CH8: Comprehensive Study Notes – Malaysian OSH Regulations on Noise & Hazardous Chemicals

OSH Chemical-Related Regulatory Landscape

  • FIVE core regulations frequently examined together (plus supporting codes & guidelines)

    • OSHA 1994 umbrella empowers all subsidiary rules & creates the general duty clause (s.15) ☛ employers must ensure S,H & welfare so far as practicable.

    • 8.1 Occupational Safety & Health (Noise Exposure) Regulations 2019

    • 8.2 OSHA (Use & Standards of Exposure of Chemicals Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000 ⇢ “USECHH 2000”

    • 8.3 OSHA (Notification of Accident, Dangerous Occurrence, Occupational Poisoning & Occupational Disease) Regulations 2000

    • 8.4 OSHA (Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards) Regulations 1996 ⇢ “CIMAH 1996”

    • 8.5 OSHA (Classification, Labelling & Safety Data Sheet of Hazardous Chemicals) Regulations 2013 ⇢ “CLASS 2013”

Occupational Safety & Health (Noise Exposure) Regulations 2019

  • Citation & commencement: in force 1\text{ June 2019}.

  • Key terms (Reg.2)

    • Excessive noise ⇢ any of: L_{eq,8h}>82\,\text{dB(A)}; daily noise dose > 50\%; max 115\,\text{dB(A)}; peak 140\,\text{dB(C)}

    • NEL (exposure limit) ⇢ L_{eq,8h} = 85\,\text{dB(A)} OR 100\% dose; max 115\,\text{dB(A)}; peak 140\,\text{dB(C)}.

  • Salient provisions

    1. Identification of Excessive Noise – employer to review annually or after change; use DG-prescribed method.

    2. Noise Risk Assessment (NRA) – by DG-registered assessor every 5 yrs or on DG direction; employer must implement recommendations ≤ 30 days.

    3. Information, Instruction, Training & Supervision – annually; cover effects, PHP use, control measures.

    4. Engineering ⇢ Administrative ⇢ Other measures hierarchy before relying on Personal Hearing Protectors (PHP).

    5. PHP – must attenuate below NEL, DG approved, maintained, provided in Hearing Protection Zones.

    6. Hearing Protection Zone – demarcate, signage “HEARING PROTECTION ZONE”, compulsory PHP use.

    7. Audiometric Testing – annual for any worker ≥ NEL; baseline within 3 months of placement; quiet state ≥ 14 h (<80\,\text{dB(A)}); only at DG-approved Audiometric Testing Centre (ATC).

    • Temporary STS ⇒ retest ≤ 3 months + protective actions.

    • OHD must interpret, notify DG of NIHL/HI/PSTS within 7 days.

    1. Records – NRA reports ≥30 yrs; audiograms for work period + 5 yrs; transfer & disposal rules (3 months notice to DG).

    2. Penalty – fine ≤ RM10 000 and/or ≤ 1 yr jail.

Industry Code of Practice (ICOP) for Management of Occupational Noise Exposure & Hearing Conservation 2019

  • Gazette PU(B) 377; objective = compliance guidance to 2019 regulations.

  • Contents

    • General principles (source control priority, consultation).

    • Hearing Conservation Programme (HCP) – must appoint Hearing Conservation Administrator (HCA); reviewed yearly.

    • Modules: Noise ID, NRA, Engineering/Admin controls, Hearing protection, Info-training.

    • 9 appendices: checklists, NRA report guide, audiometric flowchart, notification forms, designer/supplier guidance, summary report template.

Guidelines for Control of Occupational Noise 2005 (DOSH)

  • Practical engineering handbook (substitution, plant planning, detailed acoustic control designs, silencer types, barrier criteria, absorption coefficients, room reverberation, vibration reduction).

OSHA (Use & Standards of Exposure of Chemicals Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000 – “USECHH”

  • Scope: any OSHA workplace using chemicals hazardous to health (CHH) – includes >600 substances with PEL in Schedules I & II plus substances classified under CPL/CLASS, pesticides, scheduled wastes.

