4.

How does the Department of Occupational Safety and Health enforce the
Occupational Safety and Health Act?
The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is a department under the

Ministry of Human Resources. This department is responsible for ensuring the safety, health and
welfare of people at work as well as protecting other people from the safety and health hazards
arising from the activities sectors which include, manufacturing, mining and quarrying,
construction, hotels and restaurant, agriculture, forestry and fishing, transport, storage and
communication, public services and statutory authorities, utilities, gas, electricity, water and
sanitary services, finance, insurance, real estate and business services, wholesale and retail
trades. As a government agency, the department is responsible for the administration and
enforcement of legislations related to occupational safety and health of the country, with a vision
of becoming an organisation which leads the nation in creating a safe and healthy work culture
that contributes towards enhancing the quality of working life.
The Department of Occupational Safety and Health established at a place of work
pursuant to shall keep under review the measures taken to ensure the safety and health of persons
at the place of work, shall investigate any matter at the place of work for which a member of the
committee or a person employed thereat considers is not safe or is a risk to health and which has
been brought to the attention of the employer; shall attempt to resolve any matter problem about
safety and health and, if it is unable to do so, shall request the Director General to undertake an
inspection of the place of work for that purpose
It is the policy of the Department of Occupational Safety and Health to provide a safe and
healthy work environment for all its employees and protect others who may be affected by its
activities. The management and staff will work together to achieve the aims and objectives of
this policy through discussion or negotiation (conference) and cooperation. Specifically, the
department policy comprises the following objectives, to prepare and preserve a workplace with
a safe and healthy working system, to ensure that all staff are provided with the relevant
information, instruction, training and supervision regarding methods to carry out their duties in a
safe manner and without causing any risk to health, to investigate all accidents, diseases,
poisonous and/or dangerous occurrences, and to have action to ensure that these occurrences will
not be repeated, to comply with all requirements of legislations related to safety and health as

stated in the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, as well as regulations and codes of
practice which have been approved provide basic welfare facilities to all workers and to revise
and improve on this policy whenever necessary.
Occupational Safety and Health is without any doubt certain that safety and health must
be an integral part of our daily activities, and that the proper practice of safe and healthy working
procedures would be the main factor in achieving the success of our mission. Department of
Occupational Safety and Health offers a wide selection of training courses and educational
programs to help broaden worker and employer knowledge on the recognition, avoidance, and
prevention of safety and health hazards in their workplaces. OSHA also offers training and
educational materials that help businesses train their workers and comply with the Occupational
Safety and Health Act.
The OSHA Outreach Training Program provides training for workers and employers on
the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in
workplaces. The program also provides information regarding workers' rights, employer
responsibilities, and how to file a complaint. This is a voluntary program and does not meet
training requirements for any OSHA standards. Through this training, Occupational Safety and
Health (OSHA) help to ensure that workers are more knowledgeable about workplace hazards
and their rights, and contribute to our nation's productivity.
The department also provides information and guidance to employers, employees and the
public on the importance of complying with all occupational safety and health legislation. In the
effort to improve occupational safety and health awareness among workers, employers, and
customers, the Department disseminated information and provided guidance pertaining to the
safety and health legislation. This was to ensure compliance to all occupational safety and health
laws. Among the publicity and promotional activities conducted by DOSH include giving talks
and explanations as well as training on occupational safety and health, organising campaigns and
exhibitions on occupational safety and health, providing expertise on occupational safety and
health to public agencies, the private sector, associations of employers and employees as well as
professional bodies and collecting and providing informational materials on occupational safety
and health for reference, lending, and dissemination.

6.0

Conclusion
Occupational safety and health (OSH) also commonly referred to as occupational health

and

safety (OHS)

or workplace

health

and

safety is

an

area

concerned

with

the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goals of
occupational safety and health programs include fostering a safe and healthy work environment.
OSH may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, and many others who
might be affected by the workplace environment. In the United States the term occupational
health and safety is referred to as occupational health and occupational and non-occupational
safety and includes safety for activities outside work.
Occupational safety and health can be important for moral, legal, and financial reasons.
In common-law jurisdictions, employers have a common law duty (reflecting an underlying
moral obligation) to take reasonable care for the safety of their employees. Statute law may build
upon this to impose additional general duties, introduce specific duties and create government
bodies with powers to regulate workplace safety issues, details of this will vary from jurisdiction
to jurisdiction. Good OSH practices can also reduce employee injury and illness related costs,
including medical care, sick leave and disability benefit costs.

7.0

REFERENCES

The Offical Portal of Department Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Human
Resources. (2013). Retrieved at 14 May 2015 from http://www.dosh.gov.my/index.php?
option=com_docman&view=docman&Itemid=180&lang=en
Goetsch, D. L.,& Zuraidah Hassan. (2012). Managing workplace hazards. Selangor: Pearson.