Safe workplaces increase productivity

MIRI: Safe and healthy workplaces are extremely important as they not only protect employees but increase productivity.

This was stated by Dayang Enterprise Sdn Bhd (DESB) executive deputy chairman James Ling yesterday, who said it is vital the workplace is hazard free so employees will be happy and healthy.

Launching the DESB QHSE Campaign 2014 at Imperial Hotel here, Ling said safety is everyone’s responsibility but the management is responsible for the formation and implementation of safety rules.

“I know that the challenges have always been compliance on the part of users and staff. This will help to ensure that not only are we managing the safety and health risks at work, but promoting the quality of our work and service to clients,” he added.

He disclosed that DESB would devote a greater proportion of their effort to activities where risks are highest and where they can have the greatest impact.

“We will use evidence and intelligence to identify high risk hotspots in generally lower risk areas and we will maintain effective engagement with areas where we stimulate and assist area-led improvements through engagement and partnership, rather than inspection,” said Ling, adding that in recent years they had focused heavily on higher risk activities and tasks.

Touching on the campaign’s theme ‘Vigilance in Safety, Excellence in Quality’, Ling said it is important to be vigilant and not assume that all safety and health considerations had been addressed or that someone else would take care of them.

“What happens if something happens to you? What is the impact on your family? There is always a story behind every statistic. And many lives are involved,” said Ling, elaborating that the impact is always emotional and life-changing.

“Therefore, there is no room for complacency. Rather, there is room to continue reducing fatalities and injury and we can do so by raising awareness and capabilities, addressing unsafe work practices and cultivating safety mindsets.”

He further said the current climate makes it even more important to focus on real risks and proportionate action, not overdoing things for little or no benefit.

“The former is key, the latter devalues the brand and diverts scarce resources away from where they are really needed. Many of us have been aware for some time of the damage this nonsense was doing to the real agenda. It is therefore very welcome to have strong support for this more robust approach and the need to extend the debate beyond workplace safety and health regulations,” he added.

Present at the launching cum workshop were representatives from Sarawak Shell Berhad/Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Ltd, Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, Murphy Oil Co Ltd, JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration (Malaysia), government departments and contractors.