BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The Safety, Health and Environment National Authority (SHENA) issued a Workplace Safety and Health Notice titled ‘Workplace Safety and Health Precautions During Hazy Conditions’ to remind workplaces to take appropriate precautions and manage the workplace safety and health risks arising from prevailing hazy conditions.
A joint press release issued on August 30, 2026 by the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation, the Ministry of Health and the Brunei Darussalam Meteorological Department reported that Brunei is experiencing hazy conditions.
As conditions may change, workplaces should continue to monitor official Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings, weather information and health advisories, and review and update their risk assessments and precautionary measure accordingly.
Hazy conditions may expose persons at work to airborne particular matter, such as PM10, PM2.5 and other pollutants, which may adversely affect health, aggravate existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, increase health risks associated with prolonged or strenuous outdoor work, reduce visibility and affect indoor air quality.
Principals, employers and self-employed persons are strongly reminded of their duties under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, Cap 277 and the Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations to ensure the safety and health of persons at work, including by assessing foreseeable risks and implementing appropriate and effective risk-control measures.
Where PSI readings increase, air quality deteriorates, or official advisories indicate a heightened risk, workplaces should implement progressively more stringent precautionary measures.
These may include adjusting, reducing or rescheduling prolonged or strenuous outdoor work where reasonably practicable; postponing or suspending safety-critical activities where visibility is significantly reduced or conditions otherwise render the activities unsafe; giving additional consideration to persons who may be more susceptible to the effects of haze and providing clear channels for reporting symptoms or health concerns; maintaining appropriate indoor air quality through the proper operation and maintenance of ventilation and air-conditioning systems, and considering the use of suitable HEPA-filtered air purifiers, where reasonably practicable; providing suitable and properly fitted respiratory protective equipment, such as an N95 respirator or equivalent, where indicated by the risk assessment; and effectively communicating haze-related risks, precautionary measures and any changes to work arrangements to supervisors and persons at work.
All workplaces are reminded to remain vigilant, closely monitor official advisories issued by the relevant government agencies, and ensure that risk-control measure are reviewed and adjusted as conditions changes to safeguard the safety and health of persons at work during periods of haze. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
