High time to comply with OSHA

I REFER to the report “Businesses in a bind over safety” (The Star, July 9). As a health and safety advocate, it is difficult for me to accept the reasons offered by trade associations, particularly from SMEs, that they are either still in the dark about the new occupational safety and health rules or do not have the resources to comply with the provisions.

According to the SME Corporation Malaysia, SMEs in this country encompass the service, construction, manufacturing, agricultural, fishery and forestry, and the mining and quarry sectors. Each sector has at least one trade association that they could join as members.

SME associations should be reminded that the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) was not enacted yesterday. OSHA was enacted in 1994 and has been in force for more than 30 years now. So, the associations should ask themselves what they have done to help their members comply with the Act instead of offering the same excuses to explain their recalcitrance.

Is there an active committee in the respective associations to deliberate ways to enhance their members’ awareness of safety or to advise them to comply with the Act’s legal requirements?

As for the claim by the associations that their members lack the resources to meet the safety requirements, may I ask which organisation does not have this problem?

I have observed the implementation of the OSHA since its inception, including the establishment of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In its early days, NIOSH tried to assist SMEs by offering free training on health and safety issues. Unfortunately, there were few takers because SME employees were mostly multi-functional. This meant that when staff were sent for training, the company had to get others to do their work for the day. In addition, there was fear that after the workers were trained, they would be poached by other companies.

I believe this is the real issue behind SMEs’ difficulty in complying with OSHA.

WONG SOO KAN

Petaling Jaya