SHAH ALAM: Strong collaboration between National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and institutions of higher learning can help promote and “communitise” good health and occupational safety (OSH) practices.

NIOSH chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the collaboration between the two parties would enable them to create awareness on the importance of OSH among the people and make it a culture.

“It is in line with the theme of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2019 — A Safe and Healthy Future of Work — where we need to focus on improving safety and health for young workers,” he said.

Lee said this at the International Occupational Safety Half Marathon (IOS Half Marathon) at the main campus of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).

The run was organised by the UiTM Faculty of Chemical Engineering in collaboration with NIOSH. Also present were UiTM deputy vice-chancellor (development) Associate Professor Dr Mohd Fozi Ali, Dean of Faculty of Chemical Engineering Professor Dr Norazah Abd Rahman and NIOSH executive secretary Hanif Maidin.

Lee said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was also committed to ensuring a safe working environment for all employees by 2030 and to end all forms of child labour by 2025.

“According to ILO, some 541 million young workers aged between 15 and 24 account for more than 15 per cent of the world’s labour force and suffer up to a 40 per cent higher rate of non-fatal occupational injuries than adult workers,” he said.

He said the IOS Half Marathon was held in conjunction with the World Day for Safety and Health at Work or better known as “World OSH Day.”

It is celebrated annually on April 28 worldwide since 2003 as decided by ILO.

“It was initially organised to commemorate the victims of occupational accidents or those who suffer from workplace illnesses. ILO later changed its aim which is to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases,” Lee said.

Read More: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/04/483706/collaboration-needed-between-niosh-and-higher-learning-institutions

The global launch of Vision Zero was held at the World Congress of Safety and Health in Singapore in 2017 by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

“It’s the first ever global campaign to improve safety, health and wellbeing at work. The campaign aims at engaging companies worldwide to systematically cut down on occupational accidents and diseases by investing in a healthy and motivated workforce,” Lee said.

According to him, safe and healthy working conditions are not only a legal and moral obligation, but also can pay off economically.

“International research on the return on investments in prevention proves that every dollar invested in safety and health generates a potential benefit of more than two dollars in positive economic effects. It shows that healthy working conditions contribute to healthy business,” he said

Lee said the adoption of Vision Zero was timely since the Human Resources Ministry, under the OSH Master Plan 2016-2020, has set the target of reducing industrial accidents to 2.53 per 1,000 workers, and industrial fatalities to 4.36 per 100,000 workers by 2020.

However, he said the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) record showed that accident rate at workplace per 1,000 workers had slightly increased to 2.93 in 2017, compared with 2.88 in 2016 and 2.81 in 2015. In 2006, the rate was 4.77 accidents per 1,000 workers.

“The industrial fatality rate has also increased to 4.90 per 100,000 workers in 2017 compared with 4.84 per 100,000 workers in both 2016 and 2015,” he added.

If the trend continues, Lee said the target set for both industrial accidents and fatalities would not be achieved by 2020.

He added that ISSA had also developed a range of resources to support the Vision Zero Campaign. These include introducing the seven golden rules that cover leadership aspect – hazard identification, targets, safe and healthy system, safety of machines, equipment and workplaces, competency and human resource development.

Lee urged organisations, companies and individuals who wish to learn more about the Vision Zero Campaign to get the information from ISSA website.

Read More: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/07/506311/vision-zero-way-forward-healthier-safer-work-environment

KUALA LUMPUR: Fire extinguisher maker AMI Venture Sdn Bhd aims to be among the country's top three fire extinguisher manufacturers in five years riding on the growing awareness of fire safety in the country.

AMI managing director Ahmad Mudzafri Idris said this can be achieved through aggressive and concentrated marketing campaigns plus a good after sales support and service as well as competitive pricing.

"Prospects for the company is bright as there are around 11 million fire extinguishers registered with the Fire and Rescue Department which needs yearly maintenance and certification and these numbers are growing rapidly.

"Furthermore, new commercial development will need new fire extinguishers and we anticipate around 3 million new fire extinguishers are needed every year to cater all new property developments," Ahmad Mudzafri said in a statement here recently.

He added the company is also poised for growth as the existing 11 million fire extinguishers also need replacement after 10 years of usage.

"AMI is growing all the time and we plan to invest another RM3 million in the next 2 years to increase our current production capacity.

He added the company had recently moved to its new production facility in Rembia, Melaka which would be able to deliver its required capacity for the next 7 years.

"AMI plans to expand on its second facility to fulfill our growth trajectory for the subsequent 20 years.

AMI has a total of RM5 million contracts in hand and its corporate clients include Petronas, Maybank, Fire and Rescue Department, Felda, Telekom Malaysia, government schools, fire contractors and consultants who supplies the company's fire extinguishers to end users.

Ahmad Mudzafri said the industry outlook looks very promising due to the cropping up of new major commercial developments such as the Tun Razak Exchange, Forest City, Melaka Gateway and Petronas Rapid complex in Pengerang, Johor and many more others which will create huge demand for new fire extinguishers.

"In addition, there is a huge untapped market for fire extinguishers at residential homes and in private vehicles which is currently not regulated by the Fire and Rescue Department which will be an increasing new revenue stream for AMI.

He added this market segment (residential and private vehicles) require fire extinguishers with a much smaller capacity (1kg or 2kg) and overall, the company anticipate an increasing trend for fire extinguishers for the next 5-10 years with a steady yearly growth of between 20 per cent and 30 per cent.

Read More: https://www.nst.com.my/business/2019/03/468022/ami-wants-be-top-fire-extinguisher-maker-country-next-five-years

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) today urged media practitioners covering the chemical pollution crisis at Sungai Kim Kim in Pasir Gudang to be properly protected.

Its chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, said media practitioners should never compromise when it comes to their personal safety.

This came after several journalists covering the disaster experienced the ‘Kim Kim symptom’, with varying levels of severity.

“These media practitioners need to be on the ground, as it is their responsibility to cover such an event. However, they must be adequately equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE).

“When media practitioners are asked to cover cases involving toxic fumes, they must speak to their management to be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment. This relates to what they need to wear to protect themselves.

“It is their right to speak to their management to ensure that their management will be able to provide them with PPE.

“We do not want to see them falling sick while on duty due to not being adequately protected. They can be the victims or part of the numbers affected,” Lee said when contacted today.

At the same time, media organisations must ensure that those sent to such scenes are properly protected.

“It is the responsibility of media organisations to ensure their staff are properly protected.

“You cannot expect the reporters to go and buy proper PPE and it is not fair for them to do so.

“The management must provide those covering the scene with proper PPE, to ensure they will be protected while carrying out their task and return safely.”

Lee said journalists must be equipped with the right type of PPE, in accordance with the level of exposure.

“For example, if they go to Sungai Kim Kim, where the source of the problem started with the highest level of exposure, they must be told what type of PPE they should wear.

“The type of mask that one wears during haze is different from the one that needs to be worn in the Sungai Kim Kim case.”

He said for those who need to be at Sungai Kim Kim, a half face mask with multigas cartridge is needed, while for those covering outside the area, a N95 face mask is highly recommended.

Yesterday, Harian Metro journalist Mary Victoria Dass became the latest to come down with ‘Kim Kim symptom’.

She received outpatient treatment for bleeding from the nose, sore throat, nausea and dizziness while covering an event at Menara Aqabah in the Pasir Gudang Municipal Council.

Previously, Astro Awani journalist Ernalisa Othman and Johor TV3 bureau chief Zahir Senapiah were also treated for similar symptoms.

Read More: https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/03/469853/niosh-journalists-covering-sg-kim-kim-disaster-should-wear-proper