Workplace injuries and risk reduction practices in Malaysia

Introduction: This study on workplace injuries and risk reduction practices was part of the Malaysia National Health Morbidity Survey III (NHMS III) conducted in 2006. Methods: This cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted to determine the incidence of workplaces injuries and assess the magnitude of some important risk reduction practices among workers. Data were gathered through face-to-face household interviews using a pre-coded questionnaire. Results: Of the 22 880 eligible respondents, 88.2% (20 180) responded. The incidence rate for injuries at the workplace was 4.9 per 100 (95% CI: 4.6-5.2). The overall proportion of workers who had received occupational safety and health (OSH) training before or within 1 month of starting work was 33.6%. Among respondents who perceived that personal protective equipment (PPE) was required at their workplace, only 38.9% (95% CI: 37.8-39.4) were provided with it by their employers. Discussion: Further studies are urgently needed to identify reasons for and management of the low uptake of risk reduction practices. This issue needs to be addressed to ensure the safety and health of our working population.