Maid balances on clothes rack outside 18th-storey flat
Facebook user Gam P’Lipisiripatchara (Zheng) could not believe her eyes when she saw a maid climb out a kitchen window to hang laundry.
The window led to a ledge typically used for drying clothes and housing air conditioner units.
Ms Zheng shared two photos showing the maid, who was without any safety equipment, standing outside the window, tending to the laundry on the clothes rack.
Expressing her concerns the Facebook group Complaint Singapore, Ms Zheng wrote: “Is this normal for maids? If the employer allows her to climb out like this for work, does it make it okay?
“I’ve read stories of maids who died after falling from high floors while performing similar tasks."
“This flat is on the 18th storey. I’m worried she might slip and fall,” she added in the Dec 2 post without disclosing the location.
The post quickly caught the attention of netizens who expressed concern for the maid's safety, calling her actions life-threatening.
A netizen wrote: “This is neither normal nor acceptable because it’s incredibly dangerous. One misstep and her life is at risk...”
Others urged Ms Zheng to report the incident to the Ministry of Manpower instead of posting on social media.
Another netizen offered a different perspective: “Sometimes, without the employer’s knowledge, the maid makes her own decisions. Therefore, employers must closely monitor tasks to ensure their maids are safe and not putting themselves at risk.”
MOM’s guidelines state that workers must be supervised when cleaning the exteriors of windows. Maids are not allowed to climb onto ledges or lean out of windows to clean the outer glass or retrieve items from ledges. They are also prohibited from standing on chairs, stools or high platforms when cleaning windows or hanging laundry to prevent loss of balance and falls.
Employers who fail to ensure the safety of their maids can be fined up to $10,000 or jailed for up to 12 months. They may also be barred from hiring maids in the future.
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