PUTRAJAYA: The Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) receives about 60,000 reports of work-related and commuting accidents and occupational diseases every year, said Deputy Human Resources Minister Mustapha Sakmud.
He said 64,168 cases were reported last year, of which 35,015 cases involved industrial or workplace mishaps and 29,153 cases were commuting accidents.
"During this period, 864 workers died — 255 due to industrial accidents and 609 due to commuting accidents, an increase from the 525 workers who died in road accidents the previous year (2021).
"From this data, we see on average of nearly two workers dying each day while commuting to and from work," he told reporters after a ceremony to present grants to institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) here today.
Mustapha said the Human Resources Ministry took a serious view of occupational safety and health issues because every workplace injury was a cost to the community and country.
He said Perkeso had allocated a grant amounting to RM3.7 million to 38 NGOs and institutions to implement occupational safety and health awareness programmes.
Perkeso chief executive Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said the provision of grants to institutions and NGOs had been implemented annually since 2001.-- BERNAMA
