Awang Hashim: Drop in workplacerelated accidents last year

KUALA LUMPUR: The nationwide occupational accident rate recorded a 20 per cent drop last year, while workplace death cases saw a decrease of 45 per cent compared to 2019.

Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Awang Hashim said a total of 32,674 occupational accident cases were recorded last year with 312 of them being fatal.

“This brings the occupational accident rate in Malaysia in 2020 to 2.18 per 1,000 workers, a decrease of 20 per cent compared to 2.71 in 2019.

“The workplace death rate decreased by 45 per cent, which is 2.09 per 100,000 workers in 2020, compared to 3.83 in the previous year,” he told a virtual press conference yesterday.

Awang who is also National Council of Occupational Safety and Health (MNKKP) chairman said the three industries that recorded the highest accident rates last year were manufacturing, construction and utility facilities including cleaning, electricity, gas and water services.

He said the manufacturing sector recorded 4.12 accident cases per 1,000 workers, while the construction industry recorded a 3.37 rate and utility facilities at 3.14.

“The three industrial sectors that recorded the highest occupational mortality rates per 100,000 workers were construction at 6.9, mining and quarrying (3.65) and manufacturing (3.32),” he said.

He said over the past decade, the country’s occupational accident rate had showed a significant decrease of 41 per cent, compared to 3.68 per 1,000 workers in 2010, while the workplace-related death rate had recorded a 68 per cent drop, compared to 6.45 per 100,000 workers in 2010.

“Among the factors contributing to the decrease in occupational accident rates in 2020 are the implementation of the Movement Control Order on March 18 last year which saw the closure of many industrial sectors and the punitive action taken against employers who fail to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act,” he said.

Awang said last year, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) conducted 242,977 enforcement and accident prevention activities nationwide.

Of that total, he said 232 cases have been brought to court with RM2.99 million in penalties were imposed and 583 compounds amounting to RM1.91 million were issued.

Awang said reported cases of occupational poisoning and diseases had increased significantly over the past 10 years when 9,108 cases were reported last year compared to 1,426 cases in 2010.

Meanwhile, he said the Human Resources Ministry through MNKKP and DOSH would launch the National Occupational Safety and Health Master Plan 2021-2025 (OSHMP25) in the third quarter of this year. — Bernama