XBLR 3103

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND

HEALTH LEGISLATION
CHE HAZWANI BINTI CHE MANSOR
OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA
 eTutorial 2
• Regulations Related To Health Under FMA 1967

• Other Regulations Under FMA 1967

 HEALTH REGULATIONS UNDER
FACTORIES AND MACHINERY ACT 1967

Objectives of reg. related to health under FMA 1967:

- To prevent any diseases due to exposure/ excessive use of the
specific substances
- To establish the minimum standard to protect employees from the
exposure to the specific substances

4 reg. related to health:

-FMA (Lead) Reg. 1984
-FMA (Asbestos Process) Reg. 1986
-FMA (Mineral Dust) Reg. 1989
-FMA (Noise Exposure) Reg. 1989
 HEALTH REGULATIONS UNDER
FACTORIES AND MACHINERY ACT 1967

• The strategies and methods provided in the Regulations to protect the

employees health are as below:

Set the exposure

limit

Reduce exposures using the

Identify and evaluate the
hierarchy of control
degree of exposure
(engineering,
administrative, PPEs)

Early Medical Create

Surveillance Awareness
 HEALTH REGULATIONS UNDER
FACTORIES AND MACHINERY ACT 1967

The main health provision stipulated under these 4 regulations related to health are
(as per Appendix I):

a) Preliminary - Interpretation and application)

b) Permissible Exposure Limit
c) Exposure Monitoring
d) Method of Compliance
e) Respiratory Protection
f) Protective Work Clothing and Equipment
g) Housekeeping
h) Hygiene Facilities and Practices
i) Medical Surveillance
j) Medical Removal Protection
k) Employee Information and Training
l) Warning Signages
m) Miscellaneous
 HEALTH REGULATIONS UNDER
FACTORIES AND MACHINERY ACT 1967

-FMA (Lead) Reg. 1984

-FMA (Asbestos Process) Reg. 1986

-FMA (Mineral Dust) Reg. 1989

-FMA (Noise Exposure) Reg. 1989

 FMA (Lead) Reg. 1984

These Regulations shall apply to all factories in which any lead process is used and
shall not apply to any building operations or works of engineering construction.

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)

i. PEL = 150 micrograms/ m³ over 8 hour average.
ii. PEL for exposure of over than 8 hours:
PEL (µg/m³) = = 1200/(total working hours/day)

Action level
i. 75 µg/m³ over 8 hour average
 FMA (Lead) Reg. 1984

Medical Surveillance
• Examination shall be conducted if the employees are exposed more than thirty days per year.

• Blood lead sampling test frequency:

i) 6 months
ii) 3 months if 40-60µg/100g
iii) Monthly if 60-80 µg/100g
iv) Monthly during the removal period
v) Monthly for a women employee of child-bearing capacity

• Medical examination frequency:

i) Annually if = 40µg/100g
ii) Prior to assignment for each employee assigned for the first time to an area in which
airborne concentrations of lead are at or above the action level
iii) If there are symptoms of lead poisoning
iv) As prescribed by a doctor for each employee in the medical removal stage
(if found testing is necessary)
 FMA (Lead) Reg. 1984
Medical Removal Protection
• An employee should be removed from the work area if the blood lead level is:
i) = 80µg/100g
ii) The average of the last 3 test indicates 73µg/100g
iii) = 40µg/100g, for women employees of child-bearing capacity
iv) The health of employee is harmed based on medical test results or
opinion
Record Keeping
• Monitoring records of the blood lead test – two (2) years
• Medical Surveillance Record for the employee’s period of employment (Lead)
• Records are to be kept by employer/ registered medical practitioner.

Housekeeping
• Ensure that cleaning is not be done by the use of compressed air

Miscellaneous
• Any person who contravenes any provision of these reg. shall be guilty of an offence and shall,
on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding two thousand ringgit (≥RM2000.00)
 FMA (Asbestos Process) Reg. 1986

These Regulations shall apply to all factories in which there is asbestos process, but shall not
apply to any building operations or works of engineering construction.
Asbestos Process = A manufacturing process involving the use of asbestos materials but does
not include:
a) Quantities of dust generated that does not exceed the permissible exposure
limit, or
b) The cleaning of premises, plant, equipment, furniture or fittings of the factory

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)

1 fibre/ml air average 8 hours
Medical examination
Shall be conducted on any employee:
i) Exposed to asbestos in his normal employment/working hours, whether continuously/ not
ii) Within 30 days from the day the employee commences work
iii) Frequency of examination thereafter shall be at intervals of not longer than 2 years
 FMA (Asbestos Process) Reg. 1986

Medical removal protection

• An employee should be removed from his work if based on the medical results or opinion
that there are traces or symptoms of an early stage of asbestos induced disease.

Recordkeeping
• Among the records that should be kept with specific retention time are as follows:
a) Monitoring records:
b) Medical surveillance records for the employee’s period of employment
* Records are to be kept by employer/ registered medical practitioner.

