DOSH: State records 400 workplace accidents - The Star Online
The Star Online, 12 August 2015
A TOTAL of 435 workplace accidents occurred in Penang from Jan 1 to July 31 this year which works out to an average of about two cases a day.
Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Penang director Zailee Dollah said.
“Early investigation by DOSH found that workplace accidents occurred due to failure in establishing standard operating procedures (SOP),” Zailee said.
He was speaking at the opening of the state-level Occupational Safety and Health Week celebration at the B. Braun Medical Industries Sdn Bhd factory in Bayan Lepas recently.
He also said the department carried out 22,735 inspections on workplaces and machines during the same period which resulted in 1,879 notices and instruction letters issued, 31 offences compounded and 15 cases prosecuted in court.
He said the country’s industrial accident rate in 2013 was 3.28 per 1,000 workers which decreased by 5.49% to 3.10 per 1,000 workers last year.
Zailee also said DOSH would focus in improving occupational safety and health in small and medium enterprises where over 90% of workplace accidents occurred.
“A conducive working environment should be provided so that workers can perform tasks safely and comfortably apart from ensuring the safety of the people near the workplace,” he added.
Also present, B. Braun environmental health, safety and sustainability senior manager Dr V. Ramachandran said the activities carried out by DOSH would benefit the entire business sector of Penang, especially Free Industrial Zone Penang Companies’ Association members.
“It is our role to reduce the risk of accidents at work in order to improve the quality of working life,” he added.
