CHRA Requirements Malaysia: When Is It Mandatory?
Published 23 September 2026 · Regulatory Hub
The short answer: If your workplace uses any chemical listed in the DOSH Schedule of Chemicals, a Chemical Health Risk Assessment (CHRA) is mandatory under the USECHH Regulations 2000. No exceptions. No grace periods.
1. What Is a CHRA?
A Chemical Health Risk Assessment evaluates:
- The chemicals used, stored, or generated at your workplace
- Exposure pathways (inhalation, skin contact, ingestion)
- Health risks to employees
- Control measures required (engineering, administrative, PPE)
2. Who Needs a CHRA?
You need a CHRA if your workplace handles:
- Scheduled chemicals (acids, solvents, heavy metals, toxic gases)
- Any chemical with a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) indicating health hazards
- Processes generating chemical by-products (welding fumes, exhaust gases)
Common industries affected: Electronics manufacturing, metal finishing, printing, furniture (wood dust + solvents), chemical processing, laboratories.
3. Who Can Conduct a CHRA?
Only a DOSH-registered competent person can sign off on a CHRA. This is not a self-assessment you can delegate to your safety officer.
Naja Safety scopes the assessment, coordinates site access, and manages the submission — the assessment itself is performed and signed by a DOSH-registered assessor.
4. What Happens If You Skip It?
Under the OSH Act 1994 (as amended 2022), employers who fail to conduct a required CHRA face:
- Stop-work orders until compliance is demonstrated
- Prosecution under Section 29A — fine up to RM50,000
- Corporate liability under Section 30 — fine up to RM500,000 for general duty breaches
5. How Long Is a CHRA Valid?
A CHRA must be reviewed every 5 years, or sooner if:
- New chemicals are introduced
- Processes change
- An exposure-related illness occurs
- DOSH requests a re-assessment
Next Steps
If you suspect your workplace needs a CHRA, the safest course is a gap assessment. Naja Safety evaluates your chemical inventory and determines whether a full CHRA is required — before DOSH does.