More than 100pc rise in occupational accidents in Sabah
News Straits Times Online, 9 July 2013
KOTA KINABALU: The number of occupational accidents in Sabah has increased more than 100 per cent last year compared to the previous year.
Sabah Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) director Ir Mohamad Razak Ismail said 265 cases were reported last year compared to 112 cases in the previous year.
"This shows that employers' awareness about reporting such accidents to the department has increased," he said when officiating the Tourism Sector Occupational Safety and Health Seminar here today.
He said the farming sector, especially the palm oil industry, was the main contributor for occupational accidents in the state.
Meanwhile, Mohamad Razak said the number of compounds issued by DOSH to errant employers had also increased from 2009 until last year.
He said 59 compounds worth RM200,500 were issued last year compared with 70 compounds worth RM78,000 in 2011.
"In 2009, nine compounds worth RM5,500 were issued by the state DOSH and it began to rise in 2010, with 22 compounds worth RM46,000," he said.
For the tourism sector, Mohamad Razak said 165 workplaces were audited by the state department last year which resulted in issuance of 150 letters of order and 59 notices .
With almost three million tourists in Sabah, he hoped attention would be given to health and safety in the tourism sector so that it continued to be competitive and attracted more visitors to the state. -- BERNAMA
