FACULTY OF EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE

SEMESTER SEPTEMBER 2012

OUMH 2203

ENGLISH FOR WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION

MATRICULATION NO : 810818095128-002

IDENTITY CARD NO : 810818-09-5128

TELEPHONE NO : 019-4545121

E-MAIL : noorsiah_ahmad@oum.edu.my

LEARNING CENTRE : IPGM KAMPUS PERLIS

 Table of Content

Cover page

1.0 Introduction
1.1 Purpose of the report

2.0 Safety and Health Matters

2.1 Occupational and safety act
2.2 Responsibilities of occupational and safety manager
2.3 Problems
2.4 Solutions

3.0 Conclusion and Recommendations

3.1 Conclusion
3.2 Recommendation

References
 A REPORT ON THE SAFETY REGULATIONS OF PRIMA PAPERMILLS LTD

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Prima Paper Mills is one of leading printing companies in Malaysia. Their profit rate
increased rapidly at the end of the second quarter of this year. Not to be denied, they were
issued printing products represent various production magazines, story books, novels and
others. There are almost 1000 skilled and semi-skilled workers in the company.

1.1 Purpose of the report

Although this company have a performance and also have a very good development,
after series of visits made ,I’ve found out that in the Material and Handling department, the
operators have blatantly disregard and take for granted their safety and health aspects. As
Occupational Health Manager, is to be my responsibility to ensure that all employees comply
with health and safety guidelines. This report is intended to be improved on the existing
regulations in company. It is also an aim to raise awareness between the employer and
employees to work together so that the safety aspect is not only a charter. Every problem that
stated came along with recommendations to solve the problem.

2.0 SAFETY AND HEALTH MATTERS

2.1 Occupational and Safety Act

The Occupational Health and Safety Act is an act that has been enshrined in
legislation to ensure that the right health and safety of the workers are always protected by
law. It includes health, safety and welfare of the employees in an organization especially
when challenging work environment and also at higher risk.

This act was introduced by the Department of Occupational Safety and Machinery
Factory of Ministry of Human Resources following the incident Bright Sparklers fireworks
factory explosion in Sungai Buloh which occurred in 1991. While the occurrence of such
event, dozens of workers trapped and held for 26 people killed in the incident.
After 1994, an act was established and given the name of Occupational Health and Safety
Act. The department began to enforce this Act and subsequently the department name
changed to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health.

There are three main principles that had been taken as the foundation in the drafting
of this Act. The first principle is self-regulation. Employers and employees need to be wise
regulated themselves for a variety of working scenes everyday. The work might be routine
chores but the challenges and risks are not the same and unpredictable. So, everyone must be
extra careful and practice a good safety and health habits. Avoid any hazardous scenes in
working place or risks areas. The employees have to make sure that they can minimise the
risks at their premises by taking every safety and health aspect seriously.

The second principle is consultation. This means that both employers and employees
must tolerate each other. Negotiate and solve the problem fair and peacefully. The employers
should have a spokesman to voice out and discuss with management side about any problem
that occurs amongst them. The management must not take for granted or ignore the report
from the workers because they know better and face the risks every single day.

And the third principle is co-operation, where employers and employees must co-
operate to promote a good practice in working. The employees must provide safe working
areas and together the workers nurture it so the risks of accident can be controlled effectively.
The employers must follow the safety and health policy of the company to make sure they
were safe while working and if accidents still occur, company will be able to claim insurance
for them.

2.2 Responsibilities of an Occupational Health Manager

The main responsibility is to ensure that the workers concerned about safety at work,
such as imposing complete personal protective equipment, operating machinery or machinery
in a safe and so on. The officer also should conduct a detail investigation if there is a
problem or the accident at working place. He is also responsible for handling hazardous
material or equipment. The Occupational Health Manager also must make sure that all
employees comply with security policies set by the company.
2.3 Problems

After doing a series of visits around the factory during operation time, I have found
that employees had ignored many aspects of factory safety without considering the
consequences incurred in the event of an accident. If this situation continues, productivity of
the company will be affected.

The first issue has observed was while the employees operating the machines. When
operating the machines, the workers did not impose safety devices such as helmets, goggles,
gloves, and boots and so on. In addition, the relatively sharp parts of the machine is not
covered or maintained properly. The unguarded nip points or sharp objects are still on while
nobody is using it. Besides that there are many unguarded moving parts of the machines. The
most disturbing thing is that when there are workers who repair the machine while the
machine is operating. There is concern that some employees who repair the damage machine
and in the same time they test it. These situations are very dangerous because the slightest
mistake will cause serious injuries. For examples three workers in India become amputate
after the machines that being repaired was burst and the sharp part of the machine threshed
out.

The second problem is that accidents results from slipping, tripping and falling. The
working place in the factory floor was full of garbage, oil spills and also tools such as
screwdrivers, screws and so on. The floor is not clean or slippery will expose dangers
especially if the workers were not wearing protective equipment. The injuries that can cause
du to this slips, trips and falls are very serious such as back pain, traumatic brain injuries, and
spinal injuries and so on. Besides, as seen they’ve climb the higher parts with bare hands
without put on the safety cling. Number of workers was often seen tripping on items left
lying around on the floor.

Further safety aspect that is overlooked is avowedly is factory transport safety.

Workers should be careful when handling forklift for example. It should be handled with care
during loading, unloading or conveyance activities. Most workers drive a forklift at will and
can endanger the lives of other workers. The unloading areas are also scattered and very
messy. There are number of employees taking advantage of a break in the area.

The last issue is the electrical safety. The incorrect use of electrical equipment in
potentially risk or explosive areas. The electrical should be operating at voltage of 50v AC or
less. Besides that, poor electrical installations and faulty electric appliances are often the root
cause for fire at workplace. As described in the former problem, the machinery is installed
left unused without supervision. The damage wires are not replaced or no warning signs were
placed.

