Sungai Petani, 13 July 2022 – 28 MiraGas Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stockists and dealers from the Northern states of Perak, Penang and Kedah gathered for a convention on safety and health today.
Organised by NGC Energy Sdn Bhd in collaboration with the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Malaysia, the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Distributors Convention 2022 was successfully hosted in Sungai Petani, Kedah.
It was officiated by DOSH Petroleum Safety Division Director YBrs Ir. Mohd Rosdee bin Yaacob, with DOSH representatives from Putrajaya and the participating states.
“This collaboration between NGC Energy and DOSH is a joint initiative to ensure that the safety and health standards at LPG distribution centres are prioritised and maintained at the highest standards possible,” said NGC Energy Chief Executive Officer Julianna Kamaruddin.
“Given the nature of business and the products these centres are dealing with, the emphasis on safety and health is paramount and should not be underestimated.”
Towards this end, the convention was specially structured to train and equip LPG gas distributors on legislation and requirements relating to the storage of Malaysian LPG and to share experiences and information on the risks and hazards involved. It was also in keeping with the mission and vision of DOSH to ensure the health and welfare of workplaces and the surrounding communities.
“This NGC and DOSH team-up is also an ideal initiative that connects Government agencies and private companies in the effort to promote public safety awareness,” said Julianna.
While this is one of the first events organised post COVID-19, NGC Energy has maintained a close working relationship with DOSH, carrying out numerous activities and initiatives for its MiraGas dealers, including self-audits and industry activity reports. DOSH has also made technical visits to NGC LPG filling facilities in Pasir Gudang and Port Dickson.
“This year is also special as NGC Energy celebrates its 10th anniversary. Hand-in-hand with our MiraGas dealers, especially those who have been with us since our inception, we are glad to be of service in the distribution of LPG.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to safety and health, not only for our stores and dealers but also for society at large.”
Meanwhile Ir. Mohd Rosdee said that it was timely that this event coincided with the Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) Week that is celebrated in the second week of July nationwide every year.
“This convention was organized specifically to increase safety awareness among gas cylinder distributors. The storage areas of these products are categorized as Major Hazard Installation (MHI), or non MHI – depending on the maximum quantity stored. As such it is crucial that premise owners fully understand and adhere to the rules.”
He added that there was an urgent need to increase such awareness and more importantly, adherence to the relevant guidelines and regulations.”
Sharing some DOSH statistics, Ir. Mohd Rosdee said it was heartening to note a 34% decrease in occupational accidents between 2020 to 2021, with the ratio dropping from 2.18 to 1.43 per 1,000 workers respectively. Through DOSH’s continuous efforts, there has been a 58% decrease in such incidents from 2011 to 2021.
In addition, DOSH together with the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health succeeded in raising the awareness of employers, employees and medical practitioners to report cases of disease and poisoning in the workplace with an increase in occupational disease reporting from 1,198 cases in 2011 to 9,822 in 2021.