Materia Medica Malaysiana

Draft On Smoking Ban At The Work Place To Be Discussed

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- The draft on the smoking ban at the work place will be discussed with all interested parties before the Ministry of Human Resources formulates the rule under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (OSHA).
Human Resources Deputy Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Bakar said the proposal to draw up the rule was in line with the aspiration of the act to ensure workers' safety and health.
"This is in line with the aspiration of the Act with regard to the effects of smoking on the workers' health," he said when winding up the Supply Bill 2005 at the committee stage for his ministry at the Dewan Rakyat, here Wednesday.
He said the ministry would conduct road shows to explain the necessity for the rule and its contents as well as to encourage non-smoking workers to give their feedback.
"The committee on safety and health at the work place can also monitor the air quality in the working area," he said.
On Wednesday, Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn had said that the ministry was studying the possibility of creating new rules to ban smoking at the work place and planned to impose a penalty of up to RM10,000 or imprisonment of up to one year on employers for the offence by their workers.