PM Launches New Occupational Safety and Health Master Plan
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Today, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob launched the Occupational Safety and Health Master Plan 2021-2025 (OSHMP25). The OSHMP25 outlines the numerous strategic core values to develop a healthy and safe work culture, and to raise this country's well-being index (MyWI).
He said the medium-term master plan of five years would increase the safety and health level at the workplace by reducing the rate of workplace accidents, deaths and disease infection.
In his speech, Ismail said that the government developed the plan after considering the current working scenario, which has evolved. Now, the home of every Malaysia is also a workplace, as well as stalls, restaurants, and cafes. Hence, he said that all Malaysians need to practise safe work culture.
Seven key strategies of the OSHMP25
The Prime Minister said the OSHMP25 outlined seven key strategies, which are:
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Empowering the occupational safety and health (OSH) in the public sector;
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Strengthening self-regulation practice at the workplace;
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Encouraging OSH education and research;
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Empowering occupational health;
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Better OSH compliance in small and medium industries;
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Boosting OSH through technology; and
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Improving OSH on work-related road safety, informal sector and future jobs.
He hoped that all parties, including the government, employers and workers, were committed to ensuring the success of OSH in line with the OSHMP25's theme: "OSH Inclusive-Equality and Commitment".
Ismail said that the direct outcomes of neglecting OSH would see Malaysia experiencing 4% losses in gross domestic product (GDP) revenue per year. However, what the government is prioritising is to prevent the loss of lives of Malaysians.
The Prime Minister said the Covid-19 pandemic, which hit Malaysia, has threatened public health and affected the economic and social aspects.
According to Ismail, Malaysians need to endure the increasingly competitive global environment because of the pandemic. It necessitates a drastic shift to the new normal at the workplace, such as working from home with increased online activities.
He added that working from home has exposed workers to health and safety risks, such as:
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Issues related to ergonomics, such as bad body posture when using a computer, and
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Getting exposed to psychosocial issues, specifically mental stress and poor social interaction, especially after being confined at home for too long.
OSHMP2020's achievements
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Human Resources Awang Hashim said OSHMP25 was a follow-up of OSHMP15 and OSHMP2020.
He said that among OSHMP2020's achievements was reducing the accident rate to 2.18 for every 1,000 workers.
The occupational death rate also decreased by 45%, which was 2.09 for every 10,000 workers in 2020 compared with 3.83 in 2019.
According to Awang, there were 32,674 occupational accidents recorded in Malaysia last year, with 312 involving fatalities.
He said that among the primary objectives of OSHMP25 is to decrease the workplace accident rate. With total commitment and the combined efforts by the government, employers and workers, the master plan can achieve its objectives.
You can read and download the OSHMP25 document here.
Source: Free Malaysia Today
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