Mohd Hafiidz Jaafar

Chemical Health Risk Assessment (CHRA) and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) assessments are important aspects of assessment to be conducted in chemical laboratories. A local higher education institution was selected for the purpose of this study. The objective of this study is to propose an integrated approach that combines IAQ monitoring with CHRA to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of chemical risk assessments in Malaysian academic laboratories under the provision of the OSHA 1994. 79 laboratories had undergone a thorough chemical health risk assessment based on the requirements of the Use and Standards Exposure of Chemicals Hazardous to Health Regulation (2000). Thirty-four laboratories were later selected and underwent further analysis using an Indoor Air Quality assessment based on the Malaysian Industrial Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality (2010). Parameters such as relative humidity and ventilation indicator (carbon dioxide) were found to be significantly associated with Action Priority (AP-risk level) using the CHRA methodology at a 5% significance level. Integrating IAQ parameters with CHRA offers a more comprehensive, data-driven approach to identifying and managing chemical exposure risks in Malaysian academic laboratories.

As industrialisation spreads around the globe, occupational safety and health hazards are increasing. Recognising hazards is crucial for proper prevention and control to protect workers’ health and well-being. For an organisation its personnel are its most precious asset; thus, the management should prioritise their health and well-being. Physical, chemical, and biological health hazards are the three categories used to classify Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) risks that may lead to the emergence of accidents, diseases, and illnesses. Industrial organisations, including the oil and gas sector may be linked to occupational safety and health risks. Oil and gas operations involve various activities, including exploration and drilling, conventional oil and gas production, extraction and processing of tar sands, heavy oil processing, and pipeline operations. Operations in this industry for offshore and onshore sites involve numerous risks, including hazardous chemicals and the complex, critical equipment in the plant. The oil and gas industry can be characterised as having non-zero risk and non-free hazards. This review is intended to determine the effects of physical, chemical, and biological hazards on occupational accidents and illnesses in the oil and gas industries and the resultant implications upon OSH management.

The increase in chemical product manufacturing in Malaysia contributed to an expanding array of commercialised household chemical products (HCP). These products, after pesticides and pharmaceuticals, rank among the top three poison reagents listed by the Malaysia National Poison Centre. This study conducts a retrospective review of HCP poisoning admissions to the NPC over a 14-year period, aiming to evaluate the HCP poisoning rates in Malaysia. The database of HCP poisoning exposure calls received by the NPC from 2006 to 2020 was analysed and discussed. State profiles and populationbased incidence rates revealed 15,381 HCP poisoning cases. Household cleaning products emerged as the predominant poison reagent (53%) during the study period, followed by solvents and cosmetic/personal care items. The increase in poisoning cases by these products coincided with the spread of the COVID-19 disease. West Coast states (Selangor and Perak) reported higher poisoning exposures compared with East Coast states (Kelantan and Terengganu), with urbanisation appearing to play a role in the disparity of HCP poisoning cases among states. The study recommends intensified prevention efforts and enforcement of HCP poisoning regulations as a fundamental step towards developing national poisoning preventive strategies.