BINTULU: Workers need to be more aware of their rights to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) especially at high-risk workplaces, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
"There are still employers and workers who do not understand the importance of PPE, which can save lives, especially at high-risk workplaces," he said after launching a two-day seminar entitled "Managing OSH (Occupational Safety and Health) in Malaysia" here.
Legal action, he said, could also be taken against those who did not comply with the rules and regulations on PPE as prescribed under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994.
Under the act, employers who failed to provide PPE to employees could be fined not more than RM50,000 or a maximum jail term of two years or both.
Lee said PPE used in Malaysia needs approval from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) based on the provisions under the Factory and Machinery Act 1967, OSHA 1994 and the relevant regulations.
There are seven types of PPE that need approval from the Director-General of DOSH namely the protection equipment for respiratory, hearing, eye, hand, foot, body and head, he said.
"The issue regarding the use of PPE will not arise if both employers and workers understand its importance and always implement good Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practices.
"NIOSH's concern over this issue has prompted us to make PPE management the main topic of this two-day seminar in Bintulu as well as issues related to the challenges faced by enforcement officers," he said.
The Human Resources Ministry, he said, had introduced the Occupational Safety and Health Master Plan (OSHMP 2020) to help create safe, healthy and conducive working environment by 2020.
He said NIOSH had played its role effectively when it successfully trained 728,739 people through 31,720 programmes for various industries from 2011 to 2016.
In Sabah and Sarawak, he said NIOSH had conducted 7,243 programmes involving 153,407 participants for the same period.
"By opening 15 regional and branch offices throughout Malaysia, including three in Sarawak, NIOSH is currently the OSH-preferred partner for the industry," he said.
In addition, he said NIOSH also carried out OSH seminars, "OSH Talk" and exhibitions to enhance the awareness among employers and employees on safety and health issues at the workplace.
"NIOSH also conducts research and development (R & D) activities where 81 projects have been completed from 2002 to date," he said.