Adequacy of Occupational Disease Reporting Among Platform Workers, Barriers to Detection and Measures to Improve Occupational Health Surveillance
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the adequacy of occupational disease reporting, detection barriers, and health surveillance measures among platform workers. Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Acting Minister for Manpower whether four reported cases in the first half of 2026 reflected actual prevalence, what detection barriers existed, and if surveillance measures would be improved. In response, it was explained that the reported musculoskeletal and eye-related cases may understate actual prevalence because reporting only took effect on 1 January 2025, resulting in lower awareness among operators, workers, and medical practitioners. Furthermore, flexible working arrangements and the absence of fixed workplaces create significant challenges in establishing clear causal links between platform work activities and personal health conditions. The Ministry of Manpower is monitoring trends to assess future surveillance needs, reminding operators and doctors of mandatory reporting under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, and encouraging regular health screenings.
Transcript
68 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Acting Minister for Manpower given that only four occupational disease cases involving platform workers were reported in the first half of 2026 (a) whether the Ministry has assessed if this reflects the actual prevalence of work-related health conditions among platform workers; (b) what barriers exist to their detection and reporting; and (c) whether measures will be introduced to improve occupational health surveillance.
Ms Jasmin Lau: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) recognises the Member's concern on occupational diseases (ODs) among platform workers (PWs). The four OD cases involving PWs in the first half of 2026 were due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders and eye-related disorders. As OD reporting for PWs has only been in place since 1 January 2025, awareness of OD among PWs and OD reporting among platform operators (POs) and medical practitioners may be lower compared to regular employees. As a result, the lower number reported may not be indicative of the actual prevalence of ODs among PWs.
Platform work poses particular challenges to OD detection and reporting. The flexible nature of work and the lack of a fixed workplace present difficulties for POs and medical practitioners to establish a clear causal link between work-related activities and personal health conditions.
MOM is closely monitoring OD trends among PWs as the reporting framework matures and will assess whether additional surveillance measures are required as part of our regular reviews of the OD landscape. In the meantime, MOM will continue to remind POs and the medical community that they are obligated to report any ODs suffered by PWs under the Workplace Safety and Health Act. MOM also strongly encourages PWs to undergo regular health screenings so that any work-related conditions can be detected early.