KUALA LUMPUR: Occupational Safety and Health Coordinators (OSHCs) in schools should be appointed as soon as possible to strengthen school safety, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye (pic).
The Alliance for a Safe Community chairman said such coordinators could ensure more effective and continuous monitoring of safety issues.
“We welcome the announcement by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek on improvements to the Safe School Management Guidelines aimed at addressing current challenges and enhancing protection for students and school staff.
“It is a positive step but a more practical and immediate solution would be the appointment of trained OSHC personnel in all schools.
“The move is in line with amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which requires workplaces with five or more employees to appoint a safety coordinator.
“Schools are workplaces as they involve teachers, staff and students; therefore they should also comply with the requirements under the Act,” he said when contacted on Tuesday (May 12).
Lee said training programmes for OSHCs were already being conducted under the legislation, making implementation feasible nationwide.
“OSHCs would be tasked with identifying risks, conducting continuous risk assessments and implementing safety control measures within school compounds.
“The coordinators would also monitor infrastructure and facilities to ensure complaints or hazards are addressed promptly,” he added.
Lee said having dedicated personnel overseeing safety matters would allow teachers to focus on their core responsibility of teaching instead of handling safety-related management issues.
“We urge the Education Ministry to consider adopting the proposal as part of efforts to ensure comprehensive and continuous safety management in schools,” he said.
