Activity

THE DEPARTMENT OF
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
AND HEALTH
(D.O.S.H)

The Department of Occupational

Safety and Health (D.O.S.H)
The Department of Occupational Safety and Health
(DOSH), Malaysia, (previously known as The
Factories and Machinery Department), one of the
departments under The Ministry of Human
Resources, is entrusted with the responsibility of
enforcing legislations on occupational safety and
health.

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 Occupational safety and health practice in Malaysia

started more than a century ago, although the
Department was not in existence then. The
development of the department could be described
under 5 era's:
i. pre 1914 - era of boiler safety;
ii. 1914 to 1952 - era of machinery safety;
iii. 1952 to 1970 - era of industrial safety;
iv. 1970 to 1994 - era of industrial safety and
hygiene; and
v. post 1994 - era of occupational safety and health

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Mission
To be a dynamic organization that leads the nation
in creating a safe and healthy work culture towards
achieving a high quality working life.

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Vision
To enhance the quality of working life through the
promotion of a safe and healthy work culture.

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Objective
To ensure the safety, health and welfare of
persons at work, as well as other persons not at
work who may be affected by the activities of
persons at work.

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Philosophy
The responsibility for doing something about
safety and health lie with those who create the
risks, and those who work with the risks.

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Strategies
To promulgate and review from time to time, through
the process of tripartism, occupational safety and
health policy, statutes, codes of practice and
guidelines which form the basis for ensuring the
safety and health of persons at work.
To ensure, through enforcement and promotional
activities, that employers, self- employed persons,
designers, suppliers, importers and employees
practice the safe and healthy work culture as well as
comply with the requirements of existing statutes,
codes of practice and guidelines.

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 To assist and provide expert services in the

promotion, training, dissemination of information and
research activities carried out by government
agencies, institutions of higher learning, associations
of employers, workers and and professionals in the
effort to enhance the standard of occupational safety
and health.

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Functions
To enforce the provisions of the Act and Regulations
pertaining to occupational safety and health.
To formulate regulations and guidelines pertaining to
occupational safety and health.
To monitor, inspect and audit safety and health
hazard control measures at the workplace.
To identify and control industrial major accident
hazards in the country.
To issue approval and permits for the control of
hazards according to the law.
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To approve designs and procedures for repairs of

boilers, pressure vessels and hosting machinery.

To certify competent persons for the operation of

boilers, gas turbines and diesel engines, installation
and maintenance of passenger lifts, monitoring for
noise and dust, inspection and testing of local
exhaust ventilation system, welding of prescribed
equipment, and preparation of safety report for
major hazard installations.

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 To conduct initial, regular, surprise and additional

inspections on boilers, pressure vessels, hoisting
machinery, installations, factory premises and other
work places.
To investigate work related accidents and diseases.
To conduct prosecution.

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Promotion
Giving talks on safety and health matters during
seminars or as part of a safety and health promotion
or campaign activity.
Loan of safety and health videos or films.
Participate in safety and health exhibitions.

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The Objectives and Functions of The

Safety and Health Committee At a Place
of Work
The main objective of the committee is to foster
cooperation and consultation between management
and workers in identifying, evaluating and controlling
hazards at work places.
It is also an effective channel of communication for
exchange of ideas to solve problems relating to
occupational safety and health.
Feedback from workers has been found to be very
effective in assisting employers to promote and
provide a safe and healthy work environment.
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 The functions of the committee are specified in the

Occupational Safety and Health (Safety Committee)
Regulations 1996. In general the functions are:
i. To keep under review the measures taken to
ensure the safety and health of persons at place
of work.
ii. To investigate any matters at place of work which:
a. A member of a committee or a person
employed thereat consider is not safe or is a
risk to health; and
b. Has been brought to the attention of the
employer.
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 The membership of the committee should at least be

as follows:
i. Chairman - the employer or his authorized
manager
ii. Secretary - can be appointed from among the
members. If the organization has safety and
health officer, he shall be the secretary.
iii. Management's representatives
iv. Workers representatives.
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