Chapter 1: Principles Of OSH

Thursday, 27 October 2022 9:31 PM

In ancient times
• Awareness of occupational health in the ancient world.
• Hippocrates (460-370 BC) observed lead poisoning in miners
• Pliny the Elder (23 – 79 AD) recommended miners use respiratory protection
1700
• Bernardino Ramazzini published De Morbis Artificum Diatriba (Diseases of Workers)
• First book written specifically about occupational diseases & work related risk prevention

British Industrial Revolution (1760-1840)

• Brought about a huge rise in work-related accidents and illnesses
• 1775 – First occupational link to cancer found (high exposure to soot)
• 1831 – Charles Turner Thackrah – wrote The Effects of the Principal Arts, Trades, and Professions and of the Civic States and Habits
of Living, on Health and Longevity.
• 1833 – First factory inspectors were appointed
• 1843 – Mines inspectorate war formed
• 1895 – Quarry Inspectorate was formed

History of OSH in Malaysia

• Occupational safety and health activities in Malaysia have been taking place for the last 120 years, beginning in the late 19th
century.

Codified Regulations
• Steam boiler safety
• Machinery safety
• Industrial Safety
• Industrial Safety & Hygiene
• Occupational Safety & Health
• Preventative safety & health culture

Bioler Safety Era (before 1914)

1878
• Safety activities first began in Malaysia
• William Givan – appointed as Machinery Inspector - assigned to inspect the safety aspects of steam boilers, mostly used in
tin mines.
1890s
• Perak state government created system of inspection by individual surveyors (Licensed persons with steam boiler related
qualifications)
1892
• 83 steam boilers in Perak. 77 were in tin mines, 6 in sugar factories.
1900
• Boiler Surveyor system was discontinued
• C. Finchman was appointed as Inspector of boilers
• Steam boiler enactments were state oriented.
• Each of the 4 Negeri-negeri Melayu Bersekutu (Perak, Selangor, Pahang, N. Sembilan) used its own steam boiler law.
1892
• The first steam boiler law - Selangor Boiler Enactment.
1903
• In Perak, steam boiler law was legislated.
1908
• Negeri-negeri Melayu Bersekutu had a uniform steam boiler law that was enforced by inspectors of boilers.

Machinery Safety Era (1914-1952)

• 1 January 1914, the steam boiler enactments of the Allied Malay States were abolished and replaced with Machinery Enactment of
1913.
• Inspectors now not only inspect steam boilers, but also inspect machinery, including self-combustion engines, water turbines and
related auxiliary machinery
• The job Inspector of Boilers was replaced with Inspectors of Machinery and Assistant Inspector of Machinery.
• In 1932, Machinery Enactment of 1913 was abolished and replaced with Machinery Enactment 1932.
• Registration and inspection of the installation were enforced.
• The Inspectors of machinery were under the administration of the Mineral Department (Machinery branch).
• This was because most of the machinery concentrated in the mining sector at that time.
 Machinery Safety Era (1914-1952)
• 1 January 1914, the steam boiler enactments of the Allied Malay States were abolished and replaced with Machinery Enactment of
1913.
• Inspectors now not only inspect steam boilers, but also inspect machinery, including self-combustion engines, water turbines and
related auxiliary machinery
• The job Inspector of Boilers was replaced with Inspectors of Machinery and Assistant Inspector of Machinery.
• In 1932, Machinery Enactment of 1913 was abolished and replaced with Machinery Enactment 1932.
• Registration and inspection of the installation were enforced.
• The Inspectors of machinery were under the administration of the Mineral Department (Machinery branch).
• This was because most of the machinery concentrated in the mining sector at that time.

Industrial Safety Era (1953-1967)

1952
• Machinery Branch split from Mineral Department and renamed the Machinery Department.
○ Necessary because most inspections had progressed to other industries besides mining
1953
• All machinery enactments used in various states were abolished and replaced with Machinery Ordinance 1953.
○ With this Ordinance, the role of the examiner is not limited to steam boilers or machinery, but also included all
aspects of factory workers safety where those machinery was being used.

• Ordinance 1953 fell short in aspects of workers health due to lack of enforcement, even through there were regulations on safety,
health and workers under the ordinance
• The main provisions of the ordinance were as follows:
◊ Establishment of a Board of Inspectors with powers to conduct inspections and to approve certificates of fitness;
◊ Regulations can be made;
◊ Only machinery with approval certificates can be use;
◊ Only approved persons can operate machineries;
◊ Approval from Inspections must be given before a machine can be licensed or be modified;
◊ All accidents to person or property relating to machinery must be notified and investigated;
◊ No person should be acting in a manner that could cause injury to others;
◊ All non-complying machinery should not be sold, borrowed or rented; and
◊ Inspectors are given powers to enter premises and to stop unsafe machineries.
• Until 1964, there were 786 steam boilers, 4537 unfired pressure vessel, 981 hoisting machines and 11366 other installations.
• The staffs of Machinery Department consisted of 10 Inspectors which were made up of mechanical engineers, 5 Assistant Inspectors
which were holders of engineering diploma and lastly 5 Factory Inspectors (Technicians).

