Monday morning.
Your HR admin knocks.

“Boss, need to send one staff for OSH Coordinator training. Three days.”

You look around.

Five staff.
One printer.
One pantry.

“We are accounting office leh.
Our biggest occupational hazard is client chasing.

Also kena?” 😂

Yes, boss.

Many SME owners still think workplace safety is only for factories.

Got machine.
Got forklift.
Got people wearing helmet.

But an office can also fall under Malaysia’s Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Under Section 29A, if you employ five or more employees at your workplace, you must appoint one of your employees as an OSH Coordinator.

This applies to workplaces outside the categories requiring a Safety and Health Officer. Appointing an SHO also satisfies the coordinator requirement.

“Five only ah?”

Yes.
Five.

Small office is not an exemption.

“Then just put someone’s name lah.”

Boss.
Appointing someone is one thing.
Preparing them to do the job is another.

DOSH requires the coordinator to successfully complete the prescribed training through a registered training centre.

The usual OSH-C course?
Three days.

“Three days?
Month end leh.
Who do payroll?”

Now THAT is the part every SME boss understands. 😂

But failing to appoint a coordinator when required can, upon conviction, mean:

Fine up to RM50,000.
Or jail up to six months.
Or both.

Suddenly, three days looks easier to arrange.

And please.
The certificate is not the finish line.

Your coordinator helps coordinate workplace safety.
The employer still has responsibilities.

Slippery pantry floor.
Blocked fire exit.
Overloaded extension sockets.
Boxes stacked until the office looks like a warehouse.

No forklift.
Still got risks.

So start here.

Count the employees at your workplace.
Check which requirement applies.
Appoint an eligible employee.
Arrange the prescribed training.
Assess the risks and act on them.
Keep records of what you actually do.

One more thing.

Below five employees does not mean you can forget workplace safety.
Other OSH duties can still apply.

Boss, you already have someone handling payroll.
Someone handling tax.
Someone handling customer complaints.

Who is handling workplace safety?

Or currently…
Everyone assumes someone else is doing it? 😂