THE recent fatal accident at the MRT construction site as well as other workplace accidents over the years clearly indicate that more needs to be done to promote and implement good Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practices.
Although Malaysia’s industrial accident rate had been reduced to 36% over the past 10 years (2003-2013), the remaining challenge would be to build and foster an OSH culture and strive towards an accident-free workplace environment.
The latest statistics from the Human Resources Ministry indicate that the industrial accident rate has fallen from 5.84 cases per every 1,000 workers in 2004 to 3.28 cases last year.
This reduction is a reflection of the commitment and joint efforts by the Government, employers and employees to reduce workplace accidents.
The biggest challenge remaining is not only to further reduce the accident rate but also to make OSH a culture and a way of life.
It is the responsibility of employers and managements to ensure that safety is a culture and not just a priority.
There is an urgent need to translate OSH knowledge into behaviour and practical application.
Innovation and innovative practices play a crucial role in improving the OSH landscape and shaping Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (OSHMS).
Dedicated professionals need to formulate better safety and health policies and implement effective OSHMS with the objective of achieving “zero accidents” at the workplace.
It is heartening and inspiring to see how partners from the public and private sectors are forging collaborations through more investments and networks, working towards the common goal of sustainable and integrated safety and health systems for the workforce.
The key challenge is to enhance the safety, health and well-being of our workforce by introducing innovative measures.
Establishing a safe and healthy work environment requires fundamental changes in the way work is designed and personnel are deployed, and how the very culture of the organisation understands and acts on safety.
Managements who are responsible for safety and health can change the attitude of safety and health of their employees by ensuring an annual budget for safety training and education to help prevent work-related accidents and diseases.
It is not enough for companies to make safety a priority.
Safety must be a culture and a core value at the workplace.
The Global Trend in OSH is towards a more integrated prevention concept.
It is now regarded as a societal responsibility and countries are required to have a blueprint for building an accident prevention culture with a framework for national and international prevention strategies.
Protecting workers health requires a broader prevention approach which places emphasis on the following:
> Reducing workplace accidents and occupational diseases through measures such as law enforcement, risk assessment and OSHMS;
> Promoting a prevention culture by raising awareness involving all relevant stakeholders and building partnerships;
> Mainstreaming occupational safety and health into education and training; and
> Promoting health and safety as an integral part of lifestyle.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE
Chairman, NIOSH
