Four sets of Singapore safety rules change over the next few months. Here are the dates, who they apply to and what to do before each one. All of them come from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
The dates at a glance
| From | What changes | Applies to | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 December 2026 | Heat stress training, cool drinking water, emergency cooling supplies and suitable clothing become mandatory | Outdoor work | Occupiers and employers |
| 1 January 2027 | Forklift refresher training at least once every 3 years | All forklift operators | Occupiers, employers and principals |
| 1 January 2027 | Timber scaffolds limited to 3 months, down from 9 | Timber scaffolds erected from this date | Occupiers, scaffold contractors, supervisors |
| 1 March 2027 | Scaffold netting must meet a fire test standard | Scaffolds outside buildings, on projects awarded from this date | Occupiers, scaffold contractors, manufacturers and suppliers |
| 1 March 2028 | Fire-retardant netting must be certified by a body accredited by the Singapore Accreditation Council | Scaffold netting | MOM will share details |
1 December 2026: heat stress
MOM is making four recommended measures mandatory for outdoor work, meaning work done mainly in the open without permanent shade.
- Heat stress training for exposed workers.
- Cool drinking water near work areas.
- Cold water, ice packs or water spray on standby for emergencies.
- Clothing suited to working in heat.
Shaded rest areas that are ventilated and insulated or cooled become a new recommended measure. They are not mandatory.
Do this now: book training for anyone who has not had it. Check where the water points are. Stock a cooling kit at each work area. Use our heat stress guide and checklist.
1 January 2027: forklift refresher training
MOM's circular of 3 January 2025 says every forklift operator must attend refresher training at least once every 3 years. Operators have until 1 January 2027 to comply. Occupiers, employers and principals must check that operators have done it before authorising them to drive.
Do this now: list every operator and the date of their last course. Book anyone without a current refresher. See our forklift pre-use checklist and vehicle safety guide.
1 January 2027: timber scaffolds
MOM and SCDF's circular of 25 September 2026 cuts the time a timber scaffold may stay up from 9 months to 3. Timber scaffolds erected before 1 January 2027 keep the 9-month limit. Timber is not banned.
Longer use needs written approval from the Commissioner for WSH. MOM's FAQs say approval is not automatic and that cost or convenience will not justify it.
Do this now: check which work locations will need a scaffold for more than 3 months. Plan metal or aluminium scaffolds for those, or look at a MEWP. Developers should write the limit into tenders and contracts. Scaffold supervisors should add an expected removal date to the register.
1 March 2027: fire-retardant netting
The rule covers overlay or screening nets around scaffolds outside buildings, timber or metal. It applies to projects awarded on or after 1 March 2027. Earlier projects are not caught, but MOM encourages a switch where practicable.
MOM accepts NFPA 701:2023 Test Method 2, BS 5867-2:2008 Type B, or the specified categories of JIS L 1091:1999. Manufacturers and suppliers carry duties too, because scaffold netting is being added to the Fifth Schedule of the WSH Act.
Do this now: write the standard into your procurement terms. Ask suppliers for a fire test report and batch labels. Keep the report on site and keep proof of the project award date.
The details are in our scaffolding guide, checklist and toolbox talk.
Your plan for this month
- Name one person to own each date.
- Book heat stress and forklift refresher training.
- Review the scaffold programme on every live and upcoming job.
- Update tender, contract and procurement templates.
- Brief supervisors at the next toolbox talk.
Sources and further reading
- Heat stress measures for outdoor work, Ministry of Manpower.
- Circular: mandating the forklift operator refresher training course, Ministry of Manpower, 3 January 2025.
- Circular: New Scaffold Fire Safety Requirements (MOM/OSHD/2026-03), Ministry of Manpower and SCDF, 25 September 2026.
- FAQs: New scaffold fire safety requirements, Ministry of Manpower.
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.
