Make safety at workplaces people's agenda - Lam Thye

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has called on the public to implement the occupational safety and health (OSH) management system at all places of work, including schools and educational institutions.

NIOSH chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said OSH should be made the people's agenda and it was also even more urgent now in the wake of the recent fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah residential religious school in Jalan Keramat Ujung here, which claimed 23 lives.

"Fatal tragedies including fires at tahfiz schools could be prevented if a good OSH management system was implemented at workplaces and safety audits carried out.

"With the help of other agencies and non-governmental organisations, NIOSH will continue to educate the public and create awareness on safety and health at work among workers and their family members," he said today.

He explained that schools were also considered as workplaces under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994, and as such an OSH committee must be set up if it had 40 workers or above.

He said NIOSH would bring the ideas and aspirations of OSH practitioners to the government, including those which were gathered during the 2050 National Transformation session on OSH at the workplace.

Lee added NIOSH would also promote the Vision Zero campaign which emphasises that injuries and ill health at the workplace were preventable if good OSH practices were given attention.

"Vision Zero is not a new target but a change in our mindset that all injuries and ill health can be prevented. The pursuit of it was not about achieving zero accidents but to find solutions to help prevent injuries and ill health."

Other than that, NIOSH is offering 20 per cent discount for eight of its competency courses from this month to November, in conjunction with the National Day (Aug 31) and Malaysia Day (Sept 16).

Among the courses are Safety and Health Officer, Site Safety Supervisor and Occupational Health Doctor.

-- BERNAMA