PAD 252 Article 5: 'Safety cert helps firm in branding'

Article:

KOTA KINABALU: Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) certification has become the key determinant for the future of industries.

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said yesterday since 2004, the institute had issued Occupational Safety and Health Management System (MS 1722 and OHSAS 18001) certificates to 22 companies nationwide.

This includes certifying two Sabah oil palm companies -- Lahad Datu Edible Oils Sdn Bhd and TSH Wilmar Sdn Bhd, Kunak -- since Niosh Certification Sdn Bhd (NCSB) was established nine years ago.

"With this certification, we help companies to create branding and it is one way to make sure that industries in Malaysia becomes competent and productive."

He was speaking at the Media Appreciation Lunch 2013 at Pan Pacific Sutera, yesterday. Present were NCSB general manager Shamsul Zahrin Zainudin and Sabah and Labuan Niosh manager Mohd Hussin Abd Salam.

Lee said Sabah was moving towards industrialisation and it was important to comply with the safety standards regulations.

"If a company is certified, customers will be satisfied and they are confident this is a company which complies with safety standards."

This year, Niosh will be organising the Third Borneo Conference and Exhibition on Occupational Safety and Health 2013 in June, here.

Themed "A Global Strategy: Optimising Productivity Through Accident Prevention", the conference would allow participants (employers and employees) to gain knowledge and share information.

Read more: 'Safety cert helps firm in branding' - Letters to the Editor - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/safety-cert-helps-firm-in-branding-1.209294#ixzz2mOdJX06p

ARTICLE REVIEW

Speaking at the Media Appreciation Lunch 2013 at Pan Pacific Sutera, Kota Kinabalu, on January 28, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) chairman, Tan Sri Lee lam Thye said, with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) certification, it could help companies create branding and ensure that Malaysia Industries become proficient and productive. Since Sabah was moving towards industrialisation, it is vital to conform to the safety standards regulations, he added that customers will be satisfied and confident if a company is certified, seeing that certified means the company complied with safety standards. Third Borneo Conference and Exhibition on Occupational Safety and Health 2013, themed “A Global Strategy: Optimising Productivity Through Accident Prevention” would be held in June at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. This event would allow participants made up of employers and employees to gain knowledge and share information.

ARTICLE RELATE TO QUALITY MANAGEMENT

From the article, we could relate to Total Quality, in which total quality means not only the quality of the goods produced, but also the environment, process, and people that involved in the process of producing goods that meet up and exceeds the expectation of the customers. OSH certification, for instance, is a certification that certified the organization is compiled with the safety standards set by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health or Niosh. Why does OSH relate to total quality? It is related because not only the goods produced are produced in a safe environment, but it also serve as a guidelines and statement of proof that the organization is operating according to the rules and regulation established by Niosh, the customer could purchase goods or acquire services provided by the organization without worries. For example, if a food processing company has OSH certification, means it is recognized not only by Niosh, but should also be recognised by the customers, because the workers wear safety gears while processing the food, to prevent cut or injuries which may contaminate the food produced. And the machines used in producing such food are in good functioning condition, the package will have no leakage and the wholesaler could buy the products in bulk with no worries. In order to improve quality management and safety in workplace, Third Borneo Conference and Exhibition on Occupational Safety and Health 2013 would be held. It would involve all the employers and employees that participate to share information and gain knowledge from this expo. Via sharing knowledge, in my opinion, will help to increase the quality on producing goods and service of an employer or employees in the future. Bonus to that, the theme “ Optimising Productivity Through Accident Prevention”, would be a joy for all managers, as it may help to solve problems of productivity verses accident in the workplace, and hence, while improving quality product, the accident could be prevent, and the human resources of the organization could be save for more productions, the fund of the organization could also be saved due to less accident, less compensation. 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994

OSHA 1994 refers to the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 which was intended to ensure safety, health and welfare of all persons at all places of work.

The 4 benefits of OSHA 1994 are:
1.Reduces risks and causes of accidents.  The inspecting body would identify any hazards, dangerous occurrence, occupational poisoning and disease present in the work place and so to improve the health and safety management practices of an organization. As safety and health programs are both represented by the workers and the employer, consultation programs may also be provided to teach both the knowledge of how to identify hazards and risk and how to eliminates those risks and hazards. This would help them both (workers and employer) to prevent work related injuries, poisoning or death.

2.Monetary benefits. By complying the guidelines of OSHA, one organization (especially business based) would benefits the business. For example, Malaysia, with OSHA, foreign investor would see the seriousness of how the government  make sure the commercial buildings are well examined and inspected before letting for business, and would be please to invest. By following regulations in OSHA, one organization also saving money from reduced employees' injury, paying expensive medical bills, product loss, equipment damage, compensation costs due to death or disable, and even paying high price in renovating damaged building from fires.

3.Easing managerial task. Since OSHA 1994's philosophy is 'responsibility for safety and health in the workplace lies with those who create the risk (employers) and those who work with the risks(employees), both the workers and employers are responsible for own safety and health in the workplace as they were both educated on how to identify hazards and how to eliminate the hazards. The employees should cooperate with the employers to ensure safety and health in the workplace. Since the employees are aware of the safety and health in the workplace, the workplace become safe for them to work in, they can perform better and increase productivity over time, thus, easing managerial task.

4.Workers' health, security and welfare are protected, and employers are aware of safety and health of workers in the organization. With OSHA 1994, inspection would be done not only by officers of Department of occupational safety and health, few independence inspecting body would also assist. The employers are aware of the hazards, they would be required to eliminate the hazards, and if the hazards are unavoidable in daily production (organization which may need to work with dangerous substances), hazards sign should put on to make everyone aware of the existing hazards. If anyone in the organization ignoring the signs and causes accidents or fatal to himself, the employers would not be at fault. On the other hand, OSHA makes the employer comply with the safety and health guideline in the workplace, the employer must comply so to provide safe and healthy place for the workers to work within. If there are accidents happened, the workers would get some amount of medical assistance, or compensation. Thus, with OSHA, the safety of the workers are well guarded, and the health and welfare of the workers are well protected.