Shipyard owners to come up with generic HIRARC booklet

SIBU: A generic Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, Risk Control ( HIRARC) booklet will be developed by shipyard owners registered under Sibu Shipyards Association ( SSA) with guidance from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health ( DOSH).

The booklet is expected to be published by the shipyard owners by this year- end in effort to achieve zero accident target in the shipbuilding sector.

Speaking at a press conference after officiating a workshop to develop a generic HIRARC for Sibu’s shipbuilding industry under the compliance support, DOSH deputy directorgeneral (occupational health) Saiful Azhar Mohd Said explained: “We (DOSH) will help SSA to come up with the generic HIRARC booklet that can be used not only by shipbuilding firms in Sibu, but also hopefully, shipbuilding sector throughout the country.”

Saiful Azhar added that the booklet will also incorporate good practices by SSA.

He said preventive measures against occupational diseases ( ODs) will also be included in the booklet.

“Yes, it ( OD) is part of it (occupational safety and health). So, when you talk about HIRARC, it is not just about physical risks as you are also talking about health risk. For example, noise induced hearing loss is part of it (OD).

“Because we know that activities in shipbuilding, I believe (involve) lots of noises and temperatures. As far as health is concerned, it is this part that needs to be addressed within the generic HIRARC of Sibu shipyards activities,” he said.

Saiful Azhar was asked if the booklet would include preventive measures against OD such as musculoskeletal disorders ( MSD).

He also pointed out that through the booklet, workers in this sector will have the knowledge to identify hazard, assess risks and know the do’s and dont’s.

The workshop jointly organised by DOSH Sarawak and SSA attracted some 50 participants.

Speaking earlier on, DOSH Sarawak director Dr Nor Halim Hasan said the department would have a final session with SSA this October and expects the booklet to be sent for printing by end of the year.

Meanwhile, Saiful Azhar believed that the workshop will be a good platform for DOSH and SSA to increase awareness of occupational safety and health in the shipbuilding sector and that it can be extended to other shipbuilding associations in other parts in Malaysia.

“I believe that SSA can play its role where whatever knowledge shared today ( yesterday) will be passed down to members and extended to other associations involved in shipbuilding or ship repairing in the country,” he said.

In this regard, he believed that by working closely with SSA, workers’ awareness of OSH can be improved.

Saiful Azhar also noted that in 2017, there were about 112 workplace accidents reported daily across the country involving two fatalities.