Singapore is providing free N95 masks to public bus and rail workers and eligible delivery riders as haze continues to affect the city-state. The initiative also opens transport workers' canteens at 30 bus interchanges and terminals to delivery riders seeking drinking water and a place to rest during their shifts.
Singapore has introduced additional measures to protect transport workers and delivery riders from the health risks associated with worsening haze, including the distribution of free N95 masks and access to rest facilities across the public transport network.
The National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU) announced on October 12, 2026, that delivery riders who belong to the National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA) can collect free N95 masks from designated NTWU canteens. The initiative is supported by food delivery companies Grab and foodpanda.
Public transport operators Go-Ahead Singapore, SBS Transit, SMRT and Tower Transit are also working with the union to distribute N95 masks to bus and rail workers who spend extended periods outdoors or in areas exposed to haze.
Alongside the mask distribution, the union has opened its canteens at 30 bus interchanges and terminals to delivery riders. The facilities provide places to refill water bottles and take breaks between deliveries.
The measures come as Singapore prepares for the possibility of air quality deteriorating further. They also highlight the difficulties faced by workers whose jobs require them to remain outdoors even when environmental conditions become unhealthy.
Who Can Receive Free N95 Masks?
The initiative covers public transport workers and eligible delivery riders, with distribution arrangements tailored to the different groups.
Bus and rail operators are coordinating with NTWU to provide masks to their workers. Delivery riders who are members of the National Delivery Champions Association can collect their masks from participating NTWU canteens.
The participating public transport operators are:
- Go-Ahead Singapore
- SBS Transit
- SMRT
- Tower Transit
The delivery rider initiative is supported by Grab and foodpanda, two major companies operating in Singapore's food delivery market.
The arrangements are intended to make protective equipment more accessible to people whose work requires them to spend considerable time on the roads, at transport interchanges or moving between delivery locations.
However, the delivery rider distribution programme is specifically linked to membership of the National Delivery Champions Association. Riders should check the association's announcements or contact the relevant canteen to confirm collection arrangements.
Thirty Bus Interchanges and Terminals Open Their Canteens
Providing masks is only one part of the initiative. Singapore's National Transport Workers' Union has also made its canteens at 30 bus interchanges and terminals available to delivery riders who need water and a short break.
Delivery work can involve long periods of riding, waiting for orders and travelling between restaurants and customers. During hazy conditions, riders may have limited opportunities to escape exposure while completing their deliveries.
Access to drinking water and rest areas can help workers manage the physical demands of their shifts, particularly in Singapore's warm and humid climate.
The facilities are intended to offer practical support while riders remain on duty. They also provide designated places where workers can pause rather than having to search for somewhere to rest between orders.
The NDCA has separately highlighted participating locations where members can purchase drinks starting at 90 Singapore cents. These include canteens at Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East, Punggol and Woodlands bus interchanges, as well as Shenton Way Bus Terminal.
The availability of these facilities reflects a broader effort to support workers whose employment requires them to remain mobile throughout the day, even when environmental conditions make outdoor work more difficult.
Why Haze Is a Concern for Outdoor Workers
Haze can contain fine particles and other pollutants that irritate the eyes, nose and throat. Exposure can also aggravate existing respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, with the level of risk depending on air quality, the duration of exposure and an individual's health.
Singapore periodically experiences transboundary haze associated with fires in the region. Weather conditions, including dry periods, limited rainfall and changing wind directions, can affect the movement and concentration of smoke over the country.
For people who work indoors, reducing exposure may be relatively straightforward. They can remain inside buildings and use appropriate indoor air-quality measures when necessary.
Outdoor workers face a different situation. Bus captains, rail maintenance personnel and delivery riders may need to remain outside for operational reasons, even when haze levels rise.
Delivery riders can spend substantial portions of their working day travelling along busy roads. Bus and rail employees may work at interchanges, terminals, platforms, tracks or other locations where outdoor exposure cannot always be avoided.
These conditions make access to suitable protective equipment, rest breaks, drinking water and clear workplace guidance particularly important during periods of poor air quality.
How N95 Masks Help Reduce Exposure to Haze
N95 respirators are designed to filter at least 95% of airborne particles under specified testing conditions. When fitted correctly, they can reduce the amount of fine particulate pollution a wearer breathes in.
