MIRI, Sept 28: Helping the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Ministry of Human Resources to achieve zero accident in the workplace is the shared responsibility of everyone.
NIOSH chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said this is important since preliminary statistics from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) showed that the rate of accidents in the workplace for every 1,000 employees had slightly increased to 2.93 (person) in 2017 compared to 2.88 (person) in 2016 and 2.81 in 2015.
In 2006, the rate was 4.77 accidents per 1,000 workers.
He said industrial death rate also rose to 4.90 per 100,000 employees last year compared to 4.84 per 100,000 workers in 2016 and 2015.
“Under the OSH Master Plan 2016-2020, the Human Resources Ministry has set the target to reduce industrial accidents to 2.53 per 1,000 workers and industrial fatality rate to 4.36 per 100,000 workers by 2020.
“However, if the present trend continues, the targets set for both industrial accidents and fatalities will not be achieved in 2020,” he said at the 11th Fajar International College Convocation Ceremony here today.
Also present was Fajar International College chief executive officer Dr Peter Tham.
Lee said more efforts must be made to address issues concerning occupational safety and health (OSH) at the workplace.
He also reminded the young generation that academic excellence is only part of the equation, and there are other skills that are equally important and should not be ignored, such as interpersonal, individual creativity and problem-solving skills.
“In the face of globalisation, our country’s future prosperity depends on not just your intellectual mind but creativity to handle tasks and problems. These skills are crucial to prepare yourselves for the real world,” he said.
To survive, he said tomorrow’s students must be flexible, adaptable, able to communicate and willing to cooperate while at the same time be creative thinkers, researchers and life-long students.
“Such skills are crucial in today’s working environment to ensure that our country could compete effectively in the globalised and borderless world,” he said.
He also commended Fajar International College for its ability to produce high-quality OSH graduates who had helped fill the gap of human resources needs and create awareness on OSH in the community.
Lee noted that Fajar International College had also put so much effort in developing and promoting the OSH programmes among local and international students, from as far as South Korea, Vietnam and Brunei.
Fajar International College’s flagship programme, the Diploma in OSH, is to date the one and only OSH programme that is recognised by the Ministry of Education, Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and Department of Occupational Safety and Health.
“As a leading college in providing OSH programmes, I am very happy that Fajar International College has had all these years produced a good number of qualified Safety and Health Officers (SHOs) who have gained recognition from the government through earning their green book after graduating with their Diploma in OSH,” said Lee, who later presented diplomas and degrees to 301 graduates.
Fajar International College is also the only college that offers four specialised programmes, namely Diploma in OSH, Diploma in Accounting, Diploma in HR and Diploma in business. They have all gained full accreditation from the MQA. — DayakDaily
