The proposed US OSHA heat standard outlined in the editorial published in the Occupational & Environmental Medicine has significant implications for Malaysia and the broader Southeast Asian region, where heat-related workplace hazards are increasingly concerning due to climate change.
Current Heat Challenges in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is particularly vulnerable to heat-related workplace hazards:
- The region experienced record-breaking temperatures above 40°C in 2024
- Workers in Asia-Pacific face some of the highest heat exposure rates globally at 74.7%
- Heat stress can disrupt water cycles, crop yields, and sectors such as agriculture and construction
- Approximately 45% of global heat-related deaths occur in Asia
- According to studies, heat-exposed industries in Southeast Asia risk losing between 15-20% of their annual work capacity
Malaysia’s Current Heat Management Approach
Malaysia has already begun addressing workplace heat issues:
- The Department of Occupational Safety and Health has published Guidelines on Heat Stress Management at Workplace.
- These guidelines recommend using heat stress instruments to evaluate workplace conditions and determine risk levels
- Countermeasures include automation to reduce heat impact, insulation, shielding workers from radiant heat, buddy systems, emergency SOPs, scheduled water breaks, and regular health checks
- As of June 1, 2024, the amendment to the Occupational Safety and Health Amendment Act 1994 expanded safety duties to most workplaces throughout the country
Regional Implications of the Proposed Roadmap
The phased approach proposed in the editorial aligns with emerging regional initiatives:
- Phase 1 (Universal Mandates): Malaysia’s existing guidelines already incorporate fundamental protections like water, shade, and rest breaks, but the proposed US OSHA standard would provide a more comprehensive framework that could serve as a model for the region.
- Phase 2 (Enhanced Guidelines): The Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) Southeast Asia Hub, launched in January 2025 and based in Singapore, aims to develop region-specific approaches to heat management. This aligns with the editorial’s call for context-specific, data-driven guidelines.
- Phase 3 (Dynamic Risk Assessment): Project HeatSafe, spearheaded by the Heat Resilience and Performance Centre at NUS Medicine, has investigated the impact of rising temperatures on health and productivity in Southeast Asia, providing a foundation for the more sophisticated risk assessment models proposed in the editorial.
The editorial’s emphasis on engaging workers and employers from the outset resonates with regional initiatives like the GHHIN Southeast Asia Hub’s focus on creating “a robust system to facilitate the exchange of expertise, best practices, and innovative solutions”.
For Malaysia specifically, the proposed approach could complement existing guidelines by providing more nuanced thresholds that account for the country’s tropical climate, where high humidity compounds heat stress and rapid urbanisation exacerbates the Urban Heat Island effect.
As Southeast Asia continues to face increasing heat challenges, this roadmap offers a framework for developing standards that are both effective and attainable across diverse contexts within the region.