KUALA LUMPUR: A successful workplace should not be measured solely by productivity, profits or whether it meets its targets, but by whether workers can return home safely and in good health, says safety advocate Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
Lee said workplace accidents could stem from obvious hazards such as chemicals, electricity, working at heights and vehicles, as well as less visible risks including fatigue, stress, excessive workloads, poor ergonomics, bullying, harassment and other psychosocial factors.
“Whether we work in a factory, construction site, office, hospital, school, warehouse, plantation or government department, risks exist.
“The question is not whether accidents can happen. The question is: what are we doing to prevent them?” he said when contacted on Saturday (Oct 3).
Lee said accidents were rarely simply “accidents”, as many incidents were linked to unsafe conditions, inadequate training, poor supervision, fatigue, weak communication or failure to learn from previous incidents.
He stressed that prevention must come before reaction, with employers required to identify hazards, assess risks and put controls in place before workers were injured.
“Safety inspections, risk assessments, maintenance, safe operating procedures, training, personal protective equipment and emergency preparedness are not bureaucratic requirements. They are life-saving measures,” he said.
Lee also cautioned against organisations taking workplace safety seriously only after an accident had occurred.
By then, he said, a worker could have suffered serious injury, permanent disability or even death, while families could lose their breadwinner and businesses could face productivity losses, compensation costs, legal consequences and reputational damage.
He called for a workplace culture focused on preventing accidents rather than merely investigating them afterwards.
Lee said workplace safety was a shared responsibility involving management, supervisors, workers, contractors and subcontractors.
“Management must provide leadership. Supervisors must provide proper guidance. Workers must follow safe work practices and speak up when they see hazards.
“Contractors and subcontractors must meet the same safety standards,” he said.
He added that workers should be able to report hazards, near misses and unsafe practices without fear of blame or punishment.
Lee also highlighted the importance of mental health in workplace safety, saying stress, burnout, excessive workloads, bullying, harassment and other psychosocial risks could seriously affect workers' wellbeing and performance.
“A healthy worker is not simply someone free from physical injury. It is someone who is physically and mentally able to work safely and effectively,” he said.
Lee said workplace safety should be viewed as an investment rather than a cost, as preventing accidents could reduce medical and compensation expenses, equipment damage, production losses and reputational harm.
More importantly, he said, it could prevent human suffering while improving morale, productivity, employee retention and confidence.
“Safety and productivity are not opposing goals. Safety supports sustainable productivity,” he said.
Lee also urged employers to take near misses seriously, describing them as warnings and opportunities to prevent more serious accidents.
Instead of asking why nothing happened, he said organisations should ask what could have happened and what needed to be done to prevent a recurrence.
He said the focus should be on identifying root causes and preventing recurrence rather than finding someone to blame.
Lee also called on employers to adapt workplace safety measures to changes brought about by automation, artificial intelligence, new technologies, flexible working arrangements and changing workforce demographics.
“New technology should not merely make work faster. It should make work safer,” he said, adding that technology should be used to identify hazards, improve training, strengthen emergency response and reduce workers' exposure to dangerous tasks.
“Ultimately, safety is about culture.
“Rules and regulations are necessary, but rules alone cannot create a safe workplace. We need leadership, commitment and accountability,” he said.
Lee said every manager should regularly ask whether workers were properly trained, risks adequately assessed and controlled, safety procedures followed, hazards reported without fear, contractors meeting required standards, and lessons being learnt from accidents and near misses.
“The true measure of a successful workplace is not simply how much it produces, but how well it protects the people who make that success possible,” he said.