The effectiveness of a mask depends on its fit. Air can enter around the edges if the respirator does not seal properly against the face, reducing the protection it provides.
For this reason, an N95 mask should be worn according to the manufacturer's instructions, with particular attention to the nose area and the seal around the face.
N95 masks do not remove every hazard associated with haze. They are designed primarily to filter airborne particles and do not automatically protect the wearer from all gases or chemical pollutants.
They also do not eliminate the need to reduce exposure. Employers should still consider adjusting work schedules, providing indoor rest opportunities and reducing strenuous outdoor activity when air quality becomes unhealthy.
Singapore's Ministry of Health advises that healthy people generally do not need N95 masks for short periods outdoors, such as an ordinary commute, or while indoors. The guidance is different for people who must spend several hours outside during very unhealthy or hazardous air-quality conditions.
The distinction is important: the masks are a protective measure for people facing particular exposure risks, not a replacement for broader efforts to improve air quality and limit unnecessary time outdoors.
Singapore's Air Quality Rules for Outdoor Work
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower has established haze-related workplace guidance based on the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index, or PSI. The guidance outlines how employers should respond as air pollution becomes more severe.
The recommended precautions become more stringent as the PSI rises.
PSI 101–200 — Unhealthy: Employers should reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor work.
PSI 201–300 — Very unhealthy: Prolonged or strenuous outdoor work should be avoided. If it cannot be avoided, suitable respirators such as N95 masks should be provided.
PSI above 300 — Hazardous: Outdoor work should be minimised and non-essential activities deferred. Workers who must continue outdoors should receive suitable respiratory protection, with stronger protection considered where conditions warrant it.
Employers are also advised to assess the risks associated with individual jobs, adjust assignments or rotate workers where appropriate, provide sufficient indoor rest breaks and ensure workers have access to drinking water.
These measures are important because the risk is not determined by air quality alone. The length of time spent outdoors, the intensity of physical activity and a worker's existing health conditions can all affect exposure.
Singapore's Ministry of Manpower also advises employers to take particular care with workers who may be more susceptible to haze, including older workers, pregnant workers and people with chronic lung or heart conditions.
The free mask initiative complements these workplace recommendations by helping provide protective equipment to groups whose jobs can make it difficult to avoid outdoor exposure.
The Wider Government Response to Singapore's Haze
The support for transport workers and delivery riders is part of a wider response to the possibility of more severe haze conditions.
Singapore's Haze Task Force has announced measures for vulnerable residents, workers, schools, healthcare institutions and sports organisers. The government has also set aside N95 masks for eligible people considered more vulnerable to the effects of haze if the 24-hour PSI exceeds 200.
Eligible groups include certain older residents and people receiving specified forms of healthcare or social assistance. Additional arrangements cover groups such as pregnant women, children aged seven to 16 and people with certain medical conditions.
The distribution arrangements for these groups are separate from the NTWU programme for transport workers and eligible delivery riders.
Government guidance also recommends reducing strenuous outdoor activity when pollution levels rise. When the air quality becomes very unhealthy, organisers may need to modify or suspend outdoor activities to limit prolonged exposure.
Healthcare institutions have been preparing for haze-related effects by taking measures such as improving indoor air management and replacing outdoor activities with indoor alternatives where appropriate.
These measures reflect an effort to prepare for changing conditions rather than wait until air quality reaches its worst levels before responding.
Why Delivery Riders Face Particular Challenges
Delivery riders occupy a distinctive position in Singapore's urban economy. They help restaurants, shops and consumers move goods quickly, but their work often requires prolonged travel through outdoor environments.
Unlike employees who can perform most of their duties inside an office or factory, riders may spend hours travelling between pickup points and customer addresses. They may also need to remain outdoors while waiting for orders or navigating traffic.
Haze adds another challenge to an already physically demanding job. Riders must manage exposure to airborne pollution while continuing to pay attention to traffic, road conditions and delivery deadlines.
Access to masks can help reduce particulate exposure when their use is appropriate, while rest facilities provide a place to pause during a shift. Drinking water is also important in Singapore's hot weather, where dehydration can add to the physical strain of outdoor work.
