Let us make health and safety a priority: Department of Employment and Labour tells workers

It was about time that health and safety became an integral part of education in South Africa – thus ensuring it is elevated in the workplace, workers were told in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, this week.

Phumi Maphaha, acting chief inspector at the Department of Employment and Labour, was addressing about 50 shop stewards at a training session organised by the Compensation Fund.

‘’When it comes to health and safety, we still have a long way to go. We do no not have health and safety at the beginning stage of our education. If we are not taking health and safety to a primary level, we are missing it, ‘’ he said.

Maphaha said the Occupational Health and Safety Act provides and ensures the protection of the lives of people at work.

It goes further to protect persons other than workers against hazards to health and safety arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work.

He told the shop stewards that danger was ‘’ anything which may cause injury or damage to a person.’’

On the other hands, Maphaha said: ‘’ Risk refers to probability that injury or damage will occur.’’

The Acting Chief Inspector said it was an obligation of the employer to provide a working environment that ‘’is safe and without risk to the health and safety of employees.’’

Turning to the difference between the duties of inspectors and shop stewards, he said: ‘’ While an inspector protects the law, the person who has duty to protect workers is the shop steward.’’

Maphaha said health and safety representation was a fundamental worker’s rights governed by Section 17 of the Act. ‘’It applies to every employer who has more than 20 employees.’’ he said.

Maphaha called on shop stewards to prioritise the health and safety of their members by remaining vigilant and knowledgeable with legislation.

Source: Government of South Africa