ON Work Safety

To fit in to blend in to become a part of the crowd to feel like you are what the universe is without pretensions or assumptions, without your ego getting in the way;just you and the rest; the Whole, this is awareness I did not say that so don't quote me, they say! Can one be aware of every thought and actions of the day to day existence, what was right or missing, genuine or false, what came from the heart and what from the stomach or the head? This is the practice of mindfulness. To be responsible for your every words, thoughts and deeds as you share this life with others, can you be fully aware? To be compassionate is to be fully awakened to the suffering of others while you deal with your own, liberation from suffering in yourself liberates the universe...Insha'Allah!! ( With the Lord's Will).
It is a very rainy day today in Penang, has been raining for the last few days non stop, the feeling of the old days Penang is in the air, you can catch it while standing under large trees and feeling to soothing coolness of the air. The people are a little more relaxed and tranquillo. Rain does that to the mind, it helpless to provide a cooling effect for the tired and weary minds; it is embalming. But one has to worry for those living in the Jalan P.Ramlee area and those living on the high rises build at the foot hills of Ayer Itam, they must be worried about this prolonged raining phenomena, it can be very destabilising to the nerves.
On the other side of the coin, the rivers and streams are cleaner and there si ample amount of water stored up for the sunny days; we have it covered water supply wise for now. Look at the water mess in the Klang valley area, sad sad situation, I hope Penang is more proactive in handling the water issue than Selangor.Taking things for granted we react when shit has already hit the fence; Safety is Action Taken Prior to an Accident...Reaction is an after effect of an accident.
Upon return to Malaysia with my family I chose to live in Terengganu, the East Coast of Malay Peninsular where my late wife was offered a teaching jod at the tthen Kolej Tuanku Zainal Abbidin  or better known as (KUZA) from 1998 - 1004? How I Forget easily things I dont want to remember, she was an ESL Lecturer and also was a Japanese language Teacher. I got a job as a Health and Safety Officer for a Construction company called Ibai Bina based in Kuala Terengganu. The project was at the Petronas Refinery Facility in Kerteh and later Gebeng, in Pahang. I was recommended for the job based on my background as Site and safety manager for an American Hazardous Waste and Ship Services Company in San Francisco for a total of six years. (Re;H&H Ship Services). I was instrumental in the writing of the Underground Fuel Tank Dispossal as instructed by the Environmental Protection Agency of California back in 1984? I was responsible in explaining in detail every single step and procedure that had to be taken prior to the "burning of a Tank", I had to explain all these to a Professor from the University of Berkley, California who noted it all down and most probably has claimed it all his ideas.
But that be it, Safety became my passion for the duration of time that I served as a Safety Officer of which I spent three years at the Petronas Facility Project working for various World companies like Van Seumerren and Auto Balst. Over the three years i had a first hand opportunity to observe how Malaysians work with regard to Safety as compared to the American Companies.  One oft the Main Contractors for the Project I was BECTEL from the US and the Sub Contractor was Lynde/Samsung Engineering; three of the world's major construction players. I was hired by Auto Blast a painting company specializing in pipings. All the white, grey and other colored pipes you see if you ever have a chance to walk through the refinery in Kerteh was probably painted by Auto Blast. One my first day at my job I was facing a grouped gentlemen representing these companies along with the Site safety Manager, an American build like Rambo and with voice like Arnold S. And he was demanding what I am going to do to break this impasse they were having to get started with the painting job. After making promises and assuring everyone that i was their man for the job, the painting job was okay ed...my misery too began.
For five thousand a month plus lodging it was a salary i could not refuse and the fact that I had wanted to experience the feeling of working in a construction site was fulfilled in the best of ways. While I was working in Gebeng, Pahang for one of the the world's ;largest crane company, Van Seumerren Romstar I was able to learner what it was like to work with the Brisitsh mentality as most of the Project managers were from England. The British I found holds the Safety Issues of a Project Site to be Sacred; No one should get heurt while working, not on this site not on my watch. Centralised Facility Utilities (CUF) was the main Project Manager and my job had me in close contact with each and everyone of them on a daily basis. I learned from the best. I learned from the safe officers of Premba Costruction Co., Ho Hup and such companies like Ibai Bina, and Petronas while we sat in meeting rooms or coffee shops.
In Yesterday's paper there was multiple tragic accidents involving lorries and cars somewhere in the country, this is a serious Safety Issue as the well being of the public is in jeopardy; usually it gets allot worse before it gets better. Perhap because we are too busy with out political fate,we have no time to make sure that these accidents does not happen again. The Department of Road and Transportation (DOT) in California is one of the most strictest agency when it comes to using the Highways. The ccertificate for the Bill of health for both the Lorry and the Driver is mandatory to made available upon demand by the law and enforcement agencies. This is especially so for long haulers and those involved in the transportation of hazardous material. ( This would include the hauling of timber). I am positive Malaysia has already implemented all these rules to date or at least in the process of looking into it.
Safety is a concern to all especially those who are involved in major construction works and this includes the mode of transportation from source to destination; it is the responsible of all parties involved to ensure safety on the road.I have helped move one dead body too many in my line of work and on looking back one or two was pure work related events. Cutting corners, procrastination, not giving good care to the well being of employees are a few of the major causes of work related accidents.
To be a good Health and safety officer I felt one has to be able to become a part of the whole site and have the passion for learning from others of their needs and complaints, their shortcomings and what makes them tick. I have to become, blend in and assume my role wholeheartedly and make sure the pay is good.