Employees can leave unsafe workplace without repercussions following Osha enforcement, says HR minister

CYBERJAYA: The enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Osha) (Amendment) 2022 on June 1 will provide workers with the right to remove themselves from an unsafe environment at work, says Steven Sim Chee Keong.

The Human Resources Minister said the Act would also provide more benefits to employees because of more provisions that look after the welfare of employees.

"This Act has already been approved at the end of 2021, it was (previously) delayed.

"Within 100 days of me becoming the minister, I have signed a gazette to enforce this Act.

"One of the advantages of this Act is that workers have the right to isolate themselves from high-risk places and be protected against undue consequences and shall not be discriminated against.

"This is in line with Convention 155 of the International Labour Organisation (ILO)," he said at a press conference here on Sunday (April 28).

Earlier Sim officiated the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2024, where it brought together a total of 2,500 participants consisting of health and safety practitioners.

According to him, it was the largest gathering of practitioners in the field from all over the country, where the recitation of the integrity pledge by all participants was recorded as the largest gathering in the integrity pledge of safety and health of workers by the Malaysia Book Of Record.

Commenting further, Sim said the amended Act will also make employers and the authorities responsible for analysing risks in the workplace.

"I always insist that the safety and health practices of workers must catch up with the changing times.

"The obligation under the new amendment to this Act also obliges the employer to appoint an employee safety and health coordinator where five employees and above must have a coordinator who takes care of them in this aspect," he added.

In regard to the mental safety aspect of employees, Sim said the ministry had launched a campaign to create awareness on the matter.

"As of April, in just two months the campaign has been carried out, 13,000 people have already registered although the target was 10,000, and 4,000 have been successfully trained as trainees.

"We hope that this effort will further strengthen safety and health practices in the workplace, especially in the aspect of mental care," he said.

Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Act 2022 (Act A1648) and the Factories and Machinery (Repeal) Act 2022 (Act 835), along with two pieces of new subsidiary legislation, will come into effect on June 1, according to reports.

The two subsidiary legislations are the Occupational Safety and Health (Plant Requiring Certificate of Fitness) Regulations 2024 and the Occupational Safety and Health (Licensed Person) Order 2024.