Shah alam: The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) today received recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) after successfully gathering about 500 participants for a large-scale safety and health training programme at a mosque institution.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, JAIS director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said the recognition was awarded under the category of Most Participants in a Health and Safety Training at a Mosque, held in conjunction with the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. The programme is an important initiative by JAIS in providing exposure and awareness to mosque managements across Selangor on occupational safety and health aspects, as mosques also serve as community activity centres apart from places of worship.
Mohd Shahzihan emphasized that safety and health aspects cannot be taken lightly, and through programmes like this, opportunities are created for mosque authorities to understand guidelines, best practices, as well as preventive measures that can be implemented at their respective mosques. He made these remarks during the programme held at Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, which was also attended by Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) director-general Hazlina Yon and the mosque's grand imam Datuk Muhammad Farhan Wijaya.
The training, themed 'Safe for Congregants, Perfect for Worship', involved participation from department personnel, mosque nazirs, mosque committee members statewide, representatives from government agencies, as well as university communities. The effort aimed to mainstream a culture of safety within the management ecosystem of modern houses of worship, ensuring a high level of preparedness in facing emergency risks such as fires or accidents within the premises.
Meanwhile, Hazlina highlighted that Selangor recorded seven workplace fatalities from January to March this year, with the construction sector contributing the highest number at five cases, while the remainder occurred in the quarry and storage sectors. She noted that DOSH's observations show a slight decline in workplace fatalities in Selangor compared to the same period last year. Overall, 418 fatal injury cases were recorded in 2024, with the construction sector registering the highest number at 101 cases.
As the statistics indicated that the construction sector is the highest-risk industry, Hazlina urged that it requires closer attention from all parties involved. She called on the management of mosques, as community centres, to give serious attention to occupational safety and health aspects, including risk management and emergency preparedness.