other must be from a list of core modules endorsed by the TCC.
The WSQ module on WSH seeks to ensure all cleaners are aware of occupational risks and make sure they take precautionary measures to ensure personal safety, according to TCC.
Meanwhile, the other core training modules identified are based on the Skills Framework for Environmental Services’ Technical Skills and Competencies.
The TCC also called for both the WSH module and one core training module to be part of the cleaning business licensing requirements to ensure all cleaning businesses meet minimum training requirements for their workers.
The job role of restroom cleaners will also be included in the existing PWM, with their basic wage level to be higher than that of a general outdoor or indoor cleaner.
According to the PWM, general cleaners get a basic wage level of $1,274 a month. However, restroom cleaners will receive a basic wage level of $1,486, which is the same as a healthcare cleaner.
This change will be made on 1 July 2021 to allow the cleaning industry enough lead time to adjust.
“The Environmental Services industry is evolving into a sustainable and professional industry that supports the national vision of a clean and liveable Singapore. At the heart of this transformation is our cleaners, which should be adequately supported as they embrace new technology, methods and work processes. The enhanced PWM Skills Ladder serves to achieve this aim, making their jobs easier, safer and more meaningful,” said NTUC Assistant Secretary-General Zainal Sapari, who also chairs the TCC.
