KUANTAN: A majority of occupational diseases are noise-related hearing disorders, says the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).
It added that of the total 2,042 cases of occupational diseases reported in the first five months of this year, 1,273 cases (62.3%) were occupational noise-induced hearing loss, which was alarming.
“Hearing loss due to occupational noise is one of the occupational diseases that must be reported to DOSH by employers and occupational health doctors under Occupational Safety and Health (Noise Exposure) Regulations 2019.
“The government takes occupational diseases seriously because it has negative implications on the economic and social aspects that must be borne by the workers, families of the patients, employers and the country,” said a Bernama report.
For the record, in 2019, 5,699 cases were confirmed as occupational noise-related hearing disorders.
The statement was issued in conjunction with the Seminar and Launch of the Guideline on Management of Occupational Noise-Related Hearing Disorders which was officiated by DOSH deputy director-general (occupational safety) Mohd Anuar Embi at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (UIAM) here yesterday.
According to DOSH, the guidelines aim to help the industry and medical practitioners, especially OHD, manage related cases, among them in the aspects of reducing and preventing, reporting issues more quickly and helping employers, employees and OHD in the process of claiming occupational compensation.
The guidelines also aim to assist DOSH in monitoring and enforcement activities related to noise exposure hazards in the workplace, primarily related to the Occupational Safety and Health (Noise Exposure) Regulations 2019 and Industry Practice for Occupational Noise Exposure Management and Hearing Conservation 2019.
DOSH also stated that the process of developing the guidelines began in 2019 with the participation of various related organisations such as the Social Security Organisation (Socso), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh), Petronas, the Academy of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Malaysia (AOEMM), and the Malaysia Occupational Health Practitioners Association (MOHPA).