BINTULU: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) is committed to helping raise the status of occupational safety and health (OSH) in the country through collaboration with local and foreign organisations.
Niosh chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said such collaboration would help Niosh realise its objectives of becoming the centre of excellence in occupational safety and health (OSH), which would benefit Sarawak.
Speaking at Niosh Sarawak’s appreciation dinner at a leading restaurant here on Friday, Lee said the institute had signed a memorandum of collaboration (MoC) with the United Kingdom-based Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) at the 33rd Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organisation Annual Conference (APOSHO 33) in Hong Kong recently.
IOSH is the chartered body for health and safety professionals with over 47,000 members in more than 130 countries, making it the world’s largest body of health and safety professionals.
“Under the MoC, the parties agreed to advance high professional standards and share information and knowledge on principles, competence and best practices across a variety of key OSH areas and issues including community accidents and working at height and confined spaces.
“We will also cooperate on mutually beneficial projects in relation to the further enhancement of members’ professionalism and competence, develop OSH training materials suitable for delivery across Malaysia and the region and explore the provisions of consultancy services to Niosh,” he said.
Lee explained that the collaboration would also benefit Sarawak since IOSH experts would be invited to make presentations and participate in Niosh Sarawak events such as seminars and conferences while at the same time collaborate on research and the dissemination of research findings and share expertise on OSH-related IT developments.
“The MoC is in line with Niosh’s commitment to promote safer and healthier working environment in Malaysia, including Sarawak,” he said.
To further improve OSH standard in Sarawak, Lee said Niosh Sarawak would also offer consultancy services to assist industry players fulfill their responsibilities as stipulated under OSHA 1994 and the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 starting next year.
He added Niosh Sarawak would also move to its new head office at the Advance Technology College (ADTEC) here by March next year.
Among those present at the dinner were Niosh Sarawak regional manager Mohamad Anizan Mohammed Amin, Niosh training and regional senior manager Saupi Nazri Mamat, heads of government departments, community leaders, panel members, vendors and Niosh clients.
