Labour to increase health and safety inspectors

DEPARTMENT of Employment and Labour Inspector-General Aggy Moiloa has urged employers not to be lured by the ‘short cut syndrome’ when it comes to the health and safety of workers.

Moiloa was speaking at an Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) conference in Johannesburg recently.

‘Workers have the right to work in an environment that is not harmful to them.

‘Decent work cannot be achieved without a sound, safe and healthy environment and when that gets compromised, productivity levels suffer,’ Moiloa said.

The department announced it will be employing 500 occupational health and safety (OHS) inspectors to look into compliance in workplaces.

Chief Inspector Tibor Szana said this major change would require the department to broaden its scope of work by also focusing on the small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and the informal sector.

Speaking at the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (ZCCI) forum meeting recently, Morgan Prinsloo of Health, Safety and Environment Africa said a number of small businesses face issues relating to non-compliance with the OHS Act.

Prinsloo said the Act stipulates regulations relating to hazardous chemical substances, the environment, general health, electrical and general machinery handling, among others.

‘We often find that emerging businesses and SMMEs do not always have health and safety systems in place,’ Prinsloo said.

He said it is the responsibility of companies to maintain a safe and healthy working environment.

‘Whatever the operations of the company are, it is their duty to ensure it does not affect the working environment, and this includes the bio-diversity.

‘Even offices must adhere to health and safety procedures to a certain extent,’ Prinsloo said.