Campaign On Safety At Work
National:
By Patrick Sennyah
22 February 2001
KUALA LUMPUR,
Malaysia, Wed. - The Human
Resources Ministry will launch a campaign soon to educate employers and
employees on safety precautions to be taken when working in confined
spaces.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn said the ministry
was disturbed by the two separate cases of industrial accidents in confined
spaces which claimed the lives of three Malaysians and an Indonesian on Feb
12.
He said in the incident in Prai, two Malaysian workers died after
inhaling toxic gases, while in the incident in Petaling, here on the same day, a
Malaysian and an Indonesian were believed to have died from the same
cause.
The Prai incident occurred when the workers were in a
manhole.
In the other incident, the workers died while working in a
sewage system.
"Initial investigations by the Department of Occupational
Safety and Health revealed there were flaws in the safety equipment used in
Prai," he said after chairing his ministry's post-Cabinet meeting.
"The
workers in Petaling were not wearing any safety equipment."
He said this
was clearly against the Guidelines for Safe Working in a Confined Space.
"Investigations into these incidents are still on."
He said the ministry
hoped the nationwide campaign would help increase awareness among both employers
and employees on the need for proper safety measures.
On the
Government's efforts to attract more Malaysian experts working abroad to return,
Fong said they had received 29 applications through e-mail this week. "We also
receive more than a 100enquiries daily which is very encouraging."
He
added that the ministry had advertised in Fortune and The Economist, two
renowned foreign magazines, guidelines for Malaysians abroad to return
home.
Under the 2001 Budget, the Government introduced various incentives
for Malaysians working abroad, particularly in information and communication
technology; science and technology; arts; financial accounting; medical and
health; and industry.
Fong said the ministry adopted a humanitarian
approach with regard to the spouses of these Malaysians who may be foreigners
and would assist them obtain permanent resident status within six
months.
"We appeal to anyone who encountered problems with this to write
to us," he added.
Source: New Straits
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