Assessing Risk Management Practices on Workplace Safety Factors Among Malaysian Firefighters

Firefighters work in uncertain, hazardous conditions where safety protocols do not fulfil complex requirements in a dynamic fireground and real-time crisis actions. The gap calls for an immediate implementation of flexible, pragmatic risk management principles to improve workplace security. This research assessed a workplace risk management model developed for firefighting in Malaysia. The model centred on eight core elements: context setting, risk perception, hazard identification, risk analysis, risk assessment, anticipation, risk treatment, and communication. Using a cross-sectional design, the researchers assessed 331 operational firefighters from 45 fire stations in the Klang Valley area. The data were collected through an administered, validated questionnaire and processed through Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using IBM SPSS AMOS version 26 software. The findings indicated six elements comprising context setting, risk perception, hazard identification, risk analysis, anticipation, and communication significantly and positively affected perceived workplace safety. Conversely, risk assessment and risk treatment did not demonstrate any significant influence. The finding suggests that conventional models lack flexibility in highly dynamic crisis contexts. The research emphasizes real-time communication and flexible and team-based risk approaches and contributes theoretical and practical implications toward improved safety in rescue missions during firefighting activities.