Why Comply
Health and Safety in South-Africa is governed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act No. 85 of 1993, along with various regulations, codes and standards. Health and Safety compliance is therefore a legal requirement in any organisation.
At first glance Health and Safety Compliance may appear to be counter-productive in terms of time and costs. However, being compliant not only protects employees but has proven over years to benefit the organisation in many ways, ultimately improving productivity and reducing damages and losses.
A safe and healthy working environment improves the business climate and increases efficiency and productivity. Being prepared can further limit unnecessary expenses resulting from emergency situations, medical costs, product and property damages, reputational damages, legal costs and standing time.
At OHSCEN, we would like to assist you in assessing your workplace Health and Safety needs and providing you with services and products that will simplify compliance so that it can add maximum value to your organisation. Whether you want to implement a full Safety Management System or take it step-by-step, we will be glad to assist you all the way.
Compliance Aspects
Much like the spokes in a bicycle wheel, Health and Safety compliance consists of numerous aspects holding it together and well-balanced. The effective combination of aspects will ultimately determine the quality and level of Health and Safety compliance within your organisation. When preparing a Health and Safety Management system, thought should be given to the following aspects:
- Health and Safety Documentation
Risk Assessments, Policies, Procedures, Legal Appointments, Health and Safety Plans, Checklists
- Health and Safety Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment, First Aid Kits, Fire Fighting Equipment, Protective Clothing, Guards & Barriers, Lock-out locks and Tags, Measurement Equipment, Rescue Equipment
- Health and Safety Training & Communication
Accredited Training and Non-accredited training, Toolbox Talks, Safety Topics, Banners, Posters, OHS Notice Boards
- Working Environment
Signs (Warning, Information, Mandatory), Demarcations, Barriers, Alarms
- Inspections, Services & Surveys
Fire equipment, Fire Systems, Pressure Equipment, Lifts and Lifting Equipment, Hygiene surveys, Medical Surveillance
- Preparedness and Response
Emergency Preparedness and Response, First Aid, Incident Investigation, Disinfecting (Covid-19), Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COID), Public Liability Insurance
OHS Advice
With so many aspects touching on Occupational Health and Safety, aiming for compliance can be dark waters for some as they try to understand what is truly important and how it all comes together.
We will be glad to advise and assist you in your journey towards compliance and beyond.
Hazard Identification and Risk
Understanding the workplace hazards and risks in your organisation, analysing and documenting it, will become the point of departure from which many other Health and Safety aspects flow. Mitigating risks and preventing the expected consequences is what ultimately prevents injury, disease and damage.
With our experience and knowledge, we can identify the hazards in your workplace, assess the risks and provide you with a documented assessment for each task. Each assessment will include sound mitigating measures which are practical and relevant to your scope of work and business environment.
Policies and Procedures
Policies are written statements underwritten by the CEO of an organisation, in which he or she states their commitment towards certain aspects within the organisation on behalf of the employer. Written policies are important documents for employees and customers to see and understand, as this reflects the organisation’s integrity and commitment. A Health and Safety Policy is a basic requirement in many industries but can be complimented by other policies such as an Environmental Policy, Quality Policy, HIV Policy, Smoking Policy, COVID-19 Policy and more.
Procedures on the other hand, flow from Policies and Risk Assessments and provide employees with clear ground rules and guidelines on how various operations, tasks and business requirements will be approached and executed effectively. These can include the guidelines for using machines, vehicles, tools and other equipment. It can also include the protocols for responding to incidents, emergencies and how to perform certain tasks.
Writing good quality Policies and Procedures can be a challenging task for many. With our experience, knowledge and document resources we are able to develop and tailor Policies and Procedures according to your scope of work and business environment, saving you time and effort.
Legal Appointments
Depending on the size and nature of your company, certain legal appointments may be required, ranging from management, to supervision to operations. Though simple in format, the content and arrangement of appointments can be crucial in the effective implementation and maintenance of a Health and Safety System. The correct allocation of appointments can greatly ease the administrative and legal burden resting on the employer. In smaller companies, legal appointments are allocated to existing members of the organisation, whereas larger organisations may need to outsource human resources to fill certain legal functions. Basic appointments include a 16.2 (Senior Manager), Supervisors, Health and Safety Representatives, First Aiders and more.
We are able to advise on the organic structure of your legal appointments, while supplying you with the custom forms and documents you will need to appoint persons effectively.
Training
Training has become a cornerstone in almost every company in South Africa. Training employees in their roles are extremely important for growing a company to an effective and competitive organisation. This is not only true for operational requirements, but also for Health and Safety compliance.
