Intro Occupational Safety and Health

What is occupational health and safety?
Occupational health and safety is a discipline with a broad scope involving many specialized fields.

Should aim at:
The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations.
The prevention among workers of adverse effects on health caused by their working conditions.
The protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health.
The placing and maintenance of workers in an occupational environment adapted to physical
and mental needs.
The adaptation of work to humans.
In other words, occupational health and safety encompasses the social, mental and physical
well-being of workers.

HISTORY

1. Boiler Safety Era - before 1914
    Occupational in Safety and Health duties are the first carried out in Malaysia in the year 1878, where Mr.. William Givan was appointed as Machinery Inspector. He was assigned to check the safety of the boiler when is mainly used in tin mines. At around the 1890s, the Perak state government has implemented inspection system by individuals, which a person qualifications in the
field of steam boilers is licensed to be a boilers surveyor. In 1892 there were 83 steam boilers in Perak. The Boiler Surveyor system was discontinued in 1900 as C. Finchman appointed as
Inspector of boiler. The first Legal boiler enacment is Selangor Boiler Enactment 1892. Meanwhile in Perak, Legislation was first enacted in 1903. In 1908 the State's then-Federated Malay States legislation has their own boilers, and all the examiners at that time known as the 'Inspector of boiler.

2. Machinery Safety Era - 1914 to 1952
    At 1st. January 1914, enactments of the steam boiler in the Malay States was repealed and replaced with Machinery Enactment of 1913. Enactment of 1913, inspectors were not only inspection of steam
boilers, but also on other machinery, including internal combustion engines, water turbines and related auxiliary equipment installation. At the same time the position of Boiler Inspector also abolished and replaced by the Inspectors of Machinery and Assistant Inspector of Machinery. In 1932, Machinery Enactment of 1913 was repealed and replaced with Machinery Enactment of 1932.
 Inspection and registration and inspection of the installation were enforced. The inspectors of machinery is in under the administration of the Mines Department (Machinery branch). This was because most of the machinery concentrated in the mining sector at that time.

3. Industrial Safety Era - 1953 to 1967
    Machinery Branch is under the Department of Mines until 1952. Branch Machinery (Machinery) has been separated from the Department of Mines and assumed the name of the Machinery
Department. Separation is necessary because most of the developed examination outside of the mining industry. In 1953, all machinery used in the enactment has been repealed and replaced with Machinery Ordinace 1953. With the enforcement of Ordinance 1953, the role of the examiner is
not more focused on the safety of boilers or machinery, but also include the safety of workers in factories where machinery was used. Ordinance 1953 has a shortfall in the health aspects workers even though there are regulations on safety, health and workers under the ordinance, but it’s not fully enforced.

4. Industrial Safety and Health Era - 1970 to 1994
    The new legislation enacted Occupational Safety and Health at 1994. Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514) has been approved by the Parliament in 1993 and was gazetted 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. Workers engaged under the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 only 24% of the total workforce, while the Internal Security Act
and Health Act 1994 cover 90% of energy work and would exempt those working on ships and military.

5. Occupational Safety and Health Era -after 1994
    Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 is aimed to foster and promote safety awareness
among health workers and also create organization with effective safety and health regulations. This is done through self-regulation scheme that relevant to the industry or related organizations.

****more info click link in AW101 page