By NNN-Bernama,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia : The Social Security Organisation (Socso) paid over RM900 million in compensation for industrial accidents and occupational diseases last year, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) chairman Lee Lam Thye said.
He said Socso was of the view that the related economic costs due to compensation, lost working time, interruption of production, training and medical expenses in the country were considerably high.
“The overall responsibility for providing a safe and healthy working environment rests with the employers who should demonstrate their commitment to occupational safety and health.
“This can be done by building and maintaining a preventive safety and health culture that addresses the principles of prevention, hazard identification, risk assessment and control, information and training,” he said in a statement issued in conjunction with ‘World Day for Safety and Health at Work’ which falls Monday.
Celebrated worldwide, it is an international campaign to promote safety and health at work.
Lee said it was estimated that more than two million people died from work-related illnesses or accidents each year.
This year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work is themed ‘My Life, My Work, My Safe Work-Managing Risk in the Work .