Wilson signs the visitors’ book, witnessed by Niosh’s executive director Ayop Salleh (left) and NIOSH deputy chairman Senator Datuk T Mohan.
SIBU (April 29): Employers are told to come up with more programmes related with occupational safety and health (OSH) in their workplaces as part of their annual activities.
Chairman of National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) Datuk Wilson Ugak said this would help inculcate and nurture teamwork and working spirit between employers and their employees.
“This in turn can also reduce accident and mortality rates in workplaces,” he said at the launch of World Day for Safety and Health in the Workplace in Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor yesterday morning.
April 28 is celebrated as World Safety Day to commemorate the victims of occupational accidents and illness in the workplaces.
The theme of the celebration this year is ‘Anticipate, Prepare and Response to Crisis – Invest now in resilient occupational safety and health systems (OSH), which is prescribed by the International Labor Organisation (ILO).
Wilson said Malaysia is one of ILO members, and had never missed an opportunity to mark the celebration since 2006, one of the government’s commitments in line with Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention 2006 (No.187) to ensure that employees in the country are protected.
The Hulu Rajang MP said safety and healthy work culture practices in the workplaces had to be practised by all parties, be they employers or employees, to prevent occupational accidents and diseases from happening in the country.
He believed that through the combination of caring employers, quality and productive employees, safety management and an effective occupational health system with conducive working environment conditions, the products and services produced by organisations would reach the required standard level.
He said such enthusiasm was highly expected from all parties so that the goals and objectives in ensuring health safety and the welfare of all employees could be achieved.
Wilson said the Covid-19 pandemic also caused everybody to face unprecedented challenges.
Hence, the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2021 would focus on strategies to strengthen management systems and occupational safety and health (OSHMS) in order to develop resilience to current and future crisis, he added.
He said since the onset of the global crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic had affected every aspect of work, from virus transmission in the workplace to safety risks and occupational health (OSH) that emerge as a result of measures to reduce the spread of the virus.
He said the transition to a form of arrangement and new work processes, such as widespread reliance on telecommunications technology has realized the potential risks of OSH, including psychological risks and violence such as cyber bullying.
In keeping with this year’s theme, he recommended that employers hold investment to enhance their abilities to deal with Covid-19 at work.
“This investment involves the implementation of such initiatives like online systems, flexible working hours, physical distancing, wearing of face masks, hygiene control, OSH training and monitoring of SOP compliance in the workplace.”
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