WHEN implementing good occupational safety and health (OSH) practices at any workplace, attention must be given to preventing corruption and promoting integrity.
In what way can unethical and corrupt practices affect safety and health at work?
What is the impact of corruption on the safety at the workplace and that of the public?
Ethics, honesty and morals are key elements of integrity. In the workplace, those who act with integrity will always tell the truth, are accountable, transparent and reliable, and treat co-workers, stakeholders and customers with respect.
If someone acts with integrity, he or she will do the right thing, even when no one is watching. Civil servants, employees of government-linked companies and those from the corporate sector should always uphold integrity and avoid corrupt practices.
It is essential to instil integrity and discourage corrupt practices within every organisation. By fostering a culture of integrity among employees, organisations can ensure that integrity becomes an inherent part of their identity over time.
According to the Business Ethics Institute of Malaysia, fraud elimination is an important aspect of sustainable safety management, especially in managing OSH, accidents or near misses at the workplace.
The following are some examples of fraudulent practices which can impact safety outcomes:
i. Purchase of low quality, sub-standard Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) or tools/equipment, increasing the risk of injury to employees and the public;
ii. Inaccurate records, resulting in a wrong assessment of a hazardous situation or characteristics of a product or wrong appropriation of fixing a risky environment that needs support;
iii. Taking shortcuts, circumventing standard operating procedures, resulting in unsafe practices;
iv. Abuse of power, resulting in the exploitation of weaker beings working in dangerous, dirty and demanding work environments, to achieve personal goals;
v. Conflict of interest, rewarding contracts to less competent vendors, creating safety hazards and exposing employees to handle a hazardous environment without adequate protection.
It cannot be denied that only honesty and integrity can help address the above-mentioned problems and prevent corrupt practices.
We should not tolerate corruption and allow it to fester in our society, especially among OSH practitioners.
In the fight against corruption, the elements of integrity, good governance and ethical behaviour should be integrated into the safety training syllabus.
We should educate OSH practitioners to embrace integrity and loathe corruption.
We have to emphasise moral values so that when they are at the workplace, they will realise the importance of not getting involved in unethical and corrupt practices.
While efforts by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission to fight corruption are welcomed, it is obvious that the fight should also be at the workplace.
Corruption in whatever form must never be tolerated as it impoverishes the country, causes hardship to the people and economy to decline.
If it involves OSH practitioners and agencies, it may result in accidents that can cause injury or death.
We cannot be unconcerned and complacent about corruption because it attacks not only the economic and social fabric of society but also the moral foundations of order.
Efforts should continuously be made to instil integrity and ethical values because people of high integrity are not likely to commit corrupt practices under any circumstances.
The point that needs to be emphasised is that we should drive OSH excellence with integrity for the future.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye
Chairman
Alliance for a Safe Community
