BANGI: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) hopes to introduce a safety passport for media practitioners, soon.
Its chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the document would show that the holders have undergone training exercises related to the industry.
He said NIOSH would get the ball rolling by discussing its plans with media organisations in order to determine suitable training modules for practitioners such as journalists.
The modules would among others cover skills training on risk assessment and the use of personal protective equipment.
"Media organisations have to exemplify other industries in implementing the passports that is a mainstay in the petroleum and telecommunication companies in Malaysia as well as telecommunication companies such as Tenaga Malaysia Bhd and Plus Malaysia Bhd," he said at the opening of an occupational safety and health seminar at the NIOSH headquarters here.
Lee said that through the programme media practitioners will get to learn about safety and health aspects such as emergency aid and response as well as how to assess work related hazards and how to overcome them.
He said journalists who were reporting from conflict zones such as Lahad Datu, Sabah (during the invasion in 2013) or covering epidemics or natural disasters, have to be fully prepared.
Lee cited the aftermath of the assassination of Kim Jong-nam in KLiA2, where journalists may have come in contact with the VX nerve agent, which was believed to be used to kill the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Lee also said that employers have to be attentive by giving their workers the proper equipment and suitable medical and health coverage for those assigned for such work.
He also said that the employers' statutory duty under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1994 was to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for their workers by complying with the regulation.
Lee said that the seminar which was attended by more than 50 media practitioners was supported by Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak.
He further said that the Department of Occupational Safety and Health has also published OSH guidelines for Media Professionals in 2012.
"The guidelines are also intended to assist the management in planning and making necessary arrangements before sending their journalists out for coverage and interviews," added Lee.
He said that the guidelines were formulated following the death of Bernama photographer Noramfaizul Mohd Nor who was killed by stray bullets while covering a humanitarian mission in Mogadishu in 2011.
Lee said that the tragedy was however soon forgotten as many members of the media were now back to covering high-risk situations without protective gear as well as knowledge on how to face dangers ahead.
He however acknowledged the implementation of these guidelines and regulations have to be fully supported by the management.
Lee said that the management should not cut cost when it comes to safety and health of their workers as it is fundamental.
"Media organisations cannot wait until a tragedy occurs before they implement a safe working culture."
"I don't know want a situation where a journalist who is assigned to cover something becomes the news subject."