SHAH ALAM: A total of 5,101 cases of hearing problems due to occupational noise were recorded by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) from January to June this year.
Deputy Human Resources Minister, Mustapha Sakmud, said most of these cases involved workers in the manufacturing sector who were exposed to noise pollution exceeding 82 decibels (dB) for eight hours continuously.
Apart from this, Mustapha said there were 185 cases related to bone-muscle problems due to work while 146 cases were related to exposure to chemicals harmful to health due to work recorded in the same period.
Mustapha said his ministry took the matter seriously because it would indirectly harm the national workforce.
"We do not want occupational diseases to spread, and the convention implemented today is one of the empowerment measures carried out with the aim of reducing new cases. The best practices in employment can be shared with colleagues in various sectors in the country," he said.
He said this when addressing the Systematic Occupational Health Enhancement Level Programme -- Do It Yourself (SOHELP DIY) 2023 National Convention, organised by DOSH and the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH), here today (August 17).
Mustapha also said that in line with this responsibility, DOSH has formulated a strategy in the Occupational Safety and Health Master Plan 2021-2025 (OSHMP25) aimed at reducing injury rates and increasing awareness of the importance of the control of occupational diseases.
"This will help the government's efforts in improving the quality of life of the people, especially among workers. It requires cooperation among employers and employees to realise the agenda," he added. --BERNAMA