KUALA TERENGGANU, Nov 16 — A total of 132 employers and companies have been charged in court during the first nine months of this year for various offences under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), for which they were fined a total of RM1.64 million.

Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) deputy director-general (Occupational Health) Majahar Abd Rahman said a total of 447 compounds with fines totalling RM1.05 million were also issued during the same period.

"In addition, DOSH also issued 3,708 notices for improvement, prohibition notices (4,788) and 31,965 letters of instruction to employers of various industries,” he said after opening the East Coast Zone Occupational Health Seminar and occupational health bulletin, Oh My Bulletin, here, today.

In another development, the Terengganu DOSH has conducted a follow-up investigation into the three-storey building of a resort under construction in Pulau Perhentian off Terengganu that collapsed on November 9, killing two Indonesian workers.

Its director, Mohd Zahari Hitam said although the department had yet to ascertain the cause of the incident, it found that there was non-compliance to provisions in the Occupational Safety and Health Act in the construction of the building.

"The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) is also conducting a more detailed investigation. If there is any violation of the rules, action will be taken,” he told reporters when met after the seminar.

Mohd Zahari said the case is being investigated under Section 15 (1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994.

Meanwhile, he said nine cases of workplace fatalities were reported in the state from January to November 15 this year. — Bernama