ACCIDENTS IN MINING AND QUARRY SITES: RATE OF OCCURRENCES AND CAUSES

Abstract

This study examines the rate of occurrence of accidents and their causes in mining and quarry sites in East Coast Malaysia. There are two methods that were used in this study. The secondary data technique was used by gathering all accident reports from Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) in
East Coast Malaysia, and Social Security Organization (SOCSO), Malaysia. The data was used to identify the causes, while the method to identify the rate of accident occurrences is questionnaires. Descriptive tools of statistics such as frequency, percentage and mean were used for the analysis. The study reveals that accidents occur at a low rate at the mining and quarry sites in Malaysia. Different causes of accident were identified such as flying objects or debris, untidy sites, failure of vehicles, pinched while performing work, slip and trip at work areas, faulty equipment and machinery, negligence of workers or operator’s errors, work at sharp edges, and fall from height. This study therefore recommends that relevant control measures should be devised in order to reduce the rate of accident.

Kajian ini mengkaji kadar berlakunya kemalangan dan sebab-sebab berlakunya kemalangan di tapak perlombongan dan kuari di Pantai Timur Malaysia. Terdapat dua kaedah yang digunakan dalam kajian ini. Teknik data sekunder telah digunakan dengan mengumpulkan semua laporan kemalangan dari Jabatan Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan (JKKP) di Pantai Timur Malaysia, dan Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (PERKESO), Malaysia. Data digunakan untuk mengenal pasti punca kemalangan, manakala kaedah untuk mengenal pasti kadar kejadian kemalangan adalah melalui soal selidik. Kaedah deskriptif statistik seperti kekerapan, peratusan dan min digunakan dalam analisis. Kajian ini mendedahkan bahawa kemalangan berlaku pada kadar yang lebih rendah di tapak perlombongan dan kuari di Malaysia. Sebabsebab yang berbeza berpuncanya kemalangan telah dikenal pasti seperti objek terbang atau serpihan,
laman berantakan, kegagalan kenderaan, mencubit semasa melakukan kerja, tergelincir dan perjalanan pada kawasan kerja, peralatan yang rosak dan jentera, kecuaian pekerja atau kesilapan pengendali, bekerja di tepi tajam, dan jatuh dari ketinggian. Objektif utama kajian ini mencadangkan bahawa langkahlangkah kawalan yang berkenaan perlu dibuat untuk mengurangkan kadar kemalangan.