It has become a basic requirement that Managers, Supervisors, Health and Safety Reps, First Aiders, Fire Fighters and Incident Investigators all need basic training to equip them for their role.
Further to accredited training, employees need to be trained on company policies & procedures, emergency response plans, risk assessments and Health and Safety Plans. Don’t have the time and expertise to train them? Let us come to you and help you at a time and place convenient for you.
From a Health and Safety perspective, we are able to identify and advise you on the training requirements within your organisation and put you in touch with the best training providers in your area.
Accredited training courses to consider:
- Legal Liability (Ideal candidates: Managers, Supervisors, Foremen, Safety Officers, Health and Safety Representatives)
- First Aid Level 1 (When you have more than 10 employees) (Ideal candidates: Appointed First Aiders, Emergency Response Team Members, Delivery Vehicle & Truck Drivers, Supervisors and Foreman working in remote areas)
- First Aid Level 2
- First Aid Level 3
- Fire Fighting (Ideal candidates: Appointed Fire Fighters, Emergency Response Team Members, Delivery Vehicle & Truck Drivers, Supervisors and Foreman working in remote areas)
- Health and Safety Rep Training (When you have more than 20 employees) (Ideal candidates: Appointed Health and Safety Reps)
- Confined Space Entry (Ideal Candidates: Persons expected to enter confined spaces)
- Incident and Accident Investigation (Ideal candidates: Persons expected to investigate incidents and accidents, health and safety representatives, Health and Safety Committee members)
- Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (Ideal candidates Managers, Supervisors, Foremen, Safety Officers, Health and Safety Representatives)
- Working at Heights (Ideal candidates: Persons who work at heights where a fall risk is prevalent)
- Working with Hazardous Substances (Ideal candidates: Persons who work with or in the vicinity of hazardous chemicals, Persons appointed to control and inspect hazardous chemicals stores regularly)
In-house training sessions to consider:
- Health and Safety Inductions (Ideal candidates: All employees)
- Company Procedures and Policies (Ideal candidates: All employees and those involved with specific tasks and functions)
- Risk Assessments (Ideal candidates: All employees and those involved with specific tasks and functions)
- Material Safety Data Sheets (Ideal candidates: All employees exposed to hazardous chemicals)
- Covid-19 Inductions & Awareness (Ideal candidates: All employees)
- PPE Training (Awareness, Application and Maintenance) (Ideal candidates: All employees)
- Emergency Response (Ideal candidates: All employees, emergency response team members, first aiders, fire fighters)
- Completing Checklists (Ideal candidates: Persons in charge of stores, tools, machines, equipment, vehicles, Health and Safety Representatives)
- Duties of the Employee in terms of Health and Safety (Ideal candidates: All employees)
- Reporting workplace hazards and incidents (Ideal candidates: All employees)
Checklists and Inspection Booklets
Something as simple as a checklist can be time consuming to draft and complete. For the safety of property, goods, employees and customers, it is important to inspect certain items on a regular basis, including machines, tools, equipment, vehicles, fire extinguishers, electrical installations, first aid boxes and more.
We can assess your workplace and advise on the necessary checklists to complete daily, weekly and monthly. We can also design and supply you with any checklist or booklet and train your employees on how to complete the checklists correctly.
Examples of checklists include:
- Electrical Equipment
- Vehicles
- Mobile Plant (Forklifts, Elevating Platforms, Mobile floor scrubbers, Earthmoving Machines)
- Hand tools
- Electrical Equipment
- Machinery
- Stacking and Storage
- Hazardous Chemicals
- Ladders
- Fire Fighting Equipment
- PPE
- First Aid Box
- Health and Safety Rep
- Ablutions
- Scaffolding
- Safety Inspections
Signs and Posters
Our world is filled with signs, symbols and notices. Having the correct signs and posters in place, can be very effective in communicating information and warnings and can protect you against legal charges and civil claims.
Whether you want to raise awareness amongst workers or warn users or visitors of hazards in the workplace, we can assess your need and advise you on the required signs. We can design slogans, posters and banners to impact safety behaviour and awareness in your workplace.
Safety Topics and Toolbox Talks
Safety discussions, Toolbox Talks and even Motivational Safety Speeches have become a norm in many industries and are very effective platforms to impact Health and Safety Behaviour within an organisation.
Perhaps you know the topic, but you are not sure how to say it. Maybe you need someone to address and motivate your workforce.
Whether you need the safety content, a motivational speaker or both, let us assist you. We will do the necessary research to provide you with the best safety content on any topic to discuss with your workforce, to display on your notice boards and even come and present it for you. Whether you need a one pager or a full presentation, we have it covered.
