Occupational Health Doctor (OHD) Services for Employers
An occupational health doctor (OHD) is a medical practitioner registered with DOSH to carry out medical surveillance. Employers need one when the CHRA calls for medical surveillance, when audiometric testing finds abnormal results, and for the health surveillance of confined space workers. OSHMed arranges OHD services through our partner clinic, Nova Care Sdn Bhd in Kajang, which carries out and bills for the examinations.
OSHMed plans the programme based on your CHRA and NRA and coordinates it. The partner clinic carries out and bills for the examinations and tests, and the OHD certifies fitness under their own DOSH registration. OSHMed does not examine, diagnose or treat workers.
Registered with DOSH
OHDs are registered with the DOSH Director General, and DOSH publishes the list on its portal. Ask for the registration number.
Medical surveillance
Under regulation 27(2) of USECHH 2000, the medical part of health surveillance is carried out by an OHD.
Audiograms
Under regulation 9 of the Noise Exposure Regulations 2019, the testing centre appoints an OHD to interpret audiograms.
Confined spaces
DOSH states that OHDs also carry out health surveillance for confined space workers (ICOP 2010).
What an OHD does for your workplace
Based on section 1.4 of the DOSH Guidelines on Medical Surveillance Programme at The Workplace 2023.
- Pre-placement (baseline) examination before exposure starts
- Periodic medical surveillance, at least once in 12 months for Schedule II chemicals
- Review of your CHRA, air monitoring and biological monitoring reports
- Fitness to work, including fitness to wear a respirator
- Investigation of abnormal findings, which may include a workplace visit
- Medical removal protection advice when a worker must be moved away from exposure
- Interpretation of audiograms and examination of abnormal hearing results
- Medical surveillance report to the employer, with the summary sent to DOSH
When employers need an OHD
- Your CHRA says health surveillance is necessary for exposed workers
- Workers handle Schedule II chemicals such as lead, benzene, isocyanates or crystalline silica
- Annual audiometric testing finds an abnormal audiogram
- Your team works in confined spaces
- A worker may have an occupational disease or poisoning
- You need a decision on fitness to work or return to work after removal
A general annual check-up is not medical surveillance. Surveillance follows your CHRA, uses tests chosen for each chemical and is recorded on the USECHH forms.
Four roles, clear responsibilities
Employer
- Appoints the OHD and pays for the programme (section 26, Act 514)
- Removes a worker from exposure when the OHD advises it (regulation 28)
- Keeps health surveillance records for 30 years (regulation 27(4))
Occupational health doctor
- Examines workers and certifies them fit or not fit (form USECHH 3)
- Sends the summary report to DOSH within 30 days
- Advises on removal, return to work and further tests
Partner clinic
- Nova Care Sdn Bhd, No. 32, Jalan Reko Sentral 4, Kajang
- DOSH-approved audiometric testing centre (PUA JKKP/2025/11-02/00027)
- Carries out and bills for the examinations and tests
OSHMed
- Builds the worker list from your CHRA and NRA
- Schedules rounds with the clinic around your shifts
- Runs the related training and keeps your compliance calendar
Four steps from enquiry to report
- Send your detailsWhatsApp us your headcount, location and what you need, with your latest CHRA or NRA if you have one.
- We plan the programmeWe list the workers and tests from your assessments and agree a schedule with the clinic.
- ExaminationsThe partner clinic carries out the examinations and tests, and the OHD reviews the results.
- Report and recordsYou receive the OHD report and certificates. Keep them for 30 years.
Before you appoint an OHD, ask for
- The OHD’s name and DOSH registration number, checked against the DOSH list
- The chemicals and work units taken from your CHRA
- The tests for each chemical under the DOSH 2023 Guidelines
- The accredited laboratory used for samples
- Who sends the forms to DOSH within 30 days
Why employers appoint an OHD
Questions employers ask about OHDs
What is an occupational health doctor?
A medical practitioner registered with the DOSH Director General to conduct medical surveillance of employees (USECHH 2000, regulation 2). To register, a doctor needs a recognised postgraduate qualification in occupational health or must pass the OHD course and examination recognised by DOSH.
When does an employer need an OHD?
When the CHRA shows health surveillance is necessary, for Schedule II chemicals, when an audiogram is abnormal, for confined space health surveillance, and when a worker may have an occupational disease or poisoning.
How do I check that an OHD is registered?
DOSH publishes the list of registered occupational health doctors on its portal. Ask the doctor for their DOSH registration number and check it against the list before you appoint them.
Who pays for medical surveillance?
The employer. Section 26 of Act 514 says no employer shall charge employees for anything done or provided under the Act or its regulations.
Where are the examinations carried out?
At our partner clinic, Nova Care Sdn Bhd, No. 32, Jalan Reko Sentral 4, 43000 Kajang, Selangor. For workplaces elsewhere in Malaysia, tell us your location and headcount and we will advise how the programme can be arranged.
Does OSHMed carry out the examinations?
No. OSHMed is a consultancy, not a clinic, and plans and coordinates the programme. A DOSH-registered OHD does the medical part, and examinations and tests are carried out and billed by our partner clinic, Nova Care Sdn Bhd in Kajang.
Need an OHD for your workplace?
Send us your headcount, location and latest CHRA or NRA on WhatsApp. We will plan the programme with our partner clinic.