What is OSHA?

TITLE OF THE PROJECT

What is OSHA? Why there is OSHA? Are they needed necessarily? How this system effecting our live as a worker?

Above are few of the questions, which always appear when we involved in the world of architecture or especially constructions. OSHA actually stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration and was created by the U.S Department of labor.

The main responsibility is for the developing and enforcing workplace safety and health regulation. There are hundreds target why these system is being created, but among of all the reason, they came up with 2 main aim which was to save lives, prevent injuries, protect the health of worker and to ensure workers safety and health by working with employers and employees to create a better working environment.

The purpose of these system is to seeks and to assist the majority of employers who want to do the right thing while focusing it’s enforcement resources on sites in more hazardous industries, especially with high injury and illness rates. And in conjunction to succeed the purpose, they provide services through inspection or surveys.

To make OSHA completely success, they come up with a list of objective which was can be use in all countries including Malaysia. The objectives lists are;

a)         Encourage employers and employees to reduce workplace hazard and to implement new also improved existing safety and health programs.

b)         Conduct research to develop innovative ways of dealing with occupational health and safety problems.

c)         Develop mandatory job safety and health standards and enforce them effectively.

d)         Establish training program to increase the number and competence of occupational safety and health personnel.

e)         Maintain a reporting and record keeping system to monitor job-related injuries and illness.

            Since 1971, OSHA has helped to cut workplace fatalities by more than 60% and occupational injury and illness. The fact is, this system can be use in all others counties and the effectiveness is already proven in order to make sure the safety and health condition in the top level and to the environment as well.

            In order to make our self as a student more understand about the situation, we will try to discuss the topic more detail include with the newspaper cutting    (the article given).

Referring to the newspaper cutting, the title ‘LAWS DON’T MATCH THE TIMES’ is the topic that people were taking about the safety at construction sites especially after the incident which was taking the life of Dr Liew Boon Horng.

            After the death of Dr Liew, peoples were trying to finger point to certain parties. Some of them pointing to the contractor whish was claimed fail to follow the procedure of safety in the construction site, but in a small percentage, people also said that it was faith and mistake which was done by the Dr Liew itself.

            So, which one is right? The laws made by human, the humans mistake itself or the laws made by human it right but things happen in the wrong time? All the questions taking part in the incident happen. Human made laws to guiding peoples in any other ways. Basically, all laws are perfect because human done it after detail discussion and agreement by majorities. 

           

            Although laws is the guidance for peoples to follow, accident still happen, this scenario happen is because of human regularly across the laws and type’s of accident sometimes doesn’t match with laws and times. Do we have to rearrange the laws accordingly to times move or we have to convince peoples to follows the laws?.

            It is quite difficult to describe what was happen in case of Dr. Liew actually, but if we refer to the article given, we can see here that society were pointing to the lame system of laws. The failure of humans doing their job properly, not taking laws as the guide and the weakness of government in handling any situation including this case.

            In these day, anything’s can happen, we simply cannot predict accident, even though, laws as the guidance, perfect times of wrong times, proper or not, accident will happen, what we have to do is try to improve the situation or lows from time to time, avoid of all danger consideration and be alert at all times.

ISSUES WHICH BEING DISCUSSED

Referring to the article given, ‘ Lows don’t match the times’, what we can describe here are so many question being brought up in only one issue which is OSHA or DOSH (DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH).

Extremely correct, that each parties will stand for what they believe is right, here, due to Dr liew death and the discussion between Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn with reporter Saiful Azhar Abdullah and Annie Freeda Cruez , few issues has been brought up for us as a student to think and to improve our knowledge for a better future. The issues are: -

a)         The frequently inspections done by the Department of Occupational safety and health carry out at the construction sites.

b)         The cooperation between DOSH, contractors and the workers itself. The knowledge of all parties in terms of awareness and alert on sites situation.

c)         The legal action has been taken by the DOSH against bad contractor, is the fine satisfied? Due to the action, is there problem being prevent?

d)         Which one is the higher level, DOSH or Local Authorities, some of the cases, the DOSH cannot issued any letter of stop-work order. Local Authorities is more responsible on stopping the work. DOSH is only can issue a stop-work order or letter of improvement at the effective site and allow the contractor to continue once the has rectified the problem.

e)         The ranking of the contractor, the capacities, the abilities of the contractor on doing their job properly due to being ranked by the Local Authorities. If problem appear, what is the action by the Local Authorities. Problem keep happens but why contractor ranked E still allowed to continue work and not been blacklisted for all future project.

f)          Future planning involves DOSH, Local Authorities and Contractors to prevent accident, to save life and to gains trust of society.

g)         Possibilities on what happen to Dr.Liew was the workers left the constructions site about 11 am on Friday, and they left the mould hanging without a proper anchor, and right supervision.

VIEW & COMMENT

Referring to the article given, ‘ Lows don’t match the times’, the focusing on conquering the problem could be solved by taken few view and comment by the Human Resources Minister as the knowledge for student to discuss.

a)         Suggestion to Local Authorities on few bad companies who was being ranked E to be revoked and they be blacklisted for all future project.

b)         The attitude between the contractor and the worker itself, DOSH has been doing their job nicely by doing inspections minimum 3 times a year and sometimes surprises checking when they got complaints from the public. Checking. But there’s no point doing checking, even every week if they ‘curi makan’ when the DOSH leave.

c)         Responsibilities has to be a thought of management. All parties has to provided some obligation in the right way.

d)         Government has to be more aware on all things in any circumstances. Be tougher on blacklisted contractor. There’s no point of fine if they simply can pay it, pushed to jail sentences instead.

e)         First things has to be done in the first half hour of every morning is to do risk analysis and the last half hour of the work day should be spent on cleaning up the workplace.