MBAM launches 21st safety conference with urgent call for preventive culture

• According to the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso), a total of 66,574 work-related incidents were recorded in 2024, comprising 32,936 industrial accidents and the rest from commuting mishaps.

KUALA LUMPUR (May 22): The 21st MBAM Annual Safety and Health Conference 2025 was launched on Thursday morning by Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) director general Mohd Hatta Zakaria at Sunway Resort Hotel.

Organised by the Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM), this year’s event carries the theme “Empowering CDM: Safety by Design, Sustainability by Vision”. More than 350 industry stakeholders are participating in the two-day conference, which includes over 10 technical paper presentations.

According to the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso), a total of 66,574 work-related incidents were recorded in 2024, comprising 32,936 industrial accidents and the rest from commuting mishaps. Meanwhile, DOSH’s own records show that the construction sector accounted for 70 workplace fatalities in 2024, of which 26—or 37.1%—resulted from falls from height.

“These figures reflect the urgent need for a more proactive and preventive risk management culture at all levels. Safety should not be negotiable,” said Hatta during the opening ceremony.

The “Safety by Design” concept urges project stakeholders, including designers, engineers and contractors, to incorporate safety considerations at the earliest stages of planning. This includes the selection of safer materials, structural designs that reduce risk exposure, and the integration of robust safety management systems from the outset.

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