How Accommodation SOP for Workers Are Just As Important
Workers’ Accommodation SOP is vital when you are a company that hires foreign laborers and staff to work in Malaysia. However, in this sense most times it refers to foreign laborers and domestic workers. There are certain rules and regulations you should follow as a company. You will not want to be found breaking the laws as there will be hefty punishment to follow. Nobody wants to be punished for something that they have little to no intentions for hurting others.
However, there are companies that are found to break the law. Workers’ accommodation SOP is often based on the following accommodation acts:
- Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities (Amendment) Act 2019. This Act ensures that employers provide accommodation to their employees and comply with the requirements the Act asks of.
- Workers’ Minimum Standards of Housing and Amenities Act 1990 (Act 446). This Act is for the minimum standard of housing and nurseries for employees and their dependents (with or without). It doesn’t just provide lodgings but also areas for eating, showering, cleaning, among others.
In the very same Act, when it mentions “accommodation”, it is often loosely referred to any permanent or temporary building structure including:
- Houses
- Huts
- Sheds
- Roofed enclosures made for the purpose of human habitation
Basically, the Act applies to any centralized accommodation providers. As long as you are a company that manages a centralized accommodation and supervise the service provided for the laborers, then this is it.
What Happens If You Do Not Comply With The Accommodation Act Issued By The Malaysian Government?
In short: you will be punished with a hefty fine and possible jail time.
There are some companies in and around Malaysia that house their foreign laborers in tight and cramped lodgings. Sometimes, these lodgings are not meant for human living due to its inhumane shift. Given that COVID-19 virus is still around and spreads really fast, there is a good chance that the laborers may catch the diseases. Which, in all honesty, made things more complicated than it already is.
If the company does not comply with the accommodation act as stipulated by the Malaysian government, there will be measures taken: be fined up to RM50,000 for each offense.
What SOP Should You Follow If You Have to House Foreign Laborers?
There are many reasons why you plan on hiring foreign workers to work for you in Malaysia. You might be a construction company. Or you may be looking for workers for renovation work, among many other reasons.
Regardless of what purpose you need foreign laborers for, there will be SOP for you to follow. Here are some things your workers’ accommodation SOP should cover:
| Area | Information or Description |
| Space | For every single laborer you hire, he or she must get at least 9 square feet worth of sleep space in the bare minimum.
With that being said, a 54 square feet hostel should house 6 laborers at the very max. |
| Living Equipment | If a single bed measures not less than 1.7 square meters. And if a double-decker bed is provided, the space between two beds shall not be less than 0.7 meters.
A mattress at least four inches thick, a pillow and a blanket. 1 locker for each laborer that is at least 0.35m in length, 0.35 meters width, and 0.9 meters in height. |
| Facility | The accommodation should provide the following facilities:
Every space has to have a standard electricity supply outlet and fire prevention measures. |
| Usage Proportions | For every washroom and toilet that is made should be used by 6 tenants max.
A separate accommodation for male, and a separate one for females. First Aid Kits that should be provided by the company and should be in proportion to the number of laborers staying in the said accommodation. |
| Safety and Hazard Prevention Measures | A fire prevention system must be ready in place. Respective and relevant departments should verify and approve the same fire prevention certificate.
First aid kit must be provided by employers for the laborers to use. It should be an easy kit for the laborers to use and is easy to process during any emergency. |
Other Useful Information
If you wish to charge the laborers rental fees, the maximum amount you should request for is RM100 per employee.
Every month, you will need to appoint a person in charge to visit the accommodation area at least twice. Record any updates and findings in a file for future references. Check for any problems at the accommodation area also, so that it can be rectified and resolved as soon as possible.
If any laborers have health problems reported in the accommodation area, as an employer you should solve it immediately. As employers, you will bear the full cost of the medical cost.
Conclusion
If you need any help with foreign laborer accommodations, we are able to assist accordingly. Do not hesitate to contact us for further information and assistance.
