LABUAN: More focus should be given to safety and health aspect sat boarding schools, said National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Niosh) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
He said this was because students and most of the teachers and support staff were at the premises most of the time.
The situation in boarding schools is also different from normal schools where students who stay at home would return to their respective houses after classes and co-curricular activities.
“Given the enormous responsibility of the boarding school management, I would like to call for a more efficient occupational safety and health (OSH) management system to prevent any untoward incidents and illness at their premises,” he said.
“Management of such schools should set up a Safety and Health Committee and adopt the concept of ‘Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control’ (HIRARC).
“If HIRARC concept is practiced, teachers and students will become more aware of risky activities, which may lead to accidents if not properly addressed.
“Boarding schools like SM Sains Labuan should get more attention because students are either in the school building or dormitory most of the time,” he said after launching the ‘OSH in School’ programme at SM Sains Labuan today.
Also present was Niosh Sabah and Labuan regional manager Wan Sarman Sakan, SM Sains Labuan Alumni Association (SAMUDERA) president Suhaili Dikar and Labuan Education Director Raisin Saidin.
Lee said under the OSH Act 1994, the school administration had the responsibility to ensure the safety, health and welfare of all parties at their premises.
He said there have been accidents at schools which involved teachers and students falling from school buildings, being hit by a goal post, fires and gas leaks.
He said various activities could also pose danger including the use of equipment for welding, cutting or drilling, and when handling toxic and flammable chemicals in the science laboratories.
“It is therefore timely for hazard analysis to be done for every activity in schools which involve teachers, support staff and students,” he stressed.