A key highlight of the 2024 amendments to the Occupational Safety and
Health Act 1994 is the expansion of safety oversight to smaller
workplaces. Businesses that were previously not required to hire a
Safety and Health Officer (SHO) may now need an OSH Coordinator.
Section 29A mandates that any employer who employs five or more
employees at their place of work—and is not already required to
appoint a full SHO—must appoint one of their employees to act as an
Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator.
The primary purpose of this coordinator is to manage and oversee
safety and health issues specifically within the workplace. Failure
to comply with this appointment can lead to an offence carrying a
fine of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment. This change ensures that
the "safety first" culture is not just reserved for heavy industry
but is a standard requirement for every SME across Malaysia.
