CURRENT ISSUES IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA

CURRENT ISSUES IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA

This article discusses current issues related to occupational safety and health at construction sites, human resources, expertise and manpower training programs in occupational safety and health in the construction industry

One of the measures to assist countries in their efforts to develop the image of the construction industry is to provide a safe working environment. As is often the scene of an accident occurring in the construction sector has resulted in the loss of so many people and property losses of millions of dollars each year in this country

· Accident Issues Construction Industry

o Quality and safety are two important issues in the construction industry today. ISO 9000 has been actively promoted by the rate in the construction industry to ensure the quality of construction was completed by the contractor. In addition to the quality factor, the need to provide a safe working environment can not be ignored in the construction industry the situation is risky. The more complex projects, safety has become an important issue to ensure the safety of life and property secure. Many developed countries like the UK and Australia gazette safety certification regulations in the employment practices of contractors at construction sites. Revolution and change in the management of security systems have made it a mandate in the practice of safe practices can be managed effectively (Low, et al., 2000). The construction industry is still practicing the process labor intensive (labor intensive) based on wet work trades (wet trades). This is a major contributing factor to the low quality of work as the workforce carrying out this work is skilled and trained.

· Security Practices In Construction Site

o Implementation of safety practices at construction sites should be practiced by all parties involved in the construction industry seeks to prevent accidents from occurring at construction sites. The Government has enacted the Act to ensure the safety a priority at construction sites, such as the Factories and Machinery Act 1967. Later, the Occupational Safety and Health Act was enacted in 1984 to enhance the effectiveness and improve safety practices in the construction industry (A. Abdeli, 1994). In the construction site safety management, various costs allocated to ensure an adequate level of security and to guarantee the performance of work at construction sites are not disturbed by the accident (Mac Collum, 1993).

· Accident

o Accident is a condition or situation that occurs without control resulting in injury and damage. In the construction industry accidents resulting in injury, death, damage tomachinery, building materials, etc. associated with this industry. Ridley (1983) state theearliest definition put forward by Lord March Naughton in the case of Fenton v. Thorley &Co.. Ltd (1903) AC 443 which held that a matter of preventing unwanted or reflected in over a normal job in the newspaper sense, it is an accident that can not be expected or realizedby the victim. Definitions obtained from 40 research made ​​by Ridley (1983) generalaspects, legal, medical, scientific and security literature has produced precise definition of accident.

· Problem Accident In Construction Industry

o Rapid development of this emerging economy has certainly many benefits to all Malaysians. However, we also recognize that with the side effects that must be overcome.One of them is increased danger or risk in the workplace as a result of the use of materials, equipment and sophisticated processes and many at this time. Of course these risks effectively controlled to ensure productivity and quality of work in the construction industry can always be maintained at high levels (Embong Ludin, 1995). High accident in the construction sector can lead to loss of national manpower and loss of property worththousands of millions of dollars each year. In the construction industry, most cases occur in the workplace injury was caused by workers not given adequate safety training or did notreceive training (Grossman, 1996).