SANDAKAN: The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) had issued some 54 compound notices from January to November this year in Sabah.
According to DOSH Director General Datuk Dr Ir Johari Bin Basri, a total of RM192,500 in compounds has been collected.
“The compound notices were issued to employers who failed to comply with the rules under the Factories and Machinery Act (FMA), such as failing to register their construction sites or to get a permit to occupy factories.
“In this state, for prosecution cases from January to November this year, a total of 29 cases had been resolved with fines of RM368,500 and among the cases included fatal accidents and permanent disability in the workplace and failure to report fatal accidents,” he said.
Speaking at the Occupational Safety and Health Seminar at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel yesterday, he admitted that due to the department’s enforcement activities, fatal accidents in workplaces are decreasing even though the industrial sectors in Sabah are developing.
His speech was delivered by DOSH State Director Ir Mohamad Razak Bin Ismail.
Meanwhile, commenting on enforcement, 2,363 non-factories workplaces have been audited, including financial and insurance firms, hotels, farming and agriculture, general sectors, transportation, retail and wholesale and forestry and fishery.
“The audits shows that safe working environment practice still needs improvement in the management aspect.
“In order to help these non-factories industries various initiatives have been implemented by the department such as a mentor-mentee programme, compliance support, door to door programme and ‘umbrella’ programme,” he added.
The government, through DOSH, has taken several approaches to overcome occupational safety and health issues in this country.
To ensure enforcement activities are carried out effectively in Sabah, two DOSH branch were established in Sandakan and Tawau. Both branches have started operation earlier this year and have extend its services to local customers.