KUALA LUMPUR, 4 September 2013 – The 16th Conference on Occupational, Safety and Health 2013 (COSH) could not have chosen a more appropriate venue than the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (the Centre) given this is an area which the Centre takes very seriously, as demonstrated by the safety and emergency briefing prior to the start of the COSH opening ceremony officiated by YB Datuk Richard Riot Anak Jaem, Minister of Human Resources Malaysia.
“Right from the beginning, when the Centre was still at the planning stage, occupational, safety and health or OSH, was identified as an important component of her Standard Operating Procedures (SOP),” shared Puan Haryati bt Md Haidar, Management System Manager. “This led to the development and eventual implementation of our own Food Safety, Quality, Environment, Safety & Health (FOQESH) Management System by the time we opened for business in June 2005.”
Haryati explained that ensuring the safety of visitors is the main priority of any world-class operation’s SOP. “For this reason, staff awareness and training is crucial. Awareness briefings at every employee orientation is standard practice, as are regular departmental training and briefing sessions to keep team members updated and familiar with safety procedures such as guiding the public to safety in an emergency. A safety briefing video also ensures continuity and consistency in our messaging.”
In addition to OSH, Haryati’s team has a dedicated Safety, Health and Environment Management and Food Safety Management representative to oversee adherence to the Centre’s ISO 9001 (Quality Management System), 22000 (Food Safety Management System), 14001 (Environment Management System), OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System) and EarthCheck Bronze (sustainability certification system) accreditations.
Since beginning operations in 2005, the Centre’s OSH efforts and low incidence track record have been acknowledged by accreditors and industry peers alike. Besides her impressive set of international certifications, the Centre has been awarded the ‘Gold’ AIPC (International Association of Congress Centres) Quality Standards certification – the first facility in Asia to receive the honour, and the National Occupational Safety & Health (NOSH) Excellence Award 2011 in the Business Services category… recognition that not only reaffirms the Centre’s commitment to the overall safety and health aspects at the facility but drives the team to always put safety first.
The Conference on Occupational, Safety and Health is an annual event organised by the National Institute of Occupational, Safety & Health (NIOSH) with the objective to share and update OSH knowledge and skills to meet the dynamic changes in the Malaysian working environment. The three-day 16th Conference on Occupational Safety and Health 2013 saw over 1,700 local and international occupational safety and health professionals in attendance.