Miscellaneous
• Any person who contravenes any provision of these reg. shall be guilty of an offence and
shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding two thousand ringgit (≥RM2000.00)
 FMA (Mineral Dust) Reg. 1989

These Regulations shall apply to all factories in which any mineral process is used.
Mineral Process = A manufacturing process involving minerals.
Note: Sand blasting process shall not be used in any factory, except with the prior written approval of the Chief Inspector

Dust containing free silica <1% silica:

• Workers shall not be exposed at an average concentration over 8 hours:
i) 5 mg m-³ air (total dust)
ii) 10mg m-³ air (total dust)
Dust containing free silica <1% silica:
• Workers shall not be exposed at an average concentration over 8 hours:
i) 0.05mg m-³ air (respirable cristobalite/tridymite)
ii) 0.10mg m-³ air (respirable quartz)
Housekeeping:
• Under the Mineral Dust Regulations, occupiers are required to:
a) Maintain and clean the floors from accumulation of mineral dust
b) Ensure that cleaning is done by vacums
c) Ensure that cleaning is not be done by the use of compressed air
 FMA (Mineral Dust) Reg. 1989

Medical Examination:
• Medical examination shall be conducted on any employee exposed to crystalline
silica at or above action level
• Frequency of testing:
i) Annually if employee shows early symptoms of pneumoconiosis
ii) Every 2 years if exposure is above action level
Record Keeping:
• Among the records that should be kept with specific retention time are monitoring
records for the employee’s period of employment.
Medical Surveillance Records:
• Mineral Dust records – 25 years
Miscellaneous:
• Any person who contravenes any provision of these reg. shall be guilty of an offence
and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand ringgit
(≥RM1000.00)
 FMA (Noise Exposure) Reg. 1989

These Regulations shall apply to all factories in which employees are exposed to excessive
noise levels in the workplace.

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)

a) 90 dBA 8 hours exposure
b) Specifications for dose are as in the First Schedule
c) Exchange rate adopted 5 dB
d) Each increase of 4 dB will result in half dose
e) Maximum level of 115 dBA shall not be exceeded at any time
f) 140 dB is the peak level
g) Action level daily noise dose is 0.5
 FMA (Noise Exposure) Reg. 1989

Audiometric Testing Programme shall be conducted if employees exposed to noise level at or

above the action level.
Frequency of testing:
i) Every year:
- If employee exposure is above the permissible exposure limit
- If employee baseline audiogram shows a hearing impairment
- If annual testing indicates a standard threshold shift
ii) Every 2 years:
- If employee is exposed to noise levels at or above the action level <PEL
Record Keeping:
• Among the records that should be kept with specific retention time are monitoring records for
the employee’s period of employment and the medical surveillance records (audiometric test
records for 5 years).
Miscellaneous:
• Any person who contravenes any provision of these reg. shall be guilty of an offence and shall,
on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand ringgit (≥RM1000.00)
 HEALTH REGULATIONS UNDER
FACTORIES AND MACHINERY ACT 1967

Exposure Monitoring
Exposure monitoring that is required to be conducted under all four Regulations are as follows:
i) Initial Employee Exposure Monitoring
a) Sampling of employees suspected of high exposure
b) The exposure monitoring will be conducted if the Initial employee exposure monitoring is
above the action level. The frequency depends on the level of exposure which is:
i) Every 6 months
ii) Every 3 months
iii) Once only
ii) Additional monitoring
Additional monitoring is required in case of changes in:
a) Production
b) Processes
c) Control measures or
d) Personnel
That may result in new or additional exposure. The monitoring must be conducted by a Competent
Person (noise exposure).
 HEALTH REGULATIONS UNDER
FACTORIES AND MACHINERY ACT 1967

Methods of Compliance
Methods of Compliance stipulated under the Health Regulations to reduce and control exposure
below the PEL are:
a) Engineering control
- ventilation & water spray
b) Control of work practices including administrative controls
- PPEs (if other methods fail to reduce exposure, temporary measures
Provision of Respiratory/ Ear Protection
a) As approved by Chief Inspector
b) Where an employee is employed in a prescribed area or doing a prescribed work
c) Suitable for the work
d) Do not cause harm to the health of the employees (noise exposure)
PPE
a) Required if the exposure exceeds the PEL
b) Cover entire body from hazardous exposure
c) Includes gloves, helmets, shoes, face shield, goggles or other protective equipments
 HEALTH REGULATIONS UNDER
FACTORIES AND MACHINERY ACT 1967

Employee Information and Training

Training shall cover:
a) The provisions in the reg. and employees right
b) The nature of the operation which can result in high concentration of contaminants and
exposure
c) The purpose, proper selection, fitting, use and limitations of respiratory/ hearing protection
d) The purpose and a description of the medical surveillance programme including information
concerning the adverse effects

Warning Signages
Displayed at every work areas where employees exposed to hazardous substances/ excessive
noise.