KUALA LUMPUR: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) has allocated RM12 million to provide training for 10,000 workers through the occupational mental health first aid programme this year, human resources minister Steven Sim said.
Sim said the programme, introduced for the first time with support from the national centre of excellence for mental health, aimed to train people with the ability to provide early intervention, particularly in the workplace, for colleagues facing mental health issues.
He said the move was also part of the ministry’s efforts to improve the protection of workers’ safety and health, including mental health.
“It is also about removing the stigma of society and the workplace concerning mental health problems.
“With this programme, we want to convey the message that it’s OK to seek help, and if we create a working environment that addresses the mental health of employees, then productivity will also improve positively.
“I hope civil servants and the private sector can take this opportunity for free training to create a conducive working environment,” he told reporters after opening the 24th conference and exhibition on occupational safety and health, and the 6th scientific conference on occupational safety and health, themed “The Future of Work”, at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.
Sim said the private sector can apply for levies from the Human Resource Development Corporation after completing this three-day training.
Niosh previously introduced several initiatives, including the worker assistance programme, aimed at identifying and addressing workers’ mental health issues early on, to prevent a decline in performance.
