k-WORKER in OSH

We are now living in the era of Information Technology. The world is moving from the era of hunting activity to agriculture to industrial and now into Information Technology and Knowledge. We are going toward the era of WISDOM. Stephen R. Covey the great contemporary management GURU, has explained in a very thorough and crystal clear about this transition in his latest book; The 8th Habit.
So now, inorder to survive in the GLOBAL competition especially in business, we need k-worker or KNOWLEDGED-WORKER. k-WORKER is a worker who has state of the art knowledge of their job and task, up to date in their skill and competency. The era of who is strong in term of physical is over. Strong worker without knowledge will go no where.
From Occupational health perspective, k-WORKER is a worker who is knowledgable in their job or task, has up to date skill and competency and also has atleast awareness in occupational safety and health(OSH). Awareness in OSH is wildly important if we want to transform our worker to HEALTHY and PRODUCTIVE WORKER. Without awareness (self) in OSH, we will not getting k-WORKER in OSH at all, the knowledge in OSH is depending on the level of awareness in OSH. Both this awareness must exist throughout the Management and the worker. This is the main ingredient of OSH Culture at workplace.
The level of awareness in OSH amongst workers is worrying us. I have seen a lot of workers in my work as Occupational Health Doctor. In my assessment, a lot of them are not aware about their safety and health at workplace, their responsibility under OSHA 1994, their RIGHT under LABOUR LAW, their RIGHT to claim compensation under SOCSO etcetera. Why should this situation happened in this era of Information Technology? Something is going wrong or we are still lagging behind in Information Technology?
I have seen a lot of workers who are not even know what is CSDS or MSDS. If they know, they never READ it. I have seen a lot of workers who carry heavy load - for instance 30 kg for 10 to 20 times per day in their job without knowing that it can cause musculoskeletal injury/disorder  although they already have Low back pain during  their consultation with me. If they know that is the cause of their backpain, they will reply in sad voice; 'WHAT TO DO, THIS IS OUR JOB". or they dont dare to bring the matter to their employer because they scare of being fired. They rather doing a harmful job than being jobless. This is the attitude of majority of the workers in the third world according to one report. It seems to me our workers are lacking of knowledge in OSH, lacking of AWARENESS of their RIGHT as a worker and merely submitting their fate to their employer. This is my observation in my opportunity as occupational health doctor, meeting them with their problems. I feel sad. I think we have a lot of job ahead to accomplish inorder to create a contagious state of awareness in OSH. This is our CAUSE; to CREATE MEANING so that the workplace will become a SAFE WORKPLACE, to empower worker to become HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE WORKER and to enhance PROFIT to the organization through SAFETY AND HEALTHY CULTURE at workplace. It is a very tough mission, there are a lot of tribulations ahead BUT with passion and courage, sooner or later we will succeed in our meaningful mission for the workers :
HEALTHY WORKFORCE,PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE

THE HEALTH OF YOUR BUSINESS

THE HEALTH OF YOUR BUSINESS

Every biz organization, either multinational or small - medium business, their main GOAL is to get PROFIT every year, increase in the revenue.
However, the PROFIT is only achievable if your business PRIMARY TOOL is in good HEALTH. Your Primary Tool will determine the the HEALTH of your business.
So, what or to be exact WHO is the primary tool of your business? Primary tool is non other than your workforce, your employee or human capital or so called 'MODAL INSAN" in Malaysia lately.
In business the three principle things that keep business going smoothly are:
1. Primary Tool or HUMAN CAPITAL
2. FINANCIAL CAPITAL
3. PROPERTY CAPITAL.
The wildly important thing of the three is your PRIMARY TOOL. Why? Because your primary tool will determine the status of your Financial Capital and the Safety of your Property capital.
I heard somebody asking, HOW?
If your primary tool is not in the optimum HEALTH or behaving or acting UNSAFELY, the Quality and Productivity of your business will deteriorate. It will cause CACHEXIA to your Financial capital. Your Primary tool can become CANCER to your business if you dont have proper MAINTENACE program for their HEALTH. They will become confused and disorientated, playing UNSAFE ACT and creating UNSAFE CONDITION, the two culprits of any INDUSTRIAL DISASTER. It is like TIMEBOMB, it will jeopardise your PROPERTY CAPITAL and it will cause INFARCT to your FINANCIAL CAPITAL.
So before DISASTER start, with its POOR PROGNOSIS...... It is the time for your organisation to do WORKPLACE HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT and RISK CONTROL. It is a wise and good investment to MANAGE the RISK rather than the SYMPTOMS. 
Make sure your organisation provides HEALTH maintenance program to your PRIMARY TOOL because I believe, and you should believe:
HEALTHY WORKFORCE IS PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE.

My Self

I am the moderator of this blog. Let me introduce myself briefly:

My name is Aini B.Hj.Murni. I was  graduated in medicine from School of Medical Sciences, University of Science Malaysia in 1989. I pursued my postgraduate study in Occupational Health at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2003.
My main cause of starting this blog is to help you to understand occupational health and safety so that we can create a meaning in our organisation - we want to make it more conducive so that we can perform our job more efficiently and increase our productivity and maintain our product or service quality without adverse effect on our health and safety.
My mantra is:
"HEALTHY WORKFORCE, PRODUCTIVE WORKFORCE"

OSH News

My Activities...........
On Wednesday, 14th June, 2006, I gave health talk to SHELL TIMUR SDN BHD, Kuching as one of the activities of their Health, Safety & Environmental(HSE) week from 12 - 16th June, 2006. I was invited to give health talk on two topics :- 1. Stress Management 2. Basic Egonomics. I will post the pdf version of my slides and will give you the link to download it in my next posting.
On 17th June, 2006 I attended a preview talk on NIOSH's new education program called Executive Diploma in Ocupational Safety and Health ( EDOSH ). The preview was given by NIOSH Bintulu Executive Manager, Ir. Daud Sulaiman at their new Office at Jalan Petanak, opposite the Petanak Central Market, Kuching, Sarawak.

What is Occupational Health ?

Occupational Health is a branch of Preventive Medicine.
According to ILO/WHO Committe on Occupational Health : Occupational Health is -
Promotion and Maintenance of the physical,mental and social levels of staff in all work sectors: Prevention from illnesses and diseases due to workplace or process; Protection from risks at work: Placement of workers in environments and job tasks suitable to their physiological and psychological capabilites.
I called this 4P approach: PROMOTION, PREVENTION,PROTETCTION AND PLACEMENT.

Inorder to achieve these functions, the following are the acitivities or what is normally called - OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES:

1. Preemployment & Preplacement medical examination
2. Baseline and Periodic Medical Surveillance Examination for USECHH 2000
3. Statutory Medical Surveillance Examination for : Lead, Asbestos, Mineral Dust, radition and Noise
4. Workplace Health Risk Assessment and Management (WHRAM)
5. Alcohol and Drug Free Workplace Program
6. Quit Smoking Program
7. Ergonomics Awareness Program
8. Health Promotion at Workplace

The needs of occupational health activity is different from organisation to organisation due to the nature of its business activity. So inorder to have an effective occupational health program, it should be customised-tailored according to the needs of that organisation.

CENDEKIAOHS First Blog

This is the first blog written by me for CendekiaOHS - a startup blog with the main focus to help your organisation: Maintaining the Health of Your Business. With that main cause, I am providing news, opinion and advice on any occupational health and safety issues. My main objective is to make sure your organisation has Healthy Workforce hence Productive Workforce. That is my main mission.
Hope this blog will help you understand more the important of health and safety issue at your workplace,so stay tune.