The Star Online, 15 February 2013
KUALA LUMPUR: Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye has called on the Government to consider appointing only one authority or agency to enforce prevention programmes on commuting accidents, which are on the rise every year.
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) chairman said the prevention programmes would be easier to conduct and coordinate with a single agency involved.
“Currently, there are many agencies doing programmes on road safety.
“However, what we need is one single authority that can implement all these programmes under one roof,” he said.
According to Lee, among the agencies currently involved in road accident programmes are Niosh, the Road Transport Department, the Social Security Organisation and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health.
Lee reiterated that commuting accidents were a major occupational safety and health issue in the country because it involved employees who commuted from their home to their work place and vice versa.
While the number of industrial accidents were on the decline, commuting accidents had increased by 16% in the past three years, from 22,036 in 2010 to 25,616 last year. - Bernama
