INGENIEUR
PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
INGENIEUR
PRESIDENT ’ S MESSAGE
The Department of Occupational Safety and Health ( DOSH ) revealed during the recent Annual General Meeting and Conference Asia Pacific Occupational Safety & Health Organisation ( APOSHO ) 2023 that there were 2.22 workers per 1,000 involved in occupational injuries and 2.06 workers per 100,000 involved in fatal occupational accidents in Malaysia .
Health , Safety and Environment ( HSE ) are critical aspects of engineering and industrial operations . Engineers play a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of people , protecting the environment and complying with regulations . In this regard , engineers are expected to design and implement processes and systems that minimise environmental impact and promote long-term sustainability .
Globally , there is a growing push for harmonised international HSE standards . Organisations like the International Labour Organisation ( ILO ), the World Health Organisation ( WHO ), and the United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP ) play vital roles in setting global expectations . The International Labour Conference in June 2022 , in its Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work , called to include ‘ a safe and healthy environment ’ as the key principle to achieve its objective .
The need to assess and evaluate contractor performance at the work site in respect to safety and health is well explained in the article on ‘ Safety and Health Assessment System in Construction ( SHASSIC )’ which listed five objectives for its enhancement . SHASSIC looks at benchmarking , standard system of assessment , corrective action and data gathering for statistical analysis .
Health , Safety and Environment
The oil and gas industry is reputed to have the highest standards in safety and health in its operations . The concept of Human Factor Engineering ( HFE ) is an important way to address the potential hazards resulting from human errors by integrating this concept into the early stage of facility design . The article on ‘ Current Human Factor Engineering Practices in the Oil and Gas Sector ’ illustrates how it will enhance the operability , maintainability and user acceptance of the facilities and equipment .
Hazard identification in oil and gas plants is equally important and gaining greater emphasis in recent times . Numerous countries have implemented regulations mandating the utilisation of formal hazard identification techniques . The article on ‘ The Crucial Role of HAZOP in the Oil & Gas Industry ’ provides detailed insight into the method of hazard and operability ( HAZOP ) assessment as a systematic and meticulous assessment approach for facilities , processes and operations .
With the recent amendment to the Occupational Safety and Health Act ( Amendment 2022 ) and the introduction of Occupational Safety and Health in Construction Industry ( Management ) OSHCIM , there will be a paradigm shift in the control of work site safety and health . I urge the engineering fraternity to pay special attention to these important new policies that are meant to improve work site safety , provided all stakeholders adhere to their principles and direction .
Safety Begins with You .
Datuk Ir . Ahmad Redza bin Ghulam Rasool President , BEM
8 VOL 96 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2023