Occupational Diseases and Poisoning Investigation
In 2017, a total of 6020 cases of occupational disease and poisoning have been reported to the Occupational Health Division as compared with 7820 cases reported in the year 2016. Penang (1352 cases; 22.5%), Selangor (996 cases; 16.5%) and Johor (622 cases; 10.3%) have reported most number of occupational disease and poisoning cases for the year 2017. A total of 3890 cases were confirmed as occupational diseases and poisonings and workplace improvement in terms of occupational health was carried out. A total of 2478 cases were confirmed as occupational noise-induced hearing disorders (Noise-induced Hearing Loss, Hearing Impairment, and Permanent Standard Threshold Shift) and these disorders are still the most common occupational disease experienced by workers (63.7%) as compared to other diseases. This was followed by occupational musculoskeletal diseases, i.e. a total of 126 cases (3.2%) and occupational skin diseases, of 69 cases (1.8%). There were no confirmed cases of occupational cancer in 2017.
Analysis of occupational disease and poisoning by sector revealed that the manufacturing sector recorded the most number of cases of occupational disease and poisoning in 2017, a total of 3349 cases (86.1%). This was followed by the mining sectors, of 117 cases (3.01%) and the public service sectors, a total of 116 cases (2.98%).
