PETALING JAYA: There has been a sharp drop in occupational deaths and workplace accidents over the last 10 years due to awareness campaigns and close monitoring by the authorities.
The Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) said this was a positive development despite the local workforce consistently growing annually.
According to DOSH, the average non-fatal accident rate in 2013 was 3.28 cases for every 1,000 workers but it had gradually dropped by 24% to 2.46 in 2023.
As for occupational fatalities, the average rate of 4.62 deaths for every 100,000 workers in 2013 plunged by 54% or 2.05 deaths in 2023.
DOSH said the population of both local and foreign workers nationwide increased from 15.06 million in 2021 to 15.8 million in 2023.
On cases of industrial accidents and deaths in the past three years, the department said a total of 21,534 cases and 301 deaths were reported in 2021.
There were 34,216 cases and 317 deaths in the following year.
DOSH said in 2023, the number of cases went up to 38,950 with 324 deaths.
Female workers only made up about 2% of the total number of fatalities between 2021 and 2023, while 55% of those killed were foreign workers.
In addition, about 16% of the occupational injury cases involved foreign workers.
Cases of injuries were highest among those in the age groups of between 20 and 24, and 60 and 64.
The same age groups also had the highest number of occupational deaths in 2023.
DOSH said most injuries from occupational accidents involved the upper body, followed by the lower extremities (refers to the legs from the hip to the toes) and torso.
The most common causes of the accidents reported were due to stepping or bumping into dangerous objects or getting hit by falling objects, followed by falling.
“The manufacturing, construction and service industries reported the highest number of workplace accidents and deaths,” the department said.
As for occupational diseases and disorders, DOSH said hearing problems and hearing disorders caused by workplace noise pollution were the highest and most common.
This was followed by musculoskeletal disorders and ailments caused by biological diseases.
Data also showed that the majority of those afflicted with diseases and disorders were from the age group of 30 and 39.
DOSH said the latest statistics for 2024 are being compiled and will be released to the public soon.
