Act 514 · OSHA Amendment 2022 (Act A1648)

OSHA 1994 compliance for Malaysian employers

Ensure your organisation complies with the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514) and the OSHA Amendment Act 2022 (Act A1648). We help employers implement legally compliant risk assessments, safety policies, hazard control procedures, and DOSH audit preparation.

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RM500KMax Corporate Fine

5+Workers Trigger OSH Coordinator

Act A16482022 Amendment

DOSHEnforcing Authority

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Overview

What is OSHA 1994?

The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514), enforced by DOSH Malaysia (Jabatan Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan), is the primary legal framework governing workplace safety across Malaysia.

Employers are required to provide a safe and healthy working environment, take precautions against accidents and occupational diseases, and report notifiable accidents and diseases.

The OSHA Amendment Act 2022 (Act A1648) expanded these duties significantly — including new obligations for principals over contractors' workers under Section 18A.

Under Section 29A (introduced by the 2022 amendment), employers with 5 or more employees not otherwise requiring a Safety and Health Officer must appoint an internal Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator.

Administered By

Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Ministry of Human Resources.

Why It Matters Beyond DOSH

Full OSHA compliance is a scored ESG indicator for institutional investors and global supply chain auditors — it feeds directly into RBA CoC v8.0 Health & Safety scoring and SMETA audit outcomes.

Legal Risk

Penalties for non-compliance

Provision	Offence	Penalty
General employer duty	Failure to ensure workplace safety & health	Fine up to RM500,000 and/or imprisonment up to 2 years (corporate offences scaled higher under Act A1648)
Section 24 (employee duty)	Employee non-compliance with safety rules	Fine up to RM1,000 or imprisonment up to 3 months, or both
Section 25	Interfering with or misusing safety equipment	Fine up to RM20,000 or imprisonment up to 2 years, or both
Section 52 (as amended)	Director/manager liability for company offences	Joint or several liability unless due diligence is proven

Our Compliance Services

OSHA compliance support

HIRARC Risk Assessments

Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control documentation for all workplace processes.

Safety Policy Development

Written OSH policies aligned with Act 514 and the 2022 amendment's expanded scope.

OSH Coordinator Appointment

Guidance on appointing and training an internal Occupational Safety and Health Coordinator (Section 29A).

DOSH Audit Preparation

Mock inspections, documentation review, and corrective action planning ahead of DOSH visits.

Compliance Checklist

OSHA 1994 self-assessment checklist

Documentation

Written safety & health policy in place
Current HIRARC assessments on file
Accident/incident reporting log maintained
Training records for all workers

Personnel

OSH Coordinator appointed (5+ employees)
Safety and Health Officer (where required by scale)
Contractor/principal duties documented (Sec. 18A)
Emergency response roles assigned

Physical Workplace

Machine guarding & PPE provided
Hazardous substances properly labelled & stored
Emergency exits clearly marked & unobstructed
First aid facilities accessible

Reporting & Notification

Notifiable accident procedure documented
Occupational disease reporting process defined
DOSH notification timelines understood
Internal investigation procedure in place

FAQ

OSHA 1994 compliance FAQ

Who must appoint an OSH Coordinator under the 2022 amendment?

Employers with 5 or more employees who are not already required to appoint a Safety and Health Officer under Section 29 must appoint one of their employees as an OSH Coordinator under the newly introduced Section 29A.

How does OSHA 1994 relate to Act 446 and RBA compliance?

A safe workplace and a safe hostel are both statutory obligations that reinforce each other — OSHA 1994 governs the worksite while Act 446 governs accommodation. Both feed directly into RBA CoC v8.0 Health & Safety scoring during ethical audits.

What changed under the OSHA Amendment Act 2022 (Act A1648)?

Key changes include expanded principal/contractor duties under Section 18A, a new OSH Coordinator requirement under Section 29A, updated director/manager liability under Section 52, and a broader category of protected employees.

What are the penalties for OSHA non-compliance?

Penalties vary by offence — from fines up to RM1,000 for employee non-compliance, up to RM20,000 for misuse of safety equipment, and significantly higher corporate fines (reported up to RM500,000) plus imprisonment for serious employer breaches.

Related Resources

Get your workplace OSHA compliant

Risk assessments, safety policy drafting, and DOSH audit preparation — handled by Agensi Pekerjaan Andaraya Sdn Bhd's compliance team.

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