2.4 Solutions to solve problems

After all the problems studied, some measures to reduce or solve the problem once
and for all, steps or guidance may be taken. The workers and the management should take
seriously about the safety aspect because both are the assets of the company to continue
progressing and be more productive.

The first problem mentioned is the operation of the machine which has a sharp part
and dangerous. If the parts cannot be covered closely, a warning sign must be placed during
the operating hours and a skilled worker are always in state of alert. Make sure that all safety
guards are in the machine to be used. In addition, to increase awareness of the workers are,
the management can provide courses and workshops operating heavy or light machinery so
that all employees are aware that the working place can also cause serious accidents if safety
steps are not taken. If the machines are not in use, make sure they were switch off.

So, even if there is a machine that needs o be repaired, turn off the switch before
checking it. Make sure only skilled person fix any problem of the machine. Complete
yourselves with safety equipment before repairing or review any damage. If the machine is
already old, change the machine to the new one. Although this involves high costs, however,
human life should be a priority. If there are a lot of accidents at work, productivity will be
affected as well as the good name of the company will affected too.

To reduce injuries while working, make sure the working area is kept clean and tidy.
Arrange tools or goods by type and don’t leave it lying on the floor. The weigh stacks are
included in boxes. Don’t place things too high for circumstances; this would expose a danger
situation if the things fall. Tidy it nicely or place it in the storeroom. Do cleaning or
housekeeping periodically as cleans up oil spills. Place warning signs if there is a danger
area.
 Ensure only authorized employees shall drive forklift or any factory transports. Or
better yet, give workers course to handle or drive factory transportation safely. Park those
vehicles in a designated area. Be sure to limit the allowed load followed by employees.
Transports with extreme loads will endanger the driver and others.

Accurate method is also important when handling electrical appliances. The

employees are advised to perform regular checks on the power room and report the problem
to the management as soon as possible so that appropriate action can be taken. Apart of
inspecting and testing equipment to be used, should be considered the positions of the socket
and the amount and type of equipment installed thereon. Often, either sockets in
inappropriate positions, causing the trailing wires in rooms, or too many appliances use too
little socket. In such cases there is a risk of fire as well as the risk of shock.

A simple method to ensure the maintenance and inspection of electrical equipment

routinely done is to label and mark the date on all equipment when it is inspected. If the date
on the label indicates the equipment is not inspected within the period specified, such
equipment shall not be used until it has been inspected.

3.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 Conclusion

To ensure the effectiveness of each company's security policy, employees are advised
to report all accidents no matter big or small crash. The entire reported incident would have
greatly helped the company to improve the safety steps and awareness among all the workers.
This aspect will also help employers to track all the employees that have rejected the safety
instructions that have set by the company. Through accident reports made as well, the
company can provide internal security statistics which can help companies improve their
level of safety in the work area.

The employee also must adhere to the safety instructions issued as it is to look after
their safety and well being. Although numbers of workers are still complain and said that they
were uncomfortable with personal protective equipment, however, they should be aware that
all the settings are to minimize accidents at working. The employee is also responsible for
ensuring that the area where they work constantly in an organized and safe from any cause of
the accident.
3.2 Recommendations

According to 2011 statistics the Department of Occupational Safety and Health

Malaysia, a total of 1311 cases were investigated accidents that occur in Malaysia until June
2011. In the same year, a total of 82 deaths and 95 cases of major accidents. The
manufacturing sector is the largest contributor to the total respectively 27 cases and 78 cases.

It is the responsibility of employers and self-employed persons to ensure that

accidents can be prevented by addressing risk of harm in the workplace. In addition, the
selection also taken care workers because the workers are the main energy source for the
complete and high quality product.

There are two main causes of workplace accidents can happen. First is the reason
happened to work. Safe work place and safe from risk of harm to reduce the occurrence of
accidents. Among the unsafe conditions are wet or greasy floors, light work less bright or
over-bright, high temperatures or too low, exposure to dangerous chemicals and others.

Unsafe workplace can be avoided by doing a staggered control measures such as the
elimination of the causes of hazards, hazardous materials substitution to less danger, isolation
or distancing source of danger to workers or the danger of altering something with
engineering methods such as security guards, duplicate switches, or laser detector.

Three things can be established on every employee so that accidents can be avoided
is security training for employees, attitude and awareness of employees on safety and
discipline employees about safety at work.

A skilled and educated worker can carry out their duties and responsibilities
carefully and efficiently. They have the knowledge and know about the things he is doing is
right or not. It can be applied with appropriate training to them in addition to not ignore
safety and health training. When the risk of danger while work can be identified, then the
control measures can be taken into accou
 Second, a good attitude and awareness among employees is also important that full
knowledge in the chest practiced in accordance with the respective religions. As they say a
long time, something of the knowledge and practice is like a beautiful tree, but no fruit. This
point can be applied in a way to remember-remember fellow employees about safety and
health of themselves. In the absence of good communication among employees with
employees or employers and employees, it is to the detriment of all parties.

Third, a society will be looked noble and will be followed by others if they have the
elements of a good and healthy culture. We may not want to follow other people cultural that
cannot give any benefit to us. So the discipline of safety and health at work is an important
aspect so that all parties can avoid accidents. We know how to do the work of brazing is a
danger that can damage vision. But if our culture weld without wearing safety glasses
properly, is it can guarantee no injury can occur to the welders.

It is difficult for us to expect others to take care of our safety and health for all
reasons and causes can occur from you. So, it is our own responsibility and efforts to prevent
accidents from happening that the accident statistics in our country can be reduced and this
will also reduce the monthly payments in the future to SOCSO later.
REFERENCES