DON'T CUT COST AT THE EXPENSE OF SAFETY, SAYS NIOSH

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 (Bernama) -- The National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (Niosh) Thursday cautioned employers not to introduce or implement cost-cutting measures at the expense of the safety and health of their employees.

Its chairman, Lee Lam Thye, said that while Niosh realised that
employers would have to take measures to cut costs for their operations arising
from the economic downturn, safety should be a key issue at the workplace.

Companies must not stinge or cut costs when it comes to maintaining a safe
plant and machinery, providing personal protective equipment or even investment
in occupational safety and health in general, he said.

This was because if accidents occurred, lives might be lost and productivity
would be affected and employers would have to endure greater losses in terms of
work stoppage, medical payment, compensation and others, he said in a statement
here.

Lee also said that as workers must be assured of their rights to safe and
healthy work environment, there was a need to provide them with information,
education and training so that they would know how best to protect themselves.

Making the workplace safe was a joint responsibility of both the
employers and the workers, he added.