PETALING JAYA: Petrol station operators should provide free N95 respirators, rotate outdoor duties and allow attendants to wait indoors when assistance is unnecessary, say health experts.
They warned that attendants face prolonged exposure to haze particles, vehicle emissions and petrol vapours, placing them at risk of respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
Malaysian Federation for Occupational Safety and Health chairman Dr Abu Hasan Samad said reducing outdoor exposure time is among the most practical ways employers could protect attendants.
“There should be shorter outdoor shifts and regular rotation between indoor and outdoor duties.
“Instead of remaining outside for four to eight hours, attendants could be assigned shorter periods, depending on workplace conditions,” he said.
Abu Hasan also said workers with significant heart or lung conditions, including asthma and bronchitis, should not be assigned outdoor duties during haze episodes.
Public health medicine specialist and former Health Ministry director Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said attendants face compounded risks from haze and petrol vapours containing benzene, a known carcinogen.
He said workers should wear properly-fitted N95 respirators, minimise unnecessary time beside pumps, and retreat to enclosed, air-conditioned areas during idle periods.
“Employers should also monitor air quality and adjust work arrangements accordingly while ensuring attendants receive appropriate respiratory protection and training,” he added.
Malaysian Society of Harm Reduction president Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh highlighted the wider health effects of simultaneous exposure to haze and fuel-related chemicals.
She said employers should provide N95 respirators, hydration, shower facilities and cool, safe resting areas while monitoring vulnerable workers and ensuring regular indoor breaks.
Universiti Malaya (UM) occupational and public health physician Assoc Prof Dr Lim Yin Cheng said attendants should not be required to stand beside pumps when customers do not need assistance.
He said operators should allow attendants to stay indoors between customer requests, provide more breaks and rotate workers to reduce unnecessary exposure.
He added that workers with existing respiratory or cardiovascular conditions should receive priority for temporary indoor assignments when air quality deteriorates.
UM senior medical lecturer Dr Bala Murali Sundram called for petrol station operators to establish workplace haze action plans based on official Air Pollutant Index (API) readings.
He said employers should take the initiative to predetermine measures for worsening conditions, including reducing outdoor duties, increasing indoor breaks and temporarily suspending non-essential outdoor activities.
