Whether you are a South African employer or an employee, it is important to be aware of the country’s workplace safety regulations. According to South African legislation, the employer is the one responsible for ensuring safe working conditions.
There are several important factors, rules and laws that employers need to familiarize themselves with, in order to adhere to regulations.
The Occupation Health and Safety Act.
The Occupation Health and Safety Act (OHSA) currently sets the regulations that ensure the employees’ rights in health and safety in the workplace in South Africa.
OHSA covers domestic, state and farm workers and sets guidelines on subjects such as change rooms, restrooms, first aid, availability of water, washing facilities, availability of protective equipment, ventilation, workplace temperature standards and lights.
The Responsibilities of the Employer.
The employer has to ensure the safety in the workplace and, according to OHSA, has the duty to carry out consultations with the workers’ organization and appoint safety representatives.
In addition, all workers should be informed about the possible workplace dangers and the practices that will reduce the risk of injury to a minimum. OHSA states that employers need to provide workers with the necessary protective clothing and the training to work with hazardous materials or specialized machinery.
Employer is also responsible for making sure that all of the workplace equipment functions impeccably. Supervisors responsible for monitoring employee safety and the use of the right procedures have to be appointed, as well. The employer has to appoint one safety representative for every 20 employees and should explain the ways these representatives are selected to the workers.
If the workplace requires more than one safety representative, a safety committee has to form. The committee is required to meet every three months and deal with the issues concerning the safety in the workplace.
The employer has to report any accidents that concern the safety in the workplace to the safety representative and to the Department of Labor.
Employee Rights
The employees have the right to report the safety conditions and give evidence in court about the safety in the workplace. The workers also have the right to respond to all inspector requests and refuse to comply with orders that are against the law.
Employers who need to provide health and safety equipment can find the necessary products on www.kevcor.co.za.
