14 health and safety compliance must-haves for Middelburg

Furthermore, it also involves the prevention of any adverse health issues, disease, illnesses, injuries and even death resulting from work conditions or the work environment.

Where numerous organisations make frequent use of internal processes to ensure compliance, the golden standard remains having an external audit done to examine the OHS systems and programmes of the organisation.

This allows organisations to meet and overcome numerous challenges faced and ensures that health and safety systems are in place, monitored and maintained effectively.

Once the employer has taken the necessary steps to ensure that the working environment they provide is both healthy and safe, they have a further duty to promote and maintain these conditions.

What are the benefits of health and safety compliance?

• Improved health and safety performance.
• Cost reduction through fewer accidents and incidents occurring in the workplace.
• Improvements in staff relations as well as employee morale.
• Improvements in the efficiency of the business.
• Improved corporate image and public relations.
• Lower insurance premiums as a result of fewer risks.
• Easier access to finance as the organisation is not considered a considerable risk.
• Increased compliance with regulations as a set standard, cultivating a safety culture.
• Increased confidence in the organisation as employees can see the efforts of the employer to safeguard their health and safety.
• An increase in both corporate and social responsibility.

What are the must-haves for health and safety compliance in South Africa?

Access to the OHS Act

As per the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employees must have access to a copy of the act so that they have the tools, ability and knowledge to safeguard their own health and safety and others’ who work with them.

Provision of PPE

The employer has the duty of providing adequate and correct personal protective equipment to employees. It is the duty of employees to ensure that they take care of their PPE and wear it. PPE consists of, but is not limited to:

• Gloves
• Protective clothing such as suits and overalls.
• Face masks and respirators.
• Helmets and hard hats.
• Safety harnesses.
• Safety boots, and others.

Maintenance of machinery and access to machinery

Frequent and scheduled maintenance must be done on machines and equipment to ensure that they remain in safe working condition. Effective measures must be in place to prevent unauthorised access to machines and/or equipment.

Safety training

At least one first aid officer must be appointed over every hundred employees. However, it is further advisable that a few employees are trained in basic first aid as there is no maximum limit on how many employees can be trained. An effective fire and safety procedure must be in place and a few employees trained in such procedures.

Read more: SafetyWallet’s Health and Safety Compliance Support

Health and safety officers

Employees who have the prescribed, required qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience must be appointed as safety officers in accordance with OHSA. These appointments must be formal and in writing, with the legal duties and responsibilities indicated on the appointment letter.

IOD reports

If an injury occurs while employees are at work, the relevant documentation must be completed and submitted in accordance with the stipulations of OHSA.

OHS policies

These policies must indicate the goals and principles of the organisations towards health and safety. They are a formal statement in which the organisation declares its commitment towards safeguarding employees from harm while they are on duty.

Frequent inspections

Both formal and informal inspections of the workplace must be done to ensure that new potential hazards can be identified and immediately addressed before they can cause harm.

Effective communication

Employees must be informed of the latest health and safety rules and regulations. This can be done by ensuring that information boards are in place, visible and frequently updated.

Safe operating procedure plan

This plan is a working document that describes the best and safest way tasks must be performed, often step by step. This ensures that employees are kept safe, as well as keeping tools, machinery and equipment in working condition, so the quality of service or products is maintained effectively.

Occupational hygiene surveys

These inspections or surveys on hygiene and other factors in the working environment must be done to ensure that employees are not exposed to harmful or hazardous components such as chemicals, asbestos, lead or others.

Toolbox talks

These are small discussion forums where safety issues are communicated and addressed with employees in a group, often before work starts for the day or shift.

Formal committee meetings

According to OHSA, regular and scheduled safety committee meetings must be held between health and safety representatives and employer representatives. These meetings must take place at least once every three months and it must include discussions on health and safety systems, issues, concerns and the solving or resolving thereof to the benefit of employees.

Risk assessments

This is a process involving hazard and risk identification and analysis to find ways to minimise, mitigate, control or eliminate them effectively. It is a crucial part of the OHS programme and organisations are required to comply with all requirements stipulated by OHSA.

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