ONLINE NEWS: SIGNIFICANT DROP IN WORKPLACE CASUALTIES NATIONWIDE, SAYS NIOSH

The Star
Significant drop in workplace casualties nationwide, says Niosh
By LO TERN CHERN | 24 August 2024

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The number of workplace casualties is down by half in the past decade with injuries also significantly reduced, says the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh).

Niosh chairman Chong Chieng Jen said for occupational fatalities, the figure had dropped by half to 2.06 per 100,000 workers in 2022, compared to 4.64 in 2012.

He said the rate of occupational injuries also dropped significantly, from 3.31 per 1,000 workers in 2012 to 2.22 in 2022.

“The drop was not only due to stricter policies but better collaboration among various sectors in regulating the industry and promoting awareness of safety and health in workplaces,” he said during the handing out of Niosh and International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certificates to several companies in a ceremony here yesterday.

At the event, three manufacturing companies – Jabil, AT&S and Ibiden – were awarded certificates for their collaboration with Niosh in the Safety Passport programme.

Two other certificates were awarded to Penang Port Sdn Bhd and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) for their compliance to ISO requirements.

Penang Port was certified for the ISO 14001:2015 Environment System Management while USM was certified for ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System.

Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong, who presented the certificates, said the safety passports would ensure workers possess a recognised knowledge level of safety and health awareness at work, adding that about 1.5 million employees nationwide have benefited from it.

“The safety passport module ensures safety of not only employees, but also vendors.

“So far, 30 companies have collaborated to develop it and 1.5 million workers are protected under the module,” he said.

On the ISO certification, Sim congratulated both institutions.

“This is a step further in complying with international standards not just on safety and health at the workplace but also various aspects such as management, quality and anti-corruption,” he said.