What is the NIOSH SSS exam?
A Site Safety Supervisor (SSS) is the competent person a principal contractor must appoint under regulation 39 of the OSH (Construction Work) (Design and Management) Regulations 2024. To register with DOSH you normally attend an SSS course and pass the SSS examination run by NIOSH or a DOSH-recognised institution. Registration lasts three years.
The exam format
| Conducted by | NIOSH, or an institution recognised by DOSH |
|---|---|
| Before the exam | The Site Safety Supervisor course at a DOSH-registered training provider (most routes) |
| Paper 1 | Part A multiple choice, commonly reported as 60 questions; Part B structured and essay questions |
| Paper 2 | Site assessment and presentation, commonly reported |
| Pass mark | Commonly reported as 50% for each part |
| Registration | With DOSH through the MyKKP portal, valid 3 years |
Timings and fees differ between published sources, and NIOSH has issued a notice of changes to the SSS exam conditions and format, with new questions in use from the July 2025 session. Check the current rules on niosh.com.my before you book. Our timed mock is our own format, built around the commonly reported Paper 1 Part A.
Who can register as an SSS
DOSH lists several routes for Malaysian citizens, including: a diploma in engineering, architecture or a construction field plus the SSS course and exam; at least 2 years as a site supervisor or foreman plus the course and exam; or at least 10 years as a site supervisor or foreman plus the exam.
What the exam covers
- OSHA 1994 and regulations: general duties, the 2022 amendments (risk assessment, OSH coordinator, right to leave imminent danger), penalties and competent persons
- Construction hazards and control: overhead power lines, underground services, silica dust, confined spaces, LOTO, traffic routes
- HIRARC and risk assessment: likelihood x severity, the risk matrix and the hierarchy of controls
- Working at height and scaffolding: ladders, edge protection, harnesses, scaffold tags and inspections
- Excavation and lifting: shift-start inspections, shoring, sling angles, signallers and certificates of fitness
- Accident investigation and NADOPOD: immediate notice, the 7-day JKKP 6 report, dangerous occurrences, root causes
- Safety management and SSS duties: construction phase plan, committees, toolbox talks, permits to work
- Emergency response: evacuation, emergency routes, firefighting equipment, rescue from trenches and water
Free official resources, and what we add
DOSH publishes OSHA 1994, the 2024 construction regulations, NADOPOD guidance and the HIRARC guidelines free on dosh.gov.my, and NIOSH posts exam notices on niosh.com.my. Note that the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 was repealed on 1 June 2024, so older notes based on it and the BOWEC Regulations 1986 are out of date. We add 112 original practice questions in eight topic areas, timed mocks and an explanation with its source for every answer.
How to prepare
- Read OSHA 1994 as amended in 2022, especially sections 15 to 19, 24 to 27, 29A, 30 to 32.
- Learn the 2024 construction regulations: who the client, principal designer and principal contractor are, and what regulations 8, 13, 24 and 39 require.
- Practise HIRARC scoring until you can rate any hazard quickly and pick controls in the right order.
- Learn the NADOPOD time limits and forms by heart.
- Practise one topic at a time here, then sit full timed mocks before your Paper 1.
Practice questions with answers
Tap a question to see the correct answer and explanation.
Which Act was repealed on 1 June 2024, moving factory and machinery requirements under OSHA 1994?
- The Construction Industry Development Board Act 1994
- The Employees' Social Security Act 1969
- The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994
- The Factories and Machinery Act 1967
Answer: D, The Factories and Machinery Act 1967. The Factories and Machinery (Repeal) Act 2022 (Act 835) repealed the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 (Act 139). It came into force on 1 June 2024, together with the OSH (Amendment) Act 2022. Certificates and registrations issued under the old Act are now dealt with under OSHA 1994 (s.4 of Act 835). Source: Factories and Machinery (Repeal) Act 2022 (Act 835), ss.3 and 4.
Which of these is a "collective" fall protection measure rather than personal protection?
- Guardrails around an open edge
- A full body harness
- A safety helmet with chin strap
- Safety boots with slip-resistant soles
Answer: A, Guardrails around an open edge. Guardrails protect everyone near the edge without each person having to do anything. The general principles of prevention in the CDM Regulations give priority to collective protective measures over individual measures. Source: Occupational Safety and Health (Construction Work) (Design and Management) Regulations 2024, P.U.(A) 147, First Schedule, item 8.
In HIRARC, what is a "hazard"?
- An injury or illness that has already happened to a worker
- A document listing the controls
- Something with potential to cause harm
- The chance that an injury will happen
Answer: C, Something with potential to cause harm. HIRARC defines a hazard as a source or situation with a potential for harm in terms of injury, ill health, damage to property or the environment, or a combination. Risk combines the likelihood of the harm with its severity. Source: DOSH, Guidelines for Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC) 2008, definitions.