KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — The value of integrity needs to be given more focus in ensuring safety and health issues at the workplace are not viewed lightly.

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the analysis found that lack of integrity, honesty and trust elements could contribute to workplace injuries or deaths.

He said the attitude of taking short cuts and circumventing the standard operating procedures (SOPs) could lead to unsafe practices at the workplace.

"Purchasing low quality personal protective equipment, for example, can increase the risk to injury of the employees.

"In addition, conflicts of interest such as giving contracts to less competent vendors may expose employees to hazardous environments,” he told Bernama.

Lee also stressed that all parties both in the private and public sectors should always maintain their integrity and avoid corrupt practices in order to reduce the risk of workplace accidents.

In the meantime, Lee said NIOSH to host the 22nd Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Conference and Exhibition in August, to be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, by gathering of more than 1,000 participants including panel members from abroad.

Themed 'Driving OSH excellence with Integrity for the Future’, the conference would involve the presentation of working papers, information and expertise sharing on how safety in the workplace could be improved, he said. — Bernama