NIOSH Offers 3,000 Free OSH-C Course Places For SMEs

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 (Bernama) -- The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is offering 3,000 free places for the Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator (OSH-C) course for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) nationwide.

NIOSH chairman Chong Chieng Jen said the RM2.6 million initiative was implemented to strengthen compliance with occupational safety and health (OSH) practices in line with the MADANI Government’s aspirations.

He said the programme aimed to help employers comply with the new provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Act 2022, which came into force on June 1, 2024.

“Section 29A of the Act requires employers with five or more employees to appoint an OSH-C to coordinate workplace safety matters.

“Failure to comply with this requirement is an offence punishable by a fine of up to RM50,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both,” he said in a statement here today.

Chong said compliance was critical, as penalties for certain offences under the amended Act had been increased to up to RM500,000.

Earlier, he witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NIOSH and SME Malaysia at NIOSH headquarters here today.

The MoU was signed by NIOSH executive director Datuk Ayop Salleh, while SME Malaysia was represented by its president, Dr Chin Chee Seong.

On the collaboration, Chong said it was a proactive step to help SMEs comply with the law without financial burden, besides expanding the reach of awareness programmes in a more structured manner.

“SMEs are the backbone of the national economy. Statistics show the sector’s GDP grew by 5.8 per cent in 2024, and SME Corp is targeting an RM1 trillion contribution to GDP by 2030,” he said.

Besides training, NIOSH also provides free advisory services, including the Workplace Improvement Need Analysis (WINA) programme, to help employers identify OSH issues at their premises.

-- BERNAMA