The Vitality of Psychosocial Risks Identification: Results from Malaysian Oil Rigs

Abstract

The growing focus on psychosocial risks and their possible effects on the mental and physical well-being of employees has thrived as a result of the transformations occurring in the workplace. The transformations in the realm of employment and the recent global occurrences have intensified the pre-existing psychosocial risks and introduced novel psychosocial risks that must be taken into account in order to safeguard the well-being of the employees. Thus, this study explores psychosocial risks among offshore O&G industry employees in Malaysia. Psychosocial risks have consistently been challenging in workplace health and safety practices. A generic descriptive research study was conducted with 412 offshore O&G employees from four states: Sabah, Sarawak, Kelantan, and Terengganu. The data collected were analysed using SPSS 28. Based on the findings, job demands, job security, social support, and job satisfaction were identified to influence the mental health state among offshore O&G employees. Among the most significant factors were social support and work environment, with mean values of 4.09 and 5.76, respectively. Meanwhile, job security (mean 2.06) indicated a low level in the score category. Simultaneously, the onset of COVID-19 in 2020 resulted in changes in how people live and work, which are dominant examples of psychosocial influences. The findings emphasized the importance of these aspects in measuring employee’s mental health state. The study also discusses the research implications.