Industrial Safety and Health Era (1970-1994)

• In 1967, the Factories and Machinery Act was approved by Parliament.
• In 1970, the Factories and Machinery Act and eight regulation made under it were enforced.
• Machinery Ordinance 1953 was repealed and the name of the department was changed the Factories and Machinery.
• The inspectors who enforce the Act were called Factories and Machinery Inspectors.
• This Act is designed to overcome the weakness of found in the Machinery Ordinance 1953, in terms of scope of coverage of workers,
where workers in the workplace is no machinery are also covered
Occupational Safety & Health Era ( after 1994)

◊ The new legislation endorsed Occupational Safety and Health at 1994.

◊ Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514) has been approved by the Parliament in1993 and was gazette on
February 1994.

◊ This legislation was made in view of the Factories and Machinery 1967 only covers occupational safety and health in the
sector manufacturing, mining and quarrying and construction, which safety and health of workers in the other industries
do not covered.

◊ Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 is aimed to foster and promote safety awareness among health workers and
also create organizational with effective safety and health regulations.

◊ This is done through self-regulation scheme that relevant to the industry or related organization

Definitions
safety • referred to as the prevention of accidents, particularly those resulting in physical injury.

health • disease outbreak prevention often involves a long period of time. It involves reducing the risk of chemical,
physical and biological agents that cause disease and illness.

The term • often used together as interrelated and often are misinterpreted.

Safe • The condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury or loss.

Hazard • A hazard introduces the potential for an unsafe condition, possibly leading to an accident.

Risk • The probability or likelihood of a Hazard resulting in an accident.

Incident • Undesired situation that produces the potential for an ACCIDENT

Accident • An accident is an unplanned event, which could result in injury, illness or death to persons, and/or in damage to
plant, equipment, property or the environment. (James, D.W.B., 1983,5)

Accident • Accident cost includes medical Payments, Compensation, overtime for replacement workers, production delays,
 Hazard • A hazard introduces the potential for an unsafe condition, possibly leading to an accident.

Risk • The probability or likelihood of a Hazard resulting in an accident.

Incident • Undesired situation that produces the potential for an ACCIDENT

Accident • An accident is an unplanned event, which could result in injury, illness or death to persons, and/or in damage to
plant, equipment, property or the environment. (James, D.W.B., 1983,5)

Accident • Accident cost includes medical Payments, Compensation, overtime for replacement workers, production delays,
Cost product or material damage, training of replacements, accidents investigation cost, building or complex
damages, equipment damages and business interruptions. (Boley, Jack W. 1977,19).

Occupational Safety and Health?

• cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment as well as
others that may be affected by the work activities.

Importance of Safety In Workplace

• Works plays a central role in people’s lives.

• Most workers spend at least 8 hours a day in workplace (Plantation, office, factory etc)

• Therefore, work environment should be safe and health.

• Every day workers all over the world are faced with multitude of health hazard, such as :

► Noise

► Extreme temperatures

► Gases

► Dust

► vibration

• Some employers assume little responsibility for the protection of worker’s health and safety.
As a result of the hazards and a lack of attention given to health and safety, work-related accidents and diseases are common in
all parts of the world.

• Employees can work with minimal risk to their health.

• Protects employees and the employer from death or injury.
• Teaches workers how to work in a safe environment.
• It keeps everyone feel safe and happy
• Teaches the workers to pay attention to their surroundings.
• It prevents companies from law suits.

Types of Accidents
• Fall and crushing • Wet or contaminated conditions
• Result in head injuries, broken bones and major fractures to limbs and even death where the fall
is from height

• Manual handling • Activity that includes lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, moving, holding or restraining
an object, animal or person.
• Musculoskeletal disorders to backs, strains to hands, arms, feet, tendons andheart.

• Workplace traffic • Warehouse depot with heavy goods vehicles and any place of work where people can come and go
accidents in motorized vehicles.
• Struck by a moving vehicle, falling from, or materials falling from, a vehicle and the collapse or
overturning of a vehicle

Others

• Struck by object in motion.

• Drowned, buried, enveloped in gas or airborne particles.

• Fire

• Plant and heavy machinery

• Stabbed by sharp object

• Suffer burns or breathing problems - working with hazardous substances.

How is the workplace evolving?

• Digital revolution has changed how and where people work

 • Stabbed by sharp object

• Suffer burns or breathing problems - working with hazardous substances.

How is the workplace evolving?

• Digital revolution has changed how and where people work

• Many people working alone, becoming an important issue

• Workers in service industry, self-employed, and mobile workers are frequently working alone