KUALA LUMPUR, June 12- Mental health issues at the workplace should be given due attention as productivity of the staff of any organisation depends on their mental health.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye (photo) said urgent steps needed to be taken to address mental and health issues at the workplace involving employers, employees and the relevant authorities.
“In this regard, the government should introduce guidelines for promoting mental and health issues at the workplace in order to contribute towards a healthier and productive workforce, both mentally and physically,” he said when launching the Occupational Safety & Health Campaign 2013 organised by RHB Bank, here, today.
Also present were RHB Bank Berhad chairman Tan Sri Azlan Zainal and its group managing director, Kellee Kam.
Lee said employers should look into the issue because neglecting mental health and psychosocial factors at the workplace was not only detrimental to the individual worker, but would also directly affect productivity, efficiency and output of any enterprise.
Lee said employers should also use the safety and health committee at the workplace to examine and identify problems pertaining to the promotion of mental care at the workplace.
He noted that although there was a decline in the average number of industrial accidents from 10 per 1,000 workers in 1997 to 4.52 in 2007 and 3.31 in 2012, Malaysia should strive against the benchmark of developed countries which only had one to two accidents per 1,000 workers.
The three-day campaign involves health awareness programmes including talks and training sessions as well as a blood donation drive held at the RHB Centre in partnership with various organisations and authorities.
– BERNAMA
