Mobile simulators to cut workplace risks
Published on: Wednesday, August 05, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: The risk faced by Sabah workers in confined spaces, especially those in oil and gas, construction, telecommunications and sewerage, even oil palm industries would be reduced, thanks to the availability of mobile simulators, said the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh)."The mobile simulators for Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan had been sanctioned last year, and currently we are in the process of appointing the right contractors," said Niosh Sabah and Labuan Regional Office Manager Mohd Hussin Abd Salam (pic), adding that the relevant industries had no reason to avoid undergoing competency training.He said certain industries needed to send their workers for competency training to obtain the permit required by the law to carry out their jobs. The industry players were required to obtain permits by their own means for their employees to be exposed to high-risk environments.
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"For example, Telekom workers who need to enter manholes for work, had to undergo two training, the gas tester and authorised entrance, before they could enter, while oil palm plantations had boilers that need to be maintained by the worker," he explained.Sabah had been lacking the facilities to conduct training simulating certain extreme work conditions, which was required by the law, added Hussin, who was at Niosh's Raya celebration at Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa on Tuesday.The term confined spaces refers to spaces that had limited openings for entry and exit, unfavourable ventilation which could contain or produce dangerous air contaminants, and which is not intended for continuous employee occupancy. Examples of confined spaces include storage tanks, compartments of ships, process vessels, pits, silos, reaction vessels, boilers, ventilation and exhaust ducts, sewers, tunnels, underground utility vaults and pipelines.
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The mobile simulators, which would be in the form of trucks, would aid in providing the competency training to the companies involved, Hussin said.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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According to Niosh, the number of industrial accidents that occurred from January to June 2015 stood at 478.
