April 21, 2025
PETALING JAYA – Occupational injury involving the hand, including the loss and permanent disablement of fingers, has been rising across various industries nationwide.
This prompted the Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) to step in to address the matter amid growing concerns.
DOSH deputy director-general (occupational safety) Bahrudin Mamat said the upward and worrying trend of cases involving finger injuries warranted an urgent need for stricter workplace safety regulations and regular training to prevent such incidents.
He said the figures were alarming with 4,651 cases reported nationwide in 2021.
The number of cases shot up to 6,788 in 2022 and 7,109 in 2023.
Bahrudin said local workers contributed to the bulk of the cases.
He said apart from having their fingers severed, there were also cases of serious injury, leading to permanent disability.
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“These affected workers lost the function of their fingers, rendering them unfit for regular duties.
“The manufacturing, agriculture, services and food industries were among the four sectors with the highest number of cases,” he said.
Bahrudin said the sub-industries topping the list with the most finger-related accidents were timber processing, airline ground handling, steel milling, glove production and commercial bakeries with each seeing more than a dozen mishaps every year.
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However, he said they could not ascertain if any of the cases were deliberately created with an aim to seek compensation.
“We have not identified any such case of a worker doing it on purpose for compensation. Based on our investigations, it is often due to negligence and failure to observe safety procedures,” he said.
Bahrudin also said many cases of finger loss or injury occurred when a worker attempted to manually sort out processes when automation malfunctioned.
He said campaigns and intervention by DOSH to address the issue last year had brought positive and significant improvements.
While the latest 2024 statistics are in the midst of being compiled by the department, preliminary findings showed a decline in the number of finger and hand-related accidents.
Bahrudin said various occupational safety campaigns targeted specifically at the type of accidents that are rampant are being planned for launch this year to further safeguard workers from preventable harm at their workplace.
“We encourage self-regulation of safety at workplaces and for employers to be proactive in taking essential steps to avoid mishaps.
“The top 50 companies with the highest number of occupational casualties nationwide are closely monitored with regular inspections at the premises,” he added.
However, Bahrudin said with over 30,000 cases of accidents reported across the country, their manpower would be stretched.
“If a fatal accident occurs, we will definitely step in to conduct a thorough investigation.
“It is compulsory for employers to notify us of any accident case that requires a worker to go on sick leave for more than four days,” he said.
“On top of this, employers are also required to submit an annual report, declaring the total number of accidents at their premises throughout the year, regardless of the severity.
“This enables us to closely monitor, intervene and implement stronger protective measures for the safety of workers,” he added.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (OSHA) or Act 514, the responsibility of ensuring workplace safety and health lies with the employer or the owner of a business.
“When a job is to be performed, it is crucial for risk assessment to be undertaken by employers. They need to analyse the risks and dangers their workers could be exposed to and take necessary steps to minimise them,” he said.
Bahrudin said workers had the right to refuse resuming their duties if they find their workspace was unsafe.
He said they might step away from the site and notify their employer of the hazards.
“If the employer does not take remedial steps to address the risk, the worker can file a report with DOSH. We will then take the appropriate action,” he said.
On the other hand, Bahrudin said workers who did not adhere to safety measures or procedures accordingly could face action, including being charged in court for negligence.
“There have been several such cases in the past where errant workers were hauled up to court,” he said.