Why the Occupational Health and Safety Act was implemented
The department of labour implemented the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Act 85 of 1993 to ensure that employees are protected in their every day work environment. The act was implemented to protect workers from hazardous materials such as chemicals, micro organisms, etc to prevent possible illness. The Act also stipulates the safe use of machinery and equipment to prevent injury.
The act also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers or any person that might be affected by your workplace environment.
Compliance to this act is not optional, but required by law.
How to comply
The Act apply to all employers, irrispective of the number of employees.
Where do I start?
You can arrange a basic audit to be undertaken by a certified Health and Safety Professional. They will assist you in identifying possible problem areas and offer possible solutions on improvement of these areas.
After all issues are addressed and rectified, a Health and Safety Legal Compliance Certification will be issued, which can be used for ISO 9000 series Certification as well as various Manufacturers requirements for Approvals Certificates.
Risks of non-compliance
Non compliance to the Occupational Health and Safety Actmeasures may result in the following:
-Legal fees
-Fines or even jail time
-Compensatory damages
-Investigation time
-Loss of Production
This may also result in lost goodwill from your employees, customers and even the wider community.
