KOTA KINABALU: Adhering to existing standard operating procedures (SOP), particularly involving Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), is vital especially in the palm oil sector under Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) to ensure smooth operation.
SLDB General Manager Syaheddrul R Joddari said organisations, particularly SLDB is no stranger in OSH practices at a workplace as it had been part of its foundation in preventing accidents.
He said SLDB had been implementing its OSH policies aimed at safeguarding safety and health and preserving the organisation’s image in the oil palm industry.
By doing so, Syaheddrul said they had been running a special unit for years responsible for overseeing and strictly implementing the organisation’s OSH policies.
“We have our specific unit that handles our OSH policies called the OSH unit. It is led by qualified officers and set up policies that need to be implemented and carried out.
“Sometimes accidents happen, not due to our policies but negligence on the part of personnel (on field) in complying with our OSH guidelines,” he said.
He also said the officers complied with OSH practices and the OSH unit closely monitored annual reports provided by representatives from the oil palm sector to detect weaknesses.
“Adherence to OSH policies is currently at its very best.”
Although there might be some reports on accidents involving OSH, Syaheddrul said they could be due to negligence on the part of workers.
Despite all this, he said the organisation never ignored incidents but gave continuous attention for future planning to ensure that the OSH practices are both maintained and improved when needed.
“We will ensure that people follow the SOP. We want to eradicate accidents if possible. We will try, but this thing will always happen. The best we can do is to always manage and reduce them,” he added.
Recently, it was reported that the agriculture industry in Sabah, particularly the oil palm sector, recorded the highest mishaps aside from the manufacturing and construction industries.
Despite having the lowest rate in Malaysia in terms of accidents or deaths at the workplace, Sabah Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) reported that negligence among workers was to blame in the oil palm sector.
— Jeremy S Zabala
Add Comment