03 May
‘WORKING at height’ is a term used to describe working in any place, where if there are no precautions for safety in place, a person could fall a distance and be liable to suffer personal injury.
This is considered one of the high-risk activities found in industries such as construction and oil and gas. It is also one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries globally and in local statistics.
Although it is the responsibility of the employer to look after the employee’s safety and health, employees are also responsible in practising proper health and safety regulations in the workplace. These were among the issues highlighted by Megamas Training Company Sdn Bhd, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Senior Consultant Joseph De Guzman Quezon, in his talk held in conjunction with World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2016 recently. The event was co-hosted by the Department of Labour at the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Institute of Health Sciences of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).
As stated in the Energy and Industry Department at the Prime Minister’s Office’s (EIDPMO) Information Sheet on Workplace Safety and Health Order, an employer needs to decide what could harm employees in their jobs and identify the precautions or assess the risks and brief employees on how risks can be controlled and who is responsible.
Employers must also provide employees free safety and health training needed for the job and free necessary equipment and protective clothing to ensure employees are looked after and report injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences to the HSE Contact Centre.
They must also provide toilets, washing facilities, drinking water and adequate first aid facilities and work with any other employers or contractors sharing the workplace or providing employees, so that everyone’s safety and health is protected.
Employees must also cooperate with employers on safety and health matters and alert the respective supervisors should there be any lack of precautions that may put a person’s safety and health at serious risk. Should a problem arise, an employer has the right to discuss with their employer, supervisor or HSE representative if they are concerned about their safety and health or they can visit the EIDPMO website for general information about safety and health at work.
The HSE senior consultant also talked on the different examples of causes relating to ‘Working at Height’ incidents and their possible impact to individuals and different companies in various industries.
He also suggested ways to introduce and develop preventive and precautionary measures when performing ‘Working on Height’ activities such as the selection of mechanical equipment or requirements and documentations, consideration for the worker’s training and practice of the Standard Operating Procedures.
The Ministry of Home Affairs with the Prime Minister’s Office are looking to improving the structure of organisation within the government as an initiative to make sure that the policies on rules and regulations on workplace safety and health are adhered to by all.
Borneo Bulletin
3rd May 2016