Employers slapped with compounds of RM1.49 mln for SOP violations

Deputy minister Datuk Awang Hashim said the compound notices were issued for various offences, including failure to ensure the safety, health and welfare of employees at the workplace.

"The compounds were issued under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514) during joint inspections by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) and other enforcement agencies.

"During the same period, we inspected 1,585 workplaces nationwide, 129 of them in Penang involving issuance of compounds worth RM40,000," he told reporters after joining an operation to check on compliance in the Bayan Lepas Industrial area here today.

Awang said the manufacturing sector recorded the most number of offences at 123 cases, followed by the construction sector (18 cases), business services (four), and three cases each for the storage, transportation and wholesale trading sectors.

The others are one case each for the financial, quarry, agriculture, cleaning services, and gas facility sectors, he said.

Awang said the failure of employers to comply with the manpower limit in the essential sector comprised the most common offences at 96 cases.

"We urge all parties, including employers, employees and the public, to continue to comply with the standard operating procedure of the latest movement restrictions set by the authorities," he said.