Public Lecture KLIUC

Public Lecture
Kuala Lumpur Infrastructure University College (KLIUC)


First and foremost, as Chairman of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health of Malaysia, I would like to thank the organizing committee, for inviting me to deliver the 3rd KLIUC Public Lecture 2009.

As an Institute entrusted with the task of working to enhance and promote occupational safety and health, NIOSH is ready to share its knowledge and work with all stake-holders including the academic institutions to promote OSH and improve the OSH environment in our respective workplaces.

Having been involved in the area of occupational safety and health for the past 10 years, I am more than convinced that OSH has become an issue of not only national but global significance and it is of vital importance to business competitiveness.

The right to life is the most fundamental human right. The right to work in a safe and healthy environment is also the fundamental right of every worker.

Yet every year, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) more than 1.2 million people are deprived of that right as a consequence of accidents and work-related diseases.

More than 100,000 work fatalities occur every month, more than 3,000 a day, two per minute. This global phenomenon, if left unchecked, leads to consequences which are unacceptable, economically, socially and morally.

Statistics provided by the ILO depict a grim picture indicating :-
 Workers worldwide suffer more than 250 million accidents every year;
 More than 160 million workers fall ill each year due to workplace hazards and exposures;
 Accidents and diseases together account for over 1.2 million fatalities annually, more than all fatal road accidents worldwide;
 More than 10 million workers suffer crippling injuries and diseases resulting in permanent disability and loss of income

According to the world body, while it is impossible to place a monetary value on human lives, compensation figures give a rough idea of how an estimated 4 per cent of gross domestic product disappears with the costs of accidents and diseases through absenteeism, medical treatment, disabilities and survivor benefits.

Estimates from developed countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Norway put the direct cost of accidents in billions of dollars. In many developing countries, workers’ death rates are five to six times those in industrialized countries. And this creates a mounting challenge for labour protection, safety and health.

In Malaysia, the pursuit for a safe and healthier workplace for all workers is an on-going noble mission. The reduction of workplace accidents constitutes an important agenda for both the public and private sectors in tandem with the goal of a zero-accident workplace.

In the pursuit of industrialization and developed nation status it is easy to lose track of the human dimension of this endeavour. It is convenient for some quarters to believe that there is a price to pay for the breakneck speed of progress that we hope to attain to keep our appointment with ‘industrialised nation’ status. The price includes the degradation of our environment, the compromise in the quality of life we lead and even the sacrifice of life and limb at the workplace – all in the name of progress.

This negative view should not be allowed to take root within our national psyche but must be rooted out before its tendrils spread too far and wide within ourselves. If not, there is no doubt that our path to industrialization will be strewn with a great deal of anguish and suffering. It will be too high a price to pay.

OSH – An Integral Part of Business Management

There is a need to turn the current thinking on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) from a negative to a positive one and take a rational and practical approach in addressing the management of this issue.

Management or employers must recognise OSH of employees as an integral part of business management. Concerns for the bottom line must be looked at with equal gravity with OSH issues at the workplace. After all they are both concerned with the viability of the business enterprise.

Employees are often regarded by management to be the most important asset of any organization. Hence, it makes sense that this particular asset should be protected in terms of health and safety and nurtured to ensure that it continues to be productive.

In any business enterprise, the issue of preserving and retaining the employees is most urgent. Management must now step back and take a hard look at their asset and actively show how much they value their employees with a responsible OSH Policy backed up by the necessary organisation and systems to implement accident prevention programmes.

Many people are not conscious of the importance of occupational safety and health (OSH) until an accident, injury or fatality occurs.

There are industries which do not want to invest in safety and health at the workplace because of the cost factor.

They do not seem to realize that if accidents or fatalities occur due to their disregard for OSH the costs they have to bear will even be much heavier.

Safety is Good Business

Common sense tells us that “Safety is Good Business”. If industries give priority to safety issues at the workplace it will certainly be beneficial to the business.

There must be greater commitment by industries, particularly the SMI/Es to adopt a work-safety culture and do more to prevent or minimize industrial accidents through good OSH practices.

OSH training for SMIs is of paramount importance and SMI operators should see training as an investment and not an expense.
In the global economy OSH issues are among the key determinants to a company’s competitiveness through productivity enhancement and efficiency.

Observations and evidence had shown that an increase in productivity and an improvement in workplace environment were the results of good safety and health work practices and the adoption of a work safety culture.

OSH must therefore be treated as an investment and not an expense and this is in line with the maxim that ‘SAFETY IS GOOD BUSINESS’.

NIOSH is aware that the present economic hardship and uncertainty experienced by Malaysia and elsewhere has had a significant impact on our industries as a whole.

So how do we address OSH issues in these difficult times?

The answer lies in the development of a “good OSH management system.” This responsibility lies with the management team, which must accord serious attention to the aspect of how to manage OSH appropriately.

The very objective of good OSH management is to provide the required investment in terms of commitment – financial, human resources and equipment in systematic OSH strategies – in order to secure the highest rate of return on investment such as zero accident without jeopardising the company’s overall profit performance.

