KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Society for Occupational Safety and Health (MSOSH) has called for greater attention to violence against frontline workers, describing it as an occupational safety concern.
Its president Datuk Ahmad Fakhrul Anuar Ismail said risks to the personal safety of frontline workers should be addressed not only from a crime and law enforcement perspective but also in the context of occupational safety and health (OSH).
He said that, from an OSH perspective, workplace violence includes intimidation, threats and physical assaults against workers in the course of their duties, including incidents involving external parties.
“This risk is not confined to offices or industrial areas. Law enforcement personnel, rescue teams, healthcare workers and others who deal directly with the public may also be exposed.
“We often associate OSH with machinery, chemicals or hazards at construction sites. However, aggressive human behaviour also poses a risk that must be identified, assessed and controlled according to the nature of the work and operational conditions,” he said in a statement today.
Fakhrul Anuar said violence-related risk assessments must be incorporated into work planning, particularly for operations involving interaction with the public or unpredictable situations.
He said the risk of violence against workers, especially frontline personnel, should remain a key consideration in the development of national OSH policies, strategies and programmes, including discussions on the Occupational Safety and Health Master Plan 2030 (OSHMP 2030).
“Sharing best practices and enhancing skills can help organisations strengthen preventive measures. MSOSH holds in high regard the professionalism and dedication of the police and other security and emergency agencies that frequently encounter high-risk situations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fakhrul Anuar conveyed MSOSH’s sympathy to a policeman whose hand was severed in an attack by a parang-wielding foreign national in Desa Aman Puri, Kepong, on Wednesday.
“On behalf of MSOSH, I extend my sympathy to the injured officer and other affected personnel, as well as their families. I wish all those affected a smooth recovery and rehabilitation,” he said.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said yesterday that doctors had successfully performed surgery to reattach the severed hand of the policeman injured in the attack.