You can also view and download a list of Toolbox Talk Topics below for short discussions and notice boars displays.
Health and Safety Audits
Depending on the size and type of industry, it is a requirement to conduct Health and Safety Audits at prescribed intervals. For many this is a very stressful and time-consuming event and not knowing where to start adds even more pressure. Whether you are being audited or expected to audit a supplier or sub-contractor, we can assist you with the correct templates and sound advice.
With our knowledge and experience in audits, we can assist you to prepare for, conduct or respond to any Health and Safety Audit, and we can also assist you in drafting audit checklists designed for your industry.
First Aid
It is a legal requirement under the General Safety Regulations 3, to have a First Aid box or boxes on your premises when you employ more than 5 employees in the workplace. Furthermore, when you employee more than 10 employees you also need at least one trained First Aider on the premises.
If you are unsure about the requirements, we can advise you on the necessary equipment, signs, training, checklists and more.
Emergency Preparedness
No company plans to have a real-life emergency, but when the emergency comes, you want to be prepared. Being prepared for an emergency can save lives, prevent severe injury and damage and can limit the amount of down-time.
Emergency preparedness consists of a few aspects, including plans, procedures, equipment, signs and training. Having well thought-through procedures and plans in place are essential for prompt response and evacuation during an emergency.
We can draft the necessary documents and escape diagrams, facilitate emergency drills and train your staff on your own plans and procedures to ensure they are ready for any emergency.
Occupational Hygiene and Environmental Monitoring
With the OHS Act setting certain standards for health and hygiene aspects such as lighting (illumination), air quality and ventilation, dust levels, noise levels and more, the need for measuring and monitoring these aspects may arise from time to time. Furthermore, a healthy and hygienic working environment promotes sustainability, wellbeing and employee retention.
However, understanding the exact requirements and getting in touch with trusted and accredited service providers is important when you wish to spend your money wisely. We can assist you to assess your workplace need and put you in touch with the right service providers so that you get the most for your money.
Incident & Accident Investigations
While most companies do their best to avoid incidents at all cost, incidents unfortunately do still happen from time to time. As per section 24 of the OHS Act, certain incidents need to be reported to the Department of Labour and must be formally investigated and recorded. We understand that not all businesses have the capacity to employ or appoint a full time Incident Investigator and that is where we can assist you.
We are able to investigate and report incidents on your behalf and provide you with a quality report, giving you a clear indication of the root causes which lead to the incident and providing you with practicable corrective actions to mitigate reoccurrence of the same incident. We use proven root cause analysis techniques which are effective, reliable and widely accepted.
COVID-19
Covid-19 has taken the world by storm and have some widespread ramifications on the way we do things. For many this pandemic brings uncertainty with a fear of business interruptions and legal consequences.
While COVID-19 remains unfamiliar territory for many, we have obtained the necessary training and experience to provide business with sound advice and services on how to be prepared for COVID-19, as well as how to respond to scenarios of suspected and confirmed cases.
We can assist with the required documentation, investigations, reports and disinfecting services for prompt response and limited business interruption.
We can put you in touch with cost effective product and service providers for sanitizers, PPE and other COVID-19 solutions to suite your business.
Fire Fighting Equipment
Fire fighting equipment is a common sight at almost every business premises across the world. But they are often overlooked as we become so used to them. Having your fire fighting equipment inspected, serviced and even tested from time to time is extremely important to ensure that you can effectively fight a fire when the situation do arise.
We can administrate the maintenance for you, ensuring that your equipment is inspected, serviced and tested at the correct intervals. We can put you in touch with the best service providers and suppliers who are qualified to maintain your equipment, whether it is fire extinguishers, fire hoses or sprinkler systems.
Finally, we can also assist you with firefighting training, fire drills, emergency procedures and escape diagrams for your premises.
Lifting Machines and Lifting Devices
Lifting machines and lifting Devices are specifically addressed in the OHS Act and Regulations under the Driven Machinery Regulations, with very specific requirements in terms of labelling, construction, examination and testing. When read in conjunction with the relevant SANS Codes, Lifting Devices and Lifting Machines include a wide range of machines, including cranes, vehicle lifts, forklifts, telehandlers, mobile elevated working platforms and more, which are all subject to the same requirements.
While many of these machines are often used in a variety of business environments, not everyone truly understands the strict requirements for using these machines and the severe risks and consequences of negligence and failure to comply.
We can advise you on the training, labelling, testing and examination requirements for Lifting Machines and Devices, while sourcing the best service providers to assist you wherever you are.
If you are unsure about the requirements for the machines in your workplace, contact us for assistance and advice.
Pressure Equipment
Pressure equipment and pressure vessels are specifically addressