You probably know by now that being an SQ girl is not as glamorous as it sounds.
They may always look beautiful and are paid to travel the world, but their job is physically-demanding and exhausting.
Besides the hard work, they also have to face many risks and potential job hazards while flying for a living.
Here are eight hidden dangers SQ girls may face on the job.
BAD BACKS
PHOTO: Pexels
The work that cabin crew do on board is quite literally, back-breaking.
When you are on a flight, you may have noticed that crew don’t assist passengers to put their hand luggage in the overhead compartments (and they’re not required to) unless they really need the help.
This is because back injuries are one of the most common injuries that crew sustain on the job and they are usually caused by the lifting of heavy objects.
SINGAPORE – All 22 Sasa International shops in Singapore will be shut down, the cosmetics retailer announced on Monday (Dec 2), in a move that is likely to affect about 170 workers.
It said its decision came after its stores here recorded losses for six consecutive years despite its efforts to turn the business around.
“In order to improve the performance of the Singapore market, the group had taken measures in recent years to restructure the local management team and to enhance store display and product mix with a view to driving sales.
“Regrettably, the results were far from satisfactory,” Sasa said in a statement.
In the six months ended Sept 30, its Singapore operations recorded a turnover of HK$99.4 million (S$17.3 million), a decline of 4.6 per cent from last year.
Sasa said the 170 employees will be fully compensated according to Singapore’s employment regulations.
The latest move is part of Sasa’s strategy to focus on its core market in Hong Kong, which has become more difficult due to a drastic decline in mainland China’s tourist arrivals, the cosmetic retailer added.
Camping overnight to get the ideal time slot for art classes is not an issue to some parents.
More than 300 parents spent over six hours queuing overnight on Saturday at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts’ (Nafa) Bencoolen campus, each prepared with chairs, sleeping bags, yoga mats and snacks.
These parents, whose children have been assured of a spot in in Nafa’s art enrichment classes, went early to snag the class timings, which are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
One parent, who wanted to be known only as Ms Bai, went as early as 2.35am for the registration that only started at 9am. She was ninth in the queue.
The 36-year-old webmaster told The New Paper that she was looking at an 11am Saturday class for her son.
“Getting that timing was important for me as I had to coordinate my son’s timetable, between his other enrichment classes and family time,” she said.
Even though registration ended at 1pm, it took another two hours for the crowd to disperse.
Ms Bai, who got to register at 10am, said: “I did not bring any snacks, but to me, getting that 11am slot was more important than how hungry I was.”
Most of Singapore’s 85,000 civil servants will get a year-end bonus that is the lowest in 10 years, amid the weak performance of the Singapore economy and its uncertain outlook.
They will receive 0.1 month plus an additional one-off lump-sum payment of $250 to $1,500.
Civil servants in the lower pay grades, however, will get higher lump-sum payouts – an ongoing government practice to support junior grade officers. The move will see about 2,200 officers in Grades III to V of the Operations Support Scheme getting the top lump sum of $1,500.
Senior civil servants in superscale grades, numbering around 1,700, will be given a one-off payment of $400, without the 0.1 month annual variable component (AVC).
The lower bonus was announced by the Public Service Division (PSD) yesterday.
It said: “Taking into account the prevailing economic uncertainties, the PSD, in consultation with and with the support of the public sector unions, will exercise restraint for the year-end bonus payment.”
SINGAPORE: Firefighters from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were unable to access water supply in the hose reels at Block 210A Bukit Batok Street 21 last month because a switch had been left on manual instead of auto mode.
The Jurong-Clementi Town Council (JCTC) on Monday (Dec 2) released its findings after an investigation into the incident, saying that J Keart Alliances (JKeart), the contractor responsible for maintaining the hose reels, had been “negligent in failing to ensure that a selector switch at the pump room” was in the correct mode.
Signed statements that JKeart previously gave to JCTC asserting that the hose reels were in working condition were also incorrect, said the town council in a Facebook post.
SCDF on Nov 9 said that it had issued a warning to JCTC after firefighters called to a blaze at an HDB flat found the hose reel cabinets on the 13th floor had been padlocked and the water supply cut off. Three people were injured in the fire.
Three people were rescued from the fire, which broke out on the 13th floor of Block 210A Bukit Batok Street 21 at about 4.30am on Nov 1. (Facebook/Murali Pillai)
In its findings on Monday, JCTC said that CCTV footage showed a JKeart employee had gone to the pump room several hours after the fire on Nov 1. Upon questioning, the employee confessed that he had re-activated the water supply after the fire.
The JKeart employee had switched the selector switch to manual mode during a maintenance cycle conducted two weeks before the fire and had forgotten to switch it back to auto mode, said JCTC.
Water supply to the hose reel is cut off when the switch is on manual mode.
“This failure had led to the hose reel system in Blk 210A having no water at the time when SCDF officers were engaged in the firefighting operation,” said JCTC.
“JKeart, after revisiting the matter with the employee, informed JCTC that its earlier report asserting that there was water in the hose reel on the day of the fire incident was incorrect,” it added.
JCTC will issue a notice of non-performance to JKeart to hold it contractually responsible for its failure to ensure that the hose reel system was operationally ready.
JKeart has also informed JCTC that it has taken “appropriate action” against its employee, who will also be redeployed, the town council said.
“A MISTAKE” TO PADLOCK HOSE REELS: JCTC
In its findings, JCTC said that the decision to lock the hose reel cabinets was taken by a property officer following “frequent vandalism” of the cabinets.
“This was a mistake, as it meant that the cabinets could only be opened with force during an emergency, as SCDF had done during the recent fire incident,” the town council added.
The property officer “will be redeployed”, the Facebook post read. Two senior officers with supervisory roles over the officer will also be penalised.
Firefighters conducting an aerial rescue of two men found on a ledge outside the kitchen. They could not be pulled to safety inside the flat due to a “vast accumulation of items”. (Photo: Facebook/SCDF)
JCTC also said that it has inspected the hose reels, fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment in its seven wards to ensure they are in working condition.
While almost all the hose reel systems are in operating condition, many cabinets and other equipment have been damaged through vandalism, it said, adding that it is taking “urgent steps” to repair and replace the items.
“JCTC will not hesitate to refer persons damaging and misusing fire safety equipment to the authorities for investigation,” it said.
“JCTC is also looking into other steps to minimise the incidence of vandalism in the future, including changing the design of hose reel and fire extinguisher cabinets and their locking mechanisms.”
The town council has set up a committee comprising of elected town councillors Mr Ang Wei Neng as chairman, Dr Tan Wu Meng and Mr Murali Pillai to recommend measures to ensure the reliability of fire emergency equipment.
The committee will engage independent experts and residents before making its proposals for further corrective and preventive measures.
Restaurant chain Pizza Hut is investigating an incident where a customer received what looked like burnt pizza in a ‘mouldy’ box on Nov 24.
Stomp contributor Shermaine said her delivery order, which cost $21.50, was supposed to consist of a Double Delight set (one regular pepperoni pizza, four drumlets and two Pepsi drinks) as well as a complimentary large Hawaiian pizza.
She told Stomp: “They sent the wrong flavour for one pizza, though everything else was right. I received another pepperoni pizza instead of a Hawaiian pizza.
“This pepperoni pizza looked like it had been there for days after having some cheese thrown over it and placed in the oven.
“Even the cheese powder was hardened and in brown chunks.
“There was even mould on the box.”
A photo that Shermaine shared shows a pizza with charred toppings and white particles in the box.
Last month saw the Netflix release of Singapore Social. The show follows a cast of semi-famous 20- and 30-somethings in Singapore, including pop singer Tabitha Nauser, burlesque performer Sukki Singapora and fashion influencer Mae Tan, as they attend parties and imbibe fancy drinks at swanky bars.
Together with the other three co-leads – actor-host Paul Foster, blockchain entrepreneur Nicole Ong and YouTuber Vinny Sharp – they flit around their Crazy Rich Asians-esque social spheres.
Local viewers hated it.
Social media was flooded with scathing comments: the cast is vapid, it does not depict Singapore realistically and the leads do not speak Singlish (a blend of Singaporean slang and English).
Of course, anyone who is even vaguely familiar with The Hills, The Kardashians or Real Housewives – part of a subgenre of reality TV that allows viewers to navel gaze at the lifestyles of the privileged – will know that vapidity and conceit is a given.
People tune in to gawk at the videogenic casts’ #richpeopleproblems, designer wardrobes and bitchy comments about each other.
A 19-day-old baby boy suffocated to death after co-sleeping with his father for the first time, findings by a coroner revealed on Friday 29 November 2019.
State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam ruled the case as “yet another unfortunate illustration of the increased risk of inadvertent suffocation resulting from co-sleeping with one’s infant, for however brief a time.”
BABY’S FIRST-TIME CO-SLEEPING
According to media reports, the mother usually slept on the sofa in their Chai Chee flat with the newborn while her husband slept in the master bedroom with their older child.
But on 8 June last year, the baby’s father asked his wife to switch places and sleep with the older child in the master bedroom instead, as he had to do some work.
That night, the father worked almost until 6.30 am in the morning and when he finally went to sleep in the master bedroom, the wife placed the baby next to him on the bed.
The mother said she decided to do this because she did not want to leave him alone after his feeding as he was prone to vomiting.
SINGAPORE: Former prime minister Yasuhiro Nakasone was “one of Japan’s great leaders”, said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a condolence letter on Saturday (Nov 30).
Mr Nakasone, one of Japan’s longest reigning premiers, died at the age of 101, a party official said last Friday.
In a letter to his son Hirofumi Nakasone, Mr Lee said he was saddened to learn of the news.
“Prime Minister Nakasone was a good friend of Singapore, and a personal friend of Mr Lee Kuan Yew,” PM Lee wrote.
“He met Mr Lee on a visit to Singapore in May 1983, and reciprocated the hospitality when Mr Lee visited Japan in October 1986.
“Mr Lee found his direct and forthright exchanges with Prime Minister Nakasone to be refreshing. Their strong personal relationship contributed to the firm foundation underpinning our strong bilateral ties today.”
During his term in office, Mr Nakasone pursued “important economic reforms”, including the privatisation of national railways, telecommunications and tobacco industries, said Mr Lee.
These reforms left a lasting legacy in Japan, the Prime Minister said.
“He was also an international statesman. As (prime minister), he strengthened Japan’s alliance with the US, and maintained Japan’s relations with China on an even keel,” Mr Lee added.
“This contributed to stability and peace in Asia during the Cold War years.”
Japan’s Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone blows a trumpet shell next to US President Ronald Reagan during their summit meeting in Hinode Town, Tokyo, Japan. (Photo: Reuters)
He described Mr Nakasone’s role in fostering closer relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan, including visiting all ASEAN nations in 1983.
“His legacy lives on, with Japan building on that foundation and continuing to be a strong supporter and partner of ASEAN,” PM Lee added.
Mr Lee and Mr Nakasone met several times – the first in 1985, when the then Japanese prime minister hosted ASEAN trade ministers in Tokyo.
“The last occasion was about 10 years ago, when he had long retired, but was still active in his foundation and tracking international affairs as closely and astutely as ever,” Mr Lee wrote in his letter.
“Prime Minister Nakasone will be deeply remembered by Singapore. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time of grief.”
SINGAPORE: A new S$5 million mosquito production facility opened on Monday (Dec 2), as part of the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) latest efforts to combat dengue.
This comes in the wake of a surge of dengue cases in Singapore this year, with close to 15,000 cases and 20 deaths reported, said Senior Minister of State for Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor, who spoke at the opening.
Dr Khor said that global warming and climate change would likely worsen Singapore’s dengue situation.
“This is because mosquitoes breed faster at higher temperatures, and the dengue virus also replicates faster, allowing it to be transmitted more efficiently,” she said.
With 10 times the production capability of NEA’s previous Neythal Road facility, the new Ang Mo Kio facility hopes to eventually produce five million mosquitoes a week, crucial to helping NEA meet its goal of expanding Project Wolbachia field trials.
Mosquito eggs are harvested after breeding male and female Wolbachia-carrying aedes aegypti mosquitoes. (Photo: Rauf Khan)
Project Wolbachia involves infecting male aedes aegypti mosquitoes with Wolbachia bacteria, so that when it mates with a female, the eggs will not hatch. Male Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes also do not bite.
Project Wolbachia entered its fourth phase in November 2019, expanding trials to 284 residential blocks at Tampines West and Nee Soon East. Previously, phase 3 covered 144 residential blocks in the same areas and achieved a 90 per cent suppression rate.
The new facility at Techplace II involves the use of automation to drastically reduce the time needed to produce male Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes.
The devices will free up the time spent on “tedious and repetitive work”, said NEA CEO Tan Meng Diu on Monday.
A Pupae Dispensing System reduces the time needed to count and dispense pupae by up to 15 times. (Photo: Rauf Khan)
A larvae counter will reduce the time needed to count larvae manually by up to 40 times, while a pupae sorter will reduce the time needed to separate male and female pupae manually by up to 20 times.
Other technologies such as an automated feeding system, a compact rearing rack to grow pupae and a mosquito launcher helps NEA officers to increase the number of mosquitoes harvested and released in a shorter period of time.
There is also a water recycling system that allows NEA to recover up to 70 per cent of waste water from the facility.
“This facility serves multiple functions,” said Mr Tan.
“Besides providing us with the scalability we need to expand male Wolbachia-aedes mosquito releases, it also serves as an incubator and test bed for innovative solutions, and provides a space for learning and mutual exchange of ideas.”
A pupae separation system reduces the time needed to separate male and female mosquitoes by up to 20 times compared to manual methods. (Photo: Rauf Khan)
A system to inject low-dose radiation into Wolbachia-aedes aegypti female mosquitoes was also developed in conjunction with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The radiation kills off any Wolbachia-carrying females accidentally sorted with male pupae, as the Project Wolbachia technology depends on breeding Wolbachia-carrying males with non-Wolbachia-carrying females.
An NEA officer manually separates male and female mosquitoes. (Photo: Rauf Khan)
While effective, Dr Khor noted that Wolbachia technology is not “a silver bullet for dengue control”.
“Wolbachia is meant to enhance, not replace, our existing vector control strategies, which are focused on source reduction,” she said.
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