  • Employer duties (Parts I–XII)

    1. Identification & Chemical Register (Reg.5) – list, CSDS, quantity, area, supplier.

    2. Permissible Exposure Limits (Reg.6–8) – ceiling, 8-h TWA, 15-min MEL calculation diagram.

    3. Chemical Health Risk Assessment (CHRA) (Reg.9–13)

    • Written assessment before first use & 5-yearly; by DG-registered assessor; report ≤1 month; keep ≥30 yrs.

    1. Control of Exposure (Reg.14–19)

    • Elimination ⇢ Substitution ⇢ Engineering (LEV spec & monthly inspection/annual test by hygiene tech) ⇢ Admin ⇢ PPE.

    1. Labelling & Re-labelling (Reg.20–21) aligned with CPL/CLASS.

    2. Information-Instruction-Training (Reg.22–24) – review at least every 2 yrs or upon process change; CSDS at point-of-use.

    3. Exposure Monitoring (Reg.26) – by hygiene tech; high-risk every 6 months; records 30 yrs.

    4. Health Surveillance (Reg.27) – mandatory for Schedule II substances; annual ≤12 months; records 30 yrs; medical removal protection (Reg.28) for pregnant/breast-feeding or medically at risk.

    5. Warning Signs (Reg.29) – bilingual, dark-red on white.

    6. Record keeping & transfer (Reg.30).

  • Penalty – fine ≤ RM10 000 / 1 yr jail; continuing RM1 000 per day.

  • Supporting DOSH guidelines: Assessor/OHD registration, CHRA manual, LEV design, PPE, storage, medical surveillance, etc.

OSHA (Notification of Accident, Dangerous Occurrence, Occupational Poisoning & Occupational Disease) Regulations 2000

  • Purpose: discover root causes & enable preventive action.

  • Applicability: all OSHA industrial sectors (First Schedule) except domestic servants.

  • Responsible parties

    • Employer or self-employed: notify.

    • Registered medical practitioner: notify OP/OD (Form JKKP 7).

  • Decision steps

    1. Did an event occur? 2. Work-related? 3. Category? (Accident, DO, OP, OD).

    2. Immediate notification if fatal/serious injury/DO (quickest means) + Form JKKP 6 within 7 days.

    3. OP/OD use Form JKKP 7 within 7 days.

    4. Record all in Register Form JKKP 8; submit annual summary to DG by 31 Jan.

  • Record retention 5 yrs at each establishment; update if outcome changes within period; transfer on change of ownership.

  • Further info forms JKKP 9 & 10.

  • Penalty – ≤ RM10 000 / 2 yrs jail / both.

Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1996 (CIMAH)

  • Based on EU Seveso Directive; objective: prevent & limit consequences of major accidents involving flammable, toxic or explosive substances.

  • Key definitions

    • Major accident: uncontrolled emission/fire/explosion causing serious danger on/off-site.

    • Threshold Quantity (TQ): listed in Schedule 2 Part 1 (named substances) & Part 2 (generic categories).

    • Installations categorised:

    • NMHI (Non-Major Hazard Installation) 10\%\,TQ < QHS < TQ

    • MHI (Major Hazard Installation) QHS \ge TQ or DG-determined.

  • General obligations (Reg.5)

    • Notify DG (Form Schedule 5) 1 month before construction (new) / within 3 months (existing).

    • Identify hazards, keep records, help local authority, inform public, major accident reporting.

  • NMHI Part III

    • Demonstrate safe operation upon request; maintain up-to-date emergency plan.

  • MHI Part IV

    • Competent Person registration (criteria: Malaysian ≥21 yr, degree, 3 yr experience, hazard analysis knowledge).

    • Full Safety Report (Schedule 6) – chemistry, inventories, maps, QRA, meteorology, emergency arrangements; first submission: new ≥3 months before ops; existing ≤12 months from regulation date; 3-yearly review or upon modification.

    • On-Site Emergency Response Plan (ERP) prepared with CP; submit to DG; update after changes; regular drills.

    • Inform local/port authority → Off-site ERP; provide data; assist planning.

    • Information to Public (Schedule 3) – plain language, bilingual; update periodically.

  • Major accident notification (Reg.23) – immediate to nearest DOSH.

  • Penalties – manufacturer ≤ RM50 000 / 2 yrs; employee ≤ RM1 000 / 3 months.

