IPOH: Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) director Mohd Hatta Zakaria said more than half of the 32 quarries in Perak have been rated as low in safety and health aspects.
Mohd Hatta said last year’s audit showed that 15 quarries were rated Grade D, which represents a weak security system for the employee’s safety aspect and the another two quarries ranked Grade E, a grade specifically for those without security system.
He also said that another seven quarries ranked Grade C and eight more are classified under Grade B, but not a single quarry made it into Grade A.
"The quarries, which are among the major contributors of the economic sector in the state, should be at the best possible level of safety as the workers under this particular sector are more vulnerable to accidents.
"Over the past year, two cases of death were recorded and another three cases involved hearing loss and pneumoconiosis, which is also known as lung disease, were recorded," he told a press conference after the opening ceremony of Electric Briefing for Perak Quarry’s Entrepreneurs at Wisma Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) Ulu Kinta here Monday.
The briefing was also part of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) program organised by the Perak’s DOSH in collaboration with TNB and the Perak Quarry Association along with 70 quarry operators in the state.
Mohd Hatta also stated that the issue of occupational safety and health should be emphasised as the workers are exposed to mineral dust, sound pollution and heavy machinery use, which can put the workers at high risk.
"Employers are advised to report cases which involved any kind of illnesses to DOSH for further investigation," he stated.
Meanwhile, over the past year, 16 cases of death, 20 permanent disability cases and 676 cases of injuries without permanent disability were recorded, which involved various sectors of employment in the state.
"In order to avoid undesirable events, DOSH had carried out 1,831 audits and workplace inspections involving various sectors over the past year so that we can ensure that the sectors are fully complied with the existing safety rules.
"Strict actions were taken during the audit; we issued 3,435 directives and 1,699 prohibition and repair notices to employers or operators who broke the rules.
"Last year alone, DOSH had charged 29 cases in court and issued 100 compounds.
"For us what matters is not the form of punishment they would need to face, but the change of attitude among the employers themselves," Mohd Hatta said.
Also present at the briefing was TNB’s chief engineer (Operation and Maintenance) Ahmad Fuad Md Kasim.