HAVING an occupational safety and health (OSH) coordinator can reduce the number of road-related accidents happening outside schools, say education stakeholders.
Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said the post does not necessarily need to be a full-time position, but there should be a trained teacher or staff member responsible for conducting regular safety inspections, identifying hazards, coordinating emergency preparedness and ensuring safety concerns are addressed promptly.
“Prevention is always better than reacting after an accident occurs,” she said.
Agreeing, Malaysian Association for Education secretary Hamidi Mookkaiyah Abdullah said having an OSH coordinator or committee would be a proactive way to create a safer environment for everyone.
They were responding to the spate of accidents involving students getting hit by vehicles just outside schools, particularly during school dismissal.
Hamidi said the coordinator or committee needs to first establish a clear and comprehensive plan for school dismissal, with procedures for staff, students and parents.
Next, he added, teachers or trained school wardens should be appointed to supervise students when they arrive at school and during dismissal time.
“Parents also need to park only in designated areas and avoid double parking or making U-turns near the school gate,” he said, adding that this would help reduce not only congestion but also the risk of accidents.
Noor Azimah stressed that the government bears the primary responsibility for ensuring schools are safe learning environments, including by conducting regular safety audits, maintaining school infrastructure and improving roads and pedestrian facilities around schools.
“Regular road safety programmes that touch on using pedestrian crossings, avoiding distractions such as mobile phones and waiting for vehicles to stop before crossing need to be held and involve parents, teachers and students,” Hamidi added.
Meanwhile, Universiti Putra Malaysia Road Safety Research Centre head Assoc Prof Law Teik Hua said the authorities can provide safer infrastructure within school zones, improve facilities for pedestrians and implement a comprehensive traffic management strategy at each school.
“Road-safety audits need to be conducted to identify areas prone to accidents and implement measures to improve such areas,” he said.
He added that law enforcement should also be stepped up, especially for speeding and illegal parking, with technology used wherever possible.
