Niosh, TM TEC Academy to promote OSH practices in Sarawak via partnership
KUCHING: A strategic partnership has been formed to promote occupational safety and health ( OSH) as well as environmental management systems in the state.
The memorandum of understanding ( MOU) between Niosh Certification Sdn Bhd and TM TEC Academy ( M) Sdn Bhd was inked yesterday, under which both parties would collaborate in the provision of OSH-related training and certifications.
The signatories were National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health ( Niosh) executive director Zahrim Osman and TM TEC Academy director Lawrence Lee Chin Fook.
Niosh chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who witnessed the signing and handover of MOU documents, viewed the partnership as a milestone in the promotion of OSH in Sarawak, pushing it to a higher level here.
“I also hope that other companies would follow and subscribe to the (OSH) certification,” he said, adding that the certification could be applied to both the government and the private sector. Moreover, he believed that it could contribute towards the development of industrial recognition for Malaysia to become a fully developed nation.
According to him, among the advantages of the certification include facilitating efficient management of OSH at the workplace, increasing workers’ morale and enhancing their commitment to observing OSH practices.
“The certification will also enable an organisation to improve its reputation through the reduction of workplace accidents, which will lead to the reduction of insurance premiums for employees.”
Lam Thye said at present, a total of 64 organisations in Malaysia are subscribing to OSH certification from Niosh – from this figure, seven are from Sarawak and 10 from Sabah.
Studies, he added, had also shown that the OSH Management System (MS 1722 and OHSAS 18001) as well as the ISO 14001 certifications are closely related to an organisation’s achievement.
“In line with the key focus of Niosh, which is to nurture good OSH culture in Malaysia, the Niosh certification provides auditing and certification services for MS 1722, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001.”
Niosh Certification Sdn Bhd, said Lam Thye, is accredited by Standards Malaysia – making it as one of the few organisations authorised to issue Quality Management System ( ISO 9001), Food Security Management System (ISO 22000) and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil ( MSPO) certifications.
“We will make sure that the safety culture starts from each and every one of us,” he said, adding that this would be carried out through a series of training programmes.
He also highlighted the need to raise more awareness among workers of ‘commuting accidents’, which according to him, cause 6,000 to 7,000 deaths in Malaysia every year.
Based on an interim report by Social Security Organisation ( Socso), the number of road accidents in Malaysia had increased by 10 per cent last year with a record of 31,314 cases, versus 28,579 cases in 2015.
The Socso report also stated that industrial accidents registered a three-per cent increase to 35,304 cases last year, from 34,208 cases in 2015.