Classification, Labelling & Safety Data Sheet of Hazardous Chemicals Regulations 2013 (CLASS)

  • Replaced CPL 1997; aligns with UN GHS (3rd Rev. Ed.).

  • Scope: all chemicals placed on market for workplace use; exclusions – radioactive, pesticides, poisons (retail), drugs/cosmetics, scheduled wastes, food, transport, bonded transit.

  • Supplier structure

    • Principal supplier = manufacturer, formulator, importer, recycler, reformulator.

    • Subsidiary supplier = repacker, distributor, retailer.

  • Duties

    1. Classification (Reg.4)

    • Use ICOP 2014 Part 1 list; if absent, apply Part 2 GHS methodology.

    • Resolve inconsistencies ⇢ DG determination.

    • Keep classification record (Reg.5) as per ICOP Part 2 template.

    1. Packaging (Reg.6) – leak-proof, chemically compatible, re-closable; defective seals prohibited (Reg.7).

    2. Labelling (Reg.8–12)

    • Label every package with: product identifier; supplier ID; signal word; hazard statements; pictograms; precautionary statements (except packages ≤125\,\text{mL} – reduced info + “Read SDS before use”).

    • Language: BM + English; pictogram precedence & combined statements (Reg.10, Third Schedule); label size per Fourth Schedule (min 52\times74\,\text{mm} up to 148\times210\,\text{mm}).

    • Affix/Tag so readable in normal position.

    1. Safety Data Sheet (Reg.13)

    • Provide SDS (16 sections) for each hazardous chemical or mixture exceeding cut-off in Fifth Schedule.

    • BM + English; update when new data or every 5 yrs; furnish revised copy promptly.

    1. Inventory (Reg.14)

    • Manufacturer/Importer: submit annual inventory (≥ 1 metric ton) to DG by 31 March; include product ID, composition, total quantity.

    1. Confidential Business Information (Reg.15)

    • May mask chemical name or composition with generic name; must disclose to DG, OHD, or exposed persons upon written request for OSH purposes.

  • Penal provisions – ≤ RM10 000 / 1 yr jail; continuing RM1 000 per day.

Noise & Chemical-Related Roles & Responsibilities (ICOP & CIMAH extracts)

  • Designers, Manufacturers, Importers, Suppliers of Plant

    • Design for low noise; supply noise data/test reports; ensure noise controls integral; provide installation & maintenance guidance.

  • Noise Risk Assessor (NRA)

    • Calibrated IEC 61672 SLM / 61252 dosimeter; 14-day prior DOSH notice; summary submission via MyKKP within 30 days.

  • Hearing Conservation Administrator (HCA)

    • Coordinate, monitor & review HCP; knowledge of OSHA 1994, Noise Regs & ICOP.

  • Occupational Health Doctor (OHD), Audiometric Technician & Test Centre

    • Ensure procedure, confidentiality, retests, notifications, annual calibration, record maintenance, state office notification.

Quick Numeric Benchmarks for Exam Recall

  • Excessive Noise ID: 82\,\text{dB(A)}; 50\% dose; 115\,\text{dB(A)} max; 140\,\text{dB(C)} peak.

  • NEL: 85\,\text{dB(A)} or 100\% dose.

  • Audiometric baseline: within 3 months of exposure start; quiet state <80\,\text{dB(A)} for 14\,\text{h}.

  • CHRA review: every 5 yrs or on change; NRA review 5 yrs.

  • CIMAH Safety Report review: every 3 yrs; Off-site Info to public within 6 months (existing) / before start (new).

  • CLASS inventory threshold: \ge 1\,\text{t/yr}; label minimum proportion ≈20 % area, min 200\,\text{mm}^2 pictogram.

Ethical & Practical Implications Highlighted

  • Emphasis on hierarchy of control: engineering before PPE (Noise; USECHH).

  • Right-to-Know: labels & SDS in languages workers understand; public right-to-information in CIMAH.

  • Record longevity (30 yrs) recognising latent occupational diseases.

  • Confidential Business Information balanced with emergency disclosure obligations.

  • Consultation with employees & safety committees mandated for effective programmes (Noise ICOP, CIMAH ERP).