PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
The Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health at MAHSA University is a 3-year programme that prepares students for a career in the Occupational Safety and Health field. This programme has been developed to meet the growing demand for safety and health practitioners as the government continues quest to reduce and prevent industrial accidents and occupational diseases. Occupational safety and health practitioners are needed to manage and improve employees' health and wellness across workplaces and industries which in turn are important for improving legislative compliance, productivity, efficiency and morale in organizations.
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is a field of public health that studies trends in illnesses and injuries in the worker population and proposes as well as implements strategies and regulations to prevent them. Its scope is broad, encompassing a wide variety of disciplines, from industrial hygiene, engineering, toxicology and epidemiology to ergonomics and violence prevention. The issues studied and regulated by OSH practitioners today vary widely by sector. For example, risks such as falling from heights and injury from heavy machinery might be of greater concern to construction workers, whereas mental health and repetitive stress injuries might be the focus in office environments.
The Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health is tailored to cater for the current and future needs of diverse industries and organizations. To this end, MAHSA University has taken a bold step to envisage the global and national vision of the current and future industrial revolution by moulding competent graduates who are well rounded with the necessary soft skills and attitudes to lead the ever-evolving OSH landscape.
MAHSA University’s Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health graduates will be assets to their employers and companies where they will be able to establish, monitor and maintain a safe and healthy working environment for all of the employees.
Critical Problem Statement
What is the national situation at hand in terms of demand/ shortage/career evolution that will make learning this programme worthwhile in tackling the matter?
Malaysia currently lacks at least 9,000 safety and health officers (SHOs) and demand is expected to grow with multiple mega projects in the pipeline. There are currently 14 million workers in Malaysia, and this is expected to increase significantly when mega projects begin construction, furthering the need for SHOs to monitor work sites (NIOSH, 2018).
How will this programme support the talent shortage/critical talent list (to use/cite relevant and credible statistics to back up demand of the employability)?
The scope of OSH practice is carried out by well-trained and registered Safety Health Officer professionals in the public and private sectors through multitasking of work in the areas of organization, management, education, enforcement, consultation, and audit for the purpose of promotion and to provide a safe working environment for all their employees. The OSH Master Plan by the Human Resources Ministry, which set a target of only 2 workplace accident cases per 1,000 workers in 2020, like the rate in developed countries. MAHSA University aims to be the avenue for promoting continuous professional education to complement this plan.
Based on employability factors, why should one study this programme?
Occupational Safety and Health is listed as one of the critical occupations by the Malaysian Human Resource Ministry (in the 2019/2020 Talent Corp Critical Occupation List). It has been established that there is a demand for and shortage of professionals in this field.
OSH practitioners can find employment opportunities in a wide variety
Of settings such as construction, factories, petrochemicals, mining and offices. If there is a risk in the safety and health of employees, tenants or guests, the expertise of professionals this field will be needed. After all, not only do workplace accidents cost businesses money via compensation and fines, they are also a source of bad publicity and low staff morale.
OSH practitioners can also be a part of the health frontline.
While you may not be directly involved in saving lives, you will be a part of the health heroes toiling tirelessly to prevent workplace accidents from occurring, thus reducing fatalities and the need for people to seek medical aid.
Programme Structure
| TAHUN | SEMESTER | NAMA KURSUS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Anatomy and Physiology |
| Industrial Chemistry | ||
| Introduction To Occupational Safety | ||
| Pengajian Malaysia/Bahasa Melayu Komunikasi (U1) | ||
| English for Academic Purpose | ||
| 2 | Occupational Safety and Health Legislation | |
| Physics | ||
| Introduction to Occupational Health | ||
| Organizational Leadership | ||
| English for Academic Writing | ||
| 3 | Ergonomics and Human Factors in Safety | |
| Creative & Critical Thinking (U2) | ||
| Hazard Identification and Risk Control | ||
| 2 | 1 | Occupational Safety & Health Statistics |
| Accident and Incident Investigation at Workplace | ||
| Fire Prevention and Protection System | ||
| Industrial Hygiene | ||
| Co-curricular project (U4) | ||
| 2 | Machinery and Equipment Safety | |
| Introduction to Hazardous Substances and Occupational Toxicology | ||
| Safety and Health in Construction | ||
| Elective 1 | ||
| Time Management (U3) | ||
| 3 | Emergency Response and Planning | |
| Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance and Monitoring | ||
| Workplace Inspection | ||
| Management of Occupational Safety and Health Information and Data System | ||
| 3 | 1 | Industrial Training 1 |
| 2 | Industrial Training 2 | |
| 3 | Management of Workplace Safety and Health | |
| Elective 2 | ||
| Elective 3 |
Entry Requirement
i) SPM or equivalent with PASS in Bahasa Malaysia and English and 3 credits in the following subjects:
- Mathematics or ONE science subject (Biology/Physics/Chemistry/General Science); and
- Any other TWO subjects (including Bahasa Malaysia and/or English if credits)
ii) GCE/O Level or equivalent with PASS in Bahasa Malaysia and English and 3 credits (Grade C) in the following subjects:
- Mathematics or ONE science subject (Biology/Physics/Chemistry/General Science); and
- Any other TWO subjects (including Bahasa Malaysia and/or English if obtained Grade C)
iii) Certificate related to Health Sciences with minimum CGPA 2.50
Career Opportunities
Occupational Safety and Health Officer
Environmental Health Officer (OSHO) in Department of Occupational Safety and Health Malaysia
Safety and Health Officer (SHO) in various sectors
Safety Executive in various sectors. Industrial Hygienist
Site Safety Supervisor
Consultant in the field of Occupational Safety and Health