In Malaysia itself, there has been a remarkable improvement in the safety and health of the workforce since the enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994. According to statistics compiled by the Ministry of Human Resources, the number of industrial accidents reported to SOCSO for all sectors decreased from 109,447 in 1994 to 56,339 in 2007. This is a substantial reduction of almost 50 percent over a period of thirteen years.

This notable achievement is, attributed to the collective efforts made by all the parties concerned. However, there is no room for complacency. Seeking continuous improvement in occupational safety and health must be an ongoing task for governments, employers, employees as well as all relevant parties involved.

Although there is a decline in the average number of industrial accidents from 17 per 1,000 workers in 1994 to 6.7 in 2007, we should strive against the benchmark of developed countries which only have 3-4 accidents per 1,000 workers.

Companies should regard occupational safety and health as part of their corporate responsibility and must allocate yearly budget for safety training to help prevent work-related accidents because accidents don’t just happen as they are caused and as such they can be prevented.

Making the workplace safe is a joint responsibility of both the employers and the employees. Thus, training of employees is the key to achieving a successful safety programme and management must be committed to invest in safety.

An accident-free environment helps the company to save and increases the organization’s productivity and profitability. It will also help to boost the morale of the workers. Companies must not profit at the expense of safety because if accidents occur, lives may be lost and productivity will be affected. Even in times of economic downturn, companies must not cut costs at the expense of safety and health.

The focal point of safety training is the human being needs protection in all aspects of his life. Thus, training is an essential part of OSH programmes to reduce injuries and fatalities at the workplace.

Furthermore, the OSHA 1994, stipulates that appropriate training courses and programmes must be formulated for the workers to effectively check the occurrence of industrial accidents at the workplace.

It also enables managers, supervisors and workers to understand the workings of safety and health systems, so that they know when to upgrade safety and health at the workplace. It is imperative that efforts to instill safety awareness through education, training and accident prevention programmes be promoted and intensified.

To fulfill the need for occupational safety and health training and education, NIOSH was created in December 1992 as the major training provider for OSH management and other OSH related training programmes in the country.

Since its inception, NIOSH has endeavoured to contribute towards efforts in upgrading OSH through developing curriculum and training programmes for workers, employers and others who are responsible either directly or indirectly for safety and health at the workplace.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are living in a highly competitive global arena where rapid social and technological changes are taking shape in the world of work. While some problems remain, new and largely unforeseeable safety and health concerns will emerge in the workplace.

Change in methods and technologies will bring challenges to existing OSH programmes, policies and expertise. Coupled with increasing globalisation, we are facing enormous challenges to improve the working conditions and occupational safety and health standards in our respective countries.

Future challenges may be more complex than those confronted in the past, requiring creative approaches and vigorous effort to manage them. Collective efforts of government, employers, safety and health professional groups, trade associations, academia, and others are central to achieving safe and healthy workplace conditions.

Hence, it is important for us to adopt a global approach to well being at work, taking account of changes in the world of work and the emergence of new risks, especially those of a psycho-social nature. It is also important for us to draw on external guidance and lessons learned, in addition to our experience.

Ladies and Gentleman,

If we study the history of the building industry in any country all over the world, the construction sector is known to be the catalyst for economic growth and development. However it is also recognized as a high risk sector from the point of view of safety and health judging by the frequent occurrence of worksite fatalities involving foreign workers. To ensure such activity can be developed progressively and successfully, we not only need a professional and skillful work force but also workers with adequate exposure on the aspects of safety and health at the work place.

Those involved in the construction industry should realize the dire consequences of flouting safety guidelines and cutting corners, poor design, shoddy workmanship and inadequate supervision.

If adequate safety standards are set, if safety procedures and regulations are strictly adhered to, I am certain accidents and unnecessary loss of live and limbs can be avoided.

Accidents caused by poor safety management of construction sites are serious and must be addressed urgently. Those responsible must learn from past accidents and be prepared to avoid such accidents in the future. Accidents such as collapse of building scaffoldings at construction sites or falling objects resulting in deaths or injuries to the workers and the public are matters which must be taken seriously.

Reports of falling cranes at construction sites resulting in the damage of residential homes and public property are also matters of serious public concern. Construction activities carried out without regard to the environment have also resulted in environmental mishaps such as flooding and landslides.

It is therefore essential for all those involved in the construction industry to be always sensitive to such problems and take the necessary measures to prevent accidents at the worksites. Those in positions of authority must pay heed to more stringent standards in relation to occupational safety and health.

Laws and regulations alone do not automatically ensure successfully health and safety practices at construction sites. What we need is the adoption and implementation of safety measures at construction sites by responsible safety-conscious contractors supported by experienced and trained employees. To avoid mishaps at the worksite, attention and priority must be given to safety at the conception of the project.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management must be practiced at all levels of the construction industry from the top management to the labourer at the worksite. It is of paramount importance for everyone to be involved in the practice of OSH at the workplace.

