Industrial accidents increased by 6pc last year
KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has recorded an average of 43 deaths of workers a day last year, involving industrial accidents and noncommunicable diseases.
Socso chief executive officer Datuk Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said among the non-communicable diseases that resulted in deaths were hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.
“The number of industrial accidents had increased by six per cent to 33,319 cases last year from 31,314 cases in 2016, while fatal cases dropped to 924 cases last year from 963 cases in 2016,” he said after the briefing and handover ceremony of Socso grants here yesterday.
At the event, Socso chairman Tan Sri Dr Aseh Che Mat presented the grants totalling RM5,804,007.50 to 32 selected institutions and non-governmental organisations to implement 704 accident prevention programmes, including seminars, courses and consultations.
Acting director-general of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) Dr Siti Zaharah Ishak, who represented Miros in receiving the grant, said Miros had always been concerned about the safety of employees who used motorcycles as a mode of transport to get to work.
As such, she said Miros had introduced a three-phase road safety programme nationwide.
“The first phase involved 20 companies in Selangor. This is the baseline platform for an engagement between safety health officers and the companies to train their officers and staff.
“The second phase involves 95 companies nationwide. We will engage employees directly as we conduct activities, including motorcycle inspection, defensive riding training and road safety seminar.
“The third phase involves an evaluation of the outcome and the effectiveness of the modules after being introduced for a year,” she said. Bernama