Occupational Safety and Health Overview

Occupational Safety and Health

• Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
• Covers general provisions, safe work environments, and work practices, programmes, and activities.

Introduction to Occupational Safety and Health

• Awareness of occupational safety and health at workplaces is crucial
• Impacts on productivity, quality, and organizational effectiveness
• Cooperation with various organizations (e.g., SOCSO, DOSH, NIOSH, ILO) is needed
• Employers are responsible for occupational safety and health, including compliance with regulations
• Employers should demonstrate strong leadership and commitment
• Appropriate arrangements for an OSH management system containing policy, organization, planning, implementation, evaluation, and action for improvement are needed.

Importance of Safety and Health

• Increased knowledge and experience on issues pertaining to workers' protection and impacts on productivity and organizational effectiveness.
• Increased public awareness on safety and health issues due to incidents at workplaces.
• Changes in government policies.
• Reduce the number of employee claims.
• Organizations/employers should have a deeper sense of social responsibility.
• Pressure from labor unions and NGOs to increase awareness of safety and health.

Health Hazards

• Chemicals: risks to humans from inhalation, skin contact, absorption, or ingestion (corrosive injuries)
• Biological: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other living organisms
• Physical: excessive exposure to noise, illumination, temperature, and vibration.
• Ergonomics: repetitive strain injuries due to certain motions or movements placing risks to the body.
• Psychological: anxiety, workplace bullying, occupational stress, and excessive fatigue.

Effects of Health Hazards

• Skin irritation or corrosion
• Respiratory issues
• Aspiration hazards
• Eye damage or irritation
• Carcinogenicity (cancer-causing substances)
• Reproductive toxicity
• Specific target organ toxicity.

Safety Hazards

• Slips, trips, and falls
• Being caught in or struck by moving machinery.
• Fire and explosions
• Transportation and vehicle-related accidents
• Confined spaces
• Violence

Causes of Industrial Accidents

• Struck by object/falling objects
• Falls
• Exposure to extreme heat, electricity, dangerous substances, including radiation
• Slips
• Others

More Causes of Industrial Accidents

• Failure to use safety equipment
• Work fatigue
• Individual characteristics

Creating a Safe Work Environment

• Investigating and recording accidents
• Enforcing safety rules
• Safety policies
• Safety awareness programs

Safety Policies

• Statement of organizational commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace
• Explanation of responsibility for safety within the organization
• Description of procedures and structures to implement safe work practices

Example of Safety Policy - Hitachi Cable Johor

• Training employees on safety and techniques
• Upgrading safety features of machines and equipment
• Controlling the use and handling of hazardous materials
• Developing safe working procedures
• Implementing systems to prevent accidents, incidents, occupational hazards, and industrial diseases

Safety Awareness Programs

• Total commitment from all levels of employees
• Communicating safety to employees, starting from the orientation process and emphasizing it continuously
• Adequate budget, leading safety meetings, and other activities
• In-house training by safety managers or consultants

Safety Awareness Programs, cont.

• Public programs – NIOSH, Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers
• Accident investigation and reporting workshop
• Emergency response plan preparedness
• Hazard identification, risk assessment, and risk control
• Safety and health committee
• Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (OSHA)
• Compliance to Regulations under OSHA 1994
• Compliance to Factories and Machinery Act 1967 and Regulations

Enforcement of Safety Rules

• Safety campaigns to increase awareness
• Forums and discussions
• Incentives and rewards
• Personal equipment (helmets, hard hats, ear muffs, safety boots, gloves, face masks)
• Disciplinary systems
• Addressing infringements of rules

Investigating and Recording Accidents

• Keeping and analyzing records
• Investigated minor and major cases
• Examining contributing factors
• Identifying corrective actions
• Rearranging workstations
• Installing safety guards
• Providing additional safety training