In regard to the construction industry, developers must have a responsibility to choose competent and safety conscious contractors. During the tendering stage, it must be emphasized that the acceptance of low bidders should not be at the expense of safety and health.

The time has come for contractors who wish to bid for any construction contracts to provide a safety policy statement, the hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control plan and also information regarding the experience and safety training given to their employees.

Although the government authorities enact laws and enforce them, the responsibility for implementing a safety system at the construction site lies mainly with the main and sub-contractors. Those who create the risk and hazards are in better position to manage them. Contractors should therefore be responsible to ensure that the workplace is safe and healthy.

OSH management is needed for all worksites in respect of all industries to ensure high standards of safety and health at work. Industries and employers must realize that four fundamental factors justify OSH management and these are corporate responsibility, social and moral obligation, good business sense and legal obligation.

Effective OSH management not only reduces the risk to safety and health but also ensures high returns to the companies and increased productivity.

NIOSH wishes to call on all industries, particularly the Construction Industry, to be always sensitive to the demands for safety at the workplace and work towards an accident-free or zero accident target.

Ladies and Gentleman,

In Malaysia, according to the SOCSO report, in the year 2007, for the construction industry the number of fatal accidents recorded was 76 cases out of 3,703 cases reported compared to 95 fatal cases out of 4,654 total cases of accidents in the year 2003. Even though the number of accidents has decreased, the number of fatal accidents is still a matter of serious concern.

Employers must place a commitment and understanding in the issues of occupational safety and health as it is a part of the companies’ corporate responsibility and should not be taken lightly. This success cannot be achieved without the understanding and the cooperation between the employers and the workers. It should be noted that occupational safety and health neither discriminates genders, appearance nor citizenship.

Local and foreign workers are entitled to the same rights in respect of occupational safety and health. Accidents neither distinguish between its victims nor the value of the project, big or small. We are the ones who could recognize the hazards at the workplace and are able to take action in preventing accidents from occurring. Workers need to be protected from the exposures of potential hazards and risks.

One of the ways to achieve this objective is through the implementation of the occupational safety and health management system (OSH-MS) by responsible contractors to prevent accidents and workplace diseases. Accidents and workplace diseases are indicators of poor OSH management at the workplace which should be improved.

There is a need to eradicate the misconception, that safety and health at work is the responsibility of the Government alone. It is not so. Ensuring the safety and health of workers is a collective responsibility of the Government, employers and the employees themselves. Industrial accidents can be reduced if every workplace takes steps not only to enunciate its safety and health policy but also to set up its safety and health committee with the objective of promoting a safety culture among the workforce.

Total commitment from top management is essential in working closely with employees to promote occupational safety and health for their organizations. Occupational safety should not be seen as a profit-sapping factor for the management of industries, but be regarded as a productivity booster. Industries must realize that accident prevention is no longer a fringe benefit but a prerequisite to a profitable operation.

Industries and employers must realize that four fundamental factors justify OSH management. These are, corporate responsibility, social and moral obligation, good business sense and legal obligation. Common sense tells us that effective OSH management not only reduces the risk to safety and health but also ensure high returns to the company in terms of productivity and profitability.

In an organization, embracing a new corporate culture requires a paradigm shift in the views of the highest echelon of management. In the case of occupational safety and health, this shift must focus on viewing the bottomline performance of the organization in the same manner as that of the number of injuries, fatalities and ill-health suffered by employees in attaining the bottomline target.

Safety and health at work cannot be effectively regulated through legislation alone. In our modern day society and advancing technology, existing regulations may not be able to keep pace with the development of new inventions and processes.

While the government and its agencies provide the leadership, legislation and guidelines, it is the employers who have to take the lead. As safety and health at work is everybody’s responsibility, the employees must also give the vital support to employers’ efforts in the promotion of OSH.

Addressing OSH issues requires a good OSH management system. This responsibility lies with the management team, which must accord serious attention to the aspect of how to manage OSH appropriately. The very objective of good OSH management is to provide the required investment in terms of commitment – financial, human resources and equipment in systematic OSH strategies – in order to secure the highest rate of return on investment such as zero accident without jeopardizing the company’s overall profit performance.

There is no doubt that for Malaysia to adopt a safe and healthy work culture amongst its working population there must be a reminder to both employers and employees of their respective responsibilities in adopting and implementing good OSH practices.

Employers must change their misconceived attitude that occupational safety and health is a liability and not an asset. At the same time, employees must not take safety for granted but stand for their right to work in a safe and health work environment as well as following strictly to safe and healthy work procedures set out.

Safety is not something we can take or leave alone nor it is an activity in which we participate only when we are being watched or supervised.

Safety is not just about safety posters, slogans, rules and regulations, videos, meetings investigations or inspections.

Safety is an attitude, a frame of mind, an awareness of our environment and actions – all day, every day.

Safety is knowing what is going on around us, knowing how to prevent that injury or accident and then acting to prevent it.

In conclusion, I wish to pronounce the idea of safety as a culture. Safety must not only be a priority but a culture. In order to make safety a culture in society, the workplace is where such a culture can be developed.