Socso to cover stress-related disorders too

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: It’s no longer about physical injuries or medical claims, the main focus of Socso since its inception in 1969.
The social security organisation will now compensate workers for depression and stress-related ailments at the workplace.
The traumatic incidents that can lead to mental and psychological disorders include various acts of violence, sexual harassment, serious job accidents and sudden death of an employee.
About 1,500 government doctors nationwide have been trained to assess workers with such conditions.
They have also been given the latest guidelines, known as the Impairment and Disability Assessment of Traumatic Injuries, Occupational Diseases and Invalidity (second edition), on how to assess such disorders.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Fong Chan Onn said mental and psychological disorders were either under-reported or not properly assessed.
He said the guidelines gave protection to workers suffering from cancer, skin diseases and other occupational diseases.
“Now doctors can make objective assessments and recommend the right amount of compensation to patients under our expanded and improved guidelines,” he said.
He said the inclusion of additional occupational diseases and mental and psychological disorders was part of Socso’s comprehensive coverage plan to better protect workers.
Under the guidelines, those suffering from moderate to severe mental and behavioural impairments related to on-site accidents would be recommended for compensation.
In extreme cases, doctors have to visit the insured person’s home or workplace to further assess cases of psychological and occupational functioning impairment.
Some of the serious symptoms of those suffering from suspected psychological impairment include having suicidal tendencies, severe obsession with certain rituals, depression, frequently becoming violent and displaying manic excitement.
The guideline, drafted by Socso’s Medical and Rehabilitation manager Dr Mohammed Azman Azizi Mohammed and medical experts, would also address the inconsistencies in awarding compensation.
In the past, there have been claims that compensation awarded to injured workers differed though they had the same type of injury or condition.