Deputy minister: Slight decrease in work-related accidents last 2 years
The Borneo Post Online, 29 April 2014
Ismail (fourth left) presenting a Socso compensation to one of the recipients at the World OSH Day celebration held at the former DUN complex here yesterday.
KUCHING: Work-related accidents in the country recorded a slight drop of 0.9 per cent in the last two years.
According to Deputy Minister of Human Resources Datuk Ismail Abdul Muttalib, the figure last year dropped to 3.28 for every 1,000 workers from 3.3 per 1,000 workers in 2012.
“When you compare this figure with the number of working-age adults in the country, which is about 20 million, it is quite a significant number,” he told reporters at a press conference after launching the World Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Day on behalf of Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Richard Riot Jaem at the former State Legislative Assembly (DUN) complex here yesterday.
Ismail, who is also National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH) chairman, emphasised that reducing the number of work-related accidents requires full commitment and awareness from everyone.
“Through commitment and efforts amongst the government, employers and staff, we will be able to achieve the objectives of the ‘Occupational Safety and Health Master Plan for Malaysia 2015’ (OSH-MP 15) where the rate of workplace injuries can be reduced as well as minimise the adverse impact on efficiency, productivity and business performance,” he said.
Earlier, Ismail delivered Riot’s speech in which he called for the people to start the OSH culture from home.
“If the OSH culture is practised from home to the workplace while also complying with all acts, regulations and industry codes of practice guidelines, then these assure other countries that Malaysia is a country which places strong emphasis on the importance of workplace safety,” he said.
Meanwhile, Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) director-general Datuk Dr Johari Basri said the World OSH Day, celebrated on April 28 annually, aims to promote OSH as a national agenda to ensure the safety, health and welfare of workers and employers through continuous education that will eventually produce knowledgeable technical and professional skilled workers who practise the OSH culture.
Themed ‘Safety and Health in the use of chemicals at work’, this year’s national World OSH Day celebration saw the participation of around 1,000 persons comprising employers, workers (including competent persons) as well as students from institutions of higher learning.
The event also saw Ismail present Social Security Organisation (Socso) compensations to workers involved in work-related accidents.
