Fatal gas leak incident shows why OSH practices vital — Lee
SIBU: The fatal ammonia gas leak incident at an ice factory in Shah Alam on Monday has once again demonstrated just how vital and necessary Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practices at the workplace are, and not be ignored or taken lightly.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye in a media release here yesterday said: “With good OSH management and practices at the workplace, the leak should have been discovered earlier and prompt actions could be taken to overcome the problem.”
In the 5am incident, two foreign workers died while 18 others were hurt after they were believed to have inhaled ammonia gas which was said to have leaked out at the ice factory in Section 36, Shah Alam.
It was reported that the two victims were carrying out routine work when they inhaled the ammonia gas which had leaked from a stored tank.
Lee also touched on two other unrelated cases whereby in Kangar, Perlis on the same day, two factory workers were admitted to Hospital Tuanku Fauziah after they and two others were reported to have inhaled ammonia gas that had leaked out at an ice factory in Kuala Perlis.
On Aug 11, an Indonesian worker died after he was believed to have inhaled ammonia and methane gas while working inside a septic tank at Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru.
“I hope that the authorities could check whether these factories had set up Safety and Health Committee and if they have, had the committee members taken necessary actions to prevent such an incident from happening,” Lee said.
“Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994, any place of work with 40 or more employees must establish the Safety and Health Committee whose members comprise both the representatives from the employer and the employees,” he explained.
He pointed out that functions of the committee are to review the safety and health procedures at the workplace, investigate complaints and matters that are raised, and hold regular discussions with the employer on issues relating to safety and health at the workplace.
Malaysia has introduced extensive laws and regulations related to OSH to protect the interests of workers, Lee added.
He said OSHA is based on the philosophy of self-regulation and under the Act, the employers, employees, self-employed workers, designers, manufacturers, importers, as well as plant and supply vendors are all responsible to ensure occupational safety and health at the workplace.
“Section 15(2)(a) of OSHA also requires employers to provide and maintain plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health’.
“This clearly places the burden of responsibility to provide a safe and healthy working environment on the employers and they are also legally bound to provide information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure the safety and health of employees.
“However, employees are also required to take reasonable care of their own safety and health and to comply with any instruction or measure on occupational safety and health instituted by their employers. For example, the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPEs) at all worksites is essential to prevent injuries or deaths,” Lee said.