Risk Evaluation on Security Personnel Managing Illegal Detainees in a Makeshift COVID-19 Low Risk Quarantine and Treatment Center

Abstract Background: The COVID-19 pandemic situation in Malaysia has resulted in a whole country approach where a newly built makeshift low risk Covid-19 treatment centre was chosen to house all COVID-19 positive illegal immigrants. In view of the security situation as the risks of these detainees behaving aggressively, taking hostage, running away and escaping from the treatment centre were high, governmental, non-governmental and security agencies came together and worked alongside the healthcare personnel for this treatment centre. This paper entails risk evaluation that needs to be considered to all the security personnel working in this centre as there was no precedent of similar situation in the country.Methodology: This is a semi-quantitative and integrated type of hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control (HIRARC) approach where it incorporates risk rating and severity rating to cover four elements, which are people, property, environment, and reputation. Total scores range from 1 to 25 and was further categorized into low, medium and high risk in a color-coded representation. The assessment was done for two weeks from 27th May 2020 till 11th June 2020.Result & Discussion: Risk evaluation identified four types of hazards which were physical, biological, psychological and ergonomics hazards. Physical hazards with possible violence and riot scored the highest risk while ergonomic issues had the lowest rating. Appropriate control measures to mitigate all the potential risks were appropriately implemented through a solid multi-agencies’ collaborative effort. This evaluation serves as a good planning tool in optimizing the risk mitigation measures among security personnel working in a biological hazardous environment. Conclusion: The mapping combination of existing hazard, risk rating and control was able to facilitate organization to prioritise future planning. With the fluidity of the COVID-19 pandemic, periodical evaluation is recommended to meet dynamic changes such as demands for frontliner manpower strength, the number of existing detainee patients in ward and the evolution of the COVID-19 infection itself in order to maintain safety and security for all. (318 words)