Towards a happy workplace for all
New Straits Time Online, 28 April 2016
Dr Muzaffar Syah Mallow, senior lecturer, Faculty of Syariah and Law, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
TODAY is World Day for Safety and Health at Work (World OSH Day). It has been celebrated globally since 2003 to promote awareness on work-related issues, and the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases.
On Sunday, countries around the world, including Malaysia, will celebrate Labour Day.
It is an important day in the year to honour and recognise the efforts of all workers, no matter what profession they belong to.
While celebrating these two important days, it is crucial for workers and employers to understand their duties and responsibilities at the workplace to create and ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
The law has listed basic duties and responsibilities that need to be observed and implemented by employers and workers.
Such duties and responsibilities can either be expressly written in the employment contract or laws and put into practice.
For example, the employer has the basic duty of paying wages to the employee, providing a reasonable amount of work, ensuring a safe work environment and not exposing staff to unnecessary or preventable stress.
It is also the duty of the employer to not terminate an employee’s services on unjustified grounds.
On the part of the worker, he has the basic duty of serving, exercising his skills, complying with reasonable instructions, exercising confidentiality and being supportive and loyal towards his employer.
Both the employer and worker have the similar duty of trust and confidence, where each should not, without reasonable and proper cause, conduct himself in a manner likely to destroy or seriously damage the relationship between them.
Any breach of the basic duties and responsibilities can subject either one to legal action under existing laws.
They include the Industrial Relations Act 1967 (Act 177), Employment Act 1955 (Act 265), Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514) and Common Law Remedies.
As such, it is important for employers and workers to strictly observe their duties and responsibilities accordingly, as this benefits everyone in the department, organisation or company.
In the long term, a safe and healthy work environment will also increase workers’ productivity and rake in more profit for the organisation.
By observing laws and regulations, it will create a professional, enjoyable and happy work environment, which every employee would be proud to be a part of.
In celebrating World OSH Day and Labour Day, workers should take advantage of these days to have a little “down time” with their families and friends. They deserve it.
