Sivakumar (centre) at the closing ceremony of the two-day Vision Zero Seminar 2023 held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur. — SS Kanesan/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) has developed a guideline to assist ehailing and p-hailing companies to improve road safety and lower the high number of traffic accidents involving gig workers and the self-employed.
Formulated with the Department of Standards Malaysia, the guideline is called The Malaysian Standard (MS) 2756 : 2023 “Good Practices for Platform Providers in Implementing Work-Related Road Traffic Safety Management” or MS 2756.
It is the first standard guideline to be published on road safety management with a systematic and flexible approach designed for gig economy platform operators.
Human Resources Minister V. Sivakumar said MS 2756 was successfully developed with experts and various stakeholders including government agencies, research institutes, academicians and industry players.
He said that Perkeso does not only undertake compensation and contributions but also focuses on accident prevention and promoting the health and well-being of workers.
He said the number of accidents involving workers remains alarming.
Sivakumar said last year, Perkeso recorded 72,149 cases of accidents involving its members.
He said 45.7% or 32,976 cases were commuting accidents or accidents that occurred when workers were travelling to and from work.
Sivakumar said while deaths from industrial accidents were at 281, there were 651 fatalities from commuting accidents.
According to Perkeso’s accident statistics under its social security scheme for the self-employed, there was a 158.9% rise in accidents involving goods and passenger transportation last year where 1,872 cases were reported compared to 723 cases in 2021.
“This is alarming because at an average of three deaths that were reported to Perkeso per day, two are a result of commuting accidents,” said Sivakumar.
“The Human Resources Ministry is very serious about reducing accidents among Malaysian workers.
“Human factor was identified as the primary cause of many of the accidents,” he said during the closing ceremony of the two-day Vision Zero Seminar Malaysia 2023, which was held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur.
The objective of the Vision Zero seminar, which was themed Safety and Well-being at Work, is to promote a culture of safety and well-being in workplaces.
Sivakumar said the seminar discussed topics ranging from occupational safety and health to mental well-being.
“Vision Zero is not just a concept, it is a philosophy, a commitment and call to action.
“The core of it is a belief that no serious injury or loss of life is acceptable.
“This philosophy challenges us to rethink our strategies and to go beyond traditional boundaries and to strive for a culture of prevention in the workplace where occupational accidents, injuries and diseases are not inevitable but preventable,” he said.
