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Occupational Health and Safety Day 2021

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6,300 fatalities due to work-related accidents or illnesses every day, over 2.3 deaths per year and 317 million accidents occur in the workplace reported annually. Many of these resulting in extended absences from work. According to the Minister of Health, the economic burden of poor occupational safety and health practices is estimated at 4 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product each year. If health care systems promote health and safety at the workplace and provide good-quality occupational health services to the workforce, work-related exposures and risks can be minimized. Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr. Haji Awang Mohammad Isham bin Haji Jaafar voiced the matter at the Occupational Health and Safety Day 2021 at Jerudong Park Medical Centre, yesterday morning. The Minister of Health said risk assessment and audit are two most effective tools to assess the compliance of occupational health and safety program. These tools are very useful for the success and prevention of work-related health care incidents.

Yang Berhormat stressed that in the context of COVID-19, occupational health and safety committee should collaborate closely with Infection Prevention and Control, IPC. IPC committee to institute Infection Prevention and Control policies and procedures in accordance with the Ministry of Health's guidance. Both committee should regularly carry out workplace risk assessment for exposure to other risks for health and safety at work amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic and assess the effectiveness of preventive measures.

The World Day for Safety and Health at Work theme for this year as set by the International Labour Organization is "Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises and invest now in resilient Occupational Health and Safety System". It is to acknowledge the impact that the global COVID-19 pandemic has had on the working lives and the importance of building and effective, resilient, and adaptable Occupational and Safety framework. The event aims to adopt preventive measures at the workplace to ensure the health of people at all levels, where governments, employers and workers actively participate in securing a safe and healthy working environment.

Source: Radio Television Brunei