Creating a Healthy Work Environment

• Common health hazards at work:
  • Use of organic chemicals and toxic substances
  • Fumes, dust, and smoke
  • Radiation
  • Infection
  • Noise and vibration
  • Extreme temperature
  • Ergonomics
  • Wellness and weight issues
  • Job stress and burnout
  • Depression
  • Alcoholism
  • Drug abuse

Implications of Health Hazards

• Miscarriages
• Suppression of the immune system
• Cancer
• Eye-strain
• Physical discomfort
• High level of stress

Handling Health Hazards

• Building better health
• Healthy employees, reduced absenteeism, and increased efficiency
• Pre-employment tests for job fit
• Promoting workplace fitness and health
• Regular exercise, weight control, and proper nutrition
• Employee assistance program
• In-house counselors or outside professional assistance

Department of Occupation Al Safety and Health (DOSH)

• Enforcement of OSHA
• Compliance with Act, guidelines, and codes of practice
• Formulating and reviewing legislation, policies, guidelines, and codes of practice of OSHA
• Promotional activities towards safe & health work culture
• Carrying out the research on OSHA

Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994

• The Occupational Safety and Health (Safety and Health Committee) Regulation 1996
• Organizations employing more than five employees are required to draft, disseminate, and revise a safety policy.
• Hazardous industries (construction, gas and petroleum, chemical, woodworking, cement manufacturing)

Aims of Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994

• Securing OSH of person against risk
• Protecting against risk
• Promoting occupational environments to meet employees' physiological and psychological needs

Organization Responsibility under OSHA 1994

• Setting up Work Safety Committee for employers with more than 40 employees
• Establishing work safety rules
• Ensuring that workers are adequately trained and follow safety instructions
• Designing work and non-work areas

Organization Responsibility under OSHA 1994, cont.

• Strict compliance with legislation regarding manning safety
• Adequate insurance coverage for workers through government or private agencies
• Removing and storing hazardous products from the workplace
• Maintaining a register of accidents and monitoring situations

Duties of Employer (Part IV of OSHA 1994)

• To the employee & others
• Ensuring safety, health, and welfare at work
• Ensuring necessary plant is up to standard
• Minimizing operations that present danger
• Providing training and information
• Contravene/infringement - fine not exceeding RM50,000 or 2 years imprisonment or both

Written Safety & Health Policy (Section 16, Part IV OSHA 1994)

• All employers with more than 5 employees are required to formulate a written Safety & Health Policy.
• General policy statement for the organization
• Arrangements to be made known to employees regarding safety aspects

Duties of Employees (Part VI of OSHA 1994)

• Taking responsible care
• Cooperating with employer regarding any person's duty
• Wearing/using protective equipment
• Complying with instructions & guidelines
• Contravene – fine not exceeding RM1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 3 months or both.
• Intentional/reckless/negligent contravention – fine RM20,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or both.

Duties of a Health and Safety Officer (Section 31)

• Occupier/employer to appoint a Safety & Health Officer
• Advise the employer
• Inspect the place of work
• Assist the employer in organizing and implementing OSH programs
• Contravene - RM 5,000 or 6 months imprisonment or both.

Safety & Health Committee (Section 30)

• Every employer with 40 or more employees or directed by Director General must establish a Safety & Health Committee.
• Contravene - fine not exceeding RM5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or both.
• Committee functions (review measures, investigating, and resolving problems).

Work Practices, Programmes, and Activities

NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health) Malaysia

• Established on December 1, 1992
• Activities (critical catalyst, "backbone" to create a self-regulating occupational safety and health culture, training, consultation, research, and development, dissemination, and examination).

Vision Zero

• Concept introduced by the ISSA to reduce workplace accidents and diseases
• Emphasizes safety, health, and well-being, integrated dimensions.
• Seven Golden Rules: leadership commitment, hazard identification, defining targets, organizational organization, safety health, improving skills and motivation.

This quiz covers the essential principles of Occupational Safety and Health, including the OSHA Act and the importance of safe work environments. It emphasizes employer responsibilities, the impact on productivity, and the necessity of compliance with safety regulations. Test your knowledge on effective OSH management systems and their significance in the workplace.