Nevertheless, individual protective equipment is only one part of worker safety. Delivery platforms, associations and relevant authorities also have a role in communicating air-quality guidance and encouraging reasonable precautions when environmental conditions deteriorate.
Whether workers can reduce their hours or avoid outdoor activity may depend on their employment arrangements and income needs. That makes practical, accessible support particularly relevant for people whose earnings depend on completing deliveries.
What the Initiative Means for Public Transport Workers
Bus and rail services are essential to Singapore's daily transport network. Keeping these services operating requires workers across a range of roles, including drivers, station staff, maintenance teams and other frontline personnel.
Some of these workers spend significant periods at interchanges, terminals or other locations exposed to outdoor air. Rail maintenance workers may also carry out tasks in environments where exposure conditions differ from those experienced by passengers travelling inside trains.
The mask distribution initiative gives transport operators a way to support staff during the haze period while reinforcing the need to monitor air quality and follow workplace precautions.
The cooperation between NTWU and the four transport operators also illustrates how unions and employers can coordinate practical measures to protect workers during environmental disruptions.
Providing masks does not remove the responsibility to assess work-related risks. Employers must still consider whether tasks can be rescheduled, rotated or moved indoors when conditions make outdoor work unsafe or unnecessarily strenuous.
For workers and passengers alike, maintaining transport services during haze requires a balance between operational needs and health protection.
What Residents Should Know as Haze Continues
Singapore residents should follow official air-quality updates and health advisories rather than relying only on how the sky looks or whether haze is visible.
The 24-hour PSI is used to guide precautions for the following day, while one-hour fine particulate matter readings can provide information about shorter-term conditions in different parts of the country.
People should consider reducing strenuous outdoor activity when particulate pollution is elevated. Those with asthma, chronic lung disease, heart conditions or other vulnerabilities may need to take additional precautions based on medical advice.
Anyone who experiences breathing difficulties or significant discomfort should move away from the exposure where possible and seek appropriate medical advice if symptoms persist or become severe.
Residents should also remember that N95 masks are not generally necessary for every short outdoor trip. Their usefulness depends on the air-quality conditions, the duration of exposure and the individual's circumstances.
For workers who must remain outdoors for extended periods, however, suitable respiratory protection and access to rest and hydration facilities can form part of a more comprehensive approach to managing haze-related risks.
The Broader Lesson for Worker Protection
Singapore's response highlights a wider issue facing cities that depend on large numbers of outdoor and mobile workers: environmental health measures must reach people who cannot easily avoid exposure.
Delivery riders, transport personnel, construction workers and other outdoor employees may face different working conditions, but all can be affected when air pollution becomes severe.
Distributing masks and opening rest facilities are relatively direct ways to provide practical support. Long-term protection, however, also depends on workplace risk assessments, clear guidance, adequate staffing arrangements and the ability to reduce exposure when conditions deteriorate.
The initiative also demonstrates the role that employers, unions, worker associations and delivery platforms can play in coordinating support. Cooperation can help ensure that protective equipment and rest facilities reach the people who need them while they are working.
As Singapore monitors the haze situation, the effectiveness of these measures will depend on changing air quality, workers' access to the facilities and whether appropriate precautions are consistently applied.
For now, the free N95 masks and canteen access offer immediate assistance to public transport workers and eligible delivery riders. The wider challenge remains ensuring that people who keep the city moving can continue working without unnecessary exposure to hazardous air pollution.
Key Facts
- Location: Singapore.
- Announcement date: October 12, 2026.
- Organising body: National Transport Workers' Union.
- Eligible delivery riders: Members of the National Delivery Champions Association can collect free N95 masks at participating NTWU canteens.
- Public transport operators: Go-Ahead Singapore, SBS Transit, SMRT and Tower Transit are supporting mask distribution for bus and rail workers.
- Additional support: NTWU canteens at 30 bus interchanges and terminals are open to delivery riders for water refills and rest breaks.
- Corporate support: Grab and foodpanda are supporting the delivery rider initiative.
- Workplace guidance: Singapore's Ministry of Manpower advises reducing prolonged or strenuous outdoor work as the PSI rises and providing suitable respiratory protection when necessary.
- Important distinction: N95 masks reduce exposure to airborne particles when properly fitted, but they do not replace measures to reduce outdoor exposure.
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