Kuantan, 15 May 2017 – In line with the Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) “Communitisng Technology” slogan, Occupational Safety and Health Management Office (OSHMO) has responded to this by organizing a course on Safe Handling of Equipment with Mercury and Mercury Compounds for teachers and laboratory assistants from schools within the vicinity of Kuantan and Pekan. The course was held at the Training Room of UMP Gambang Campus Main Administrative Complex Building. A total of 40 participants attended the course which was offered free of charge as part of community service. The training was conducted by Dr. Abdul Aziz Mohd Azoddein, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Chemical and Natural Resources Engineering of UMP.

According to the Director of OSHMO UMP Mr Muhammad Hairynizam Muhd Taib, the main objectives of organizing this course were to share knowledge on safe handling of mercury as well as to promote technology and products developed by UMP. “In addition, it also creates an opportunity to give exposure to and share knowledge on handling of mercury spills to the community at schools following increasing trend of cases involving mercury spills while handling laboratory equipment in schools and educational institutions recently,” he said.

Apart from that, the program would contribute to the University’s engagement in communitising technology through community service involving schools while promoting the University to the members of the community outside of UMP. The Mer Kit, a set of mercury spill handling product based on Dr Abdul Aziz’s own research was also introduced. The kit is a complete set of product used to control and handle mercury spills without causing any harm to the person handling it.