SERIAN: Minister of Human Resources, Datuk Seri Richard Riot ak Jaem yesterday morning launched the School Occupational Safety and Health Management Seminar at Serian Community Hall.
Present at the event was National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
In his speech, Lee stressed that the schools must be safeguarded as institutions that were not only safe for educational well-being but also safe working places for all.
“It is in this regard that all sectors of the educational fraternity – from the Department of Education right up to the teachers, school staff, parents and the students – must be embedded with the culture of safety and health at all times,” he emphasised.
The seminar was the second series after the first one was held in Bangi about two months ago. The next one is scheduled to be held at the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia.
The focus on the seminar organised by NIOSH in collaboration with the Ministry of Education is safety and health in all parts of the school, namely, the structural building, the classrooms, toilet, canteens, laboratories and so forth.
“We want to ensure that all schools are safe from any form of collapse due to wear and tear. In other words, the whole idea is to make schools free from any form of danger upon the pupils/students, teachers, school staff, parents and members of the public,” Lee pointed out.
After Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in schools was initiated by NIOSH some eight years ago under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994, the Ministry of Human Resources and the Ministry of Education forged a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to collaborate in organising the Occupational Safety and Health Management Seminar in Schools in series throughout the nation.
Serian District Education Officer, Yunus Ahok also spoke at the event.
Riot, who was afflicted with severe sore-throat, had his speech read by the Deputy Secretary-General (Operations) of the Ministry of Human Resources, Datuk Mohd Elias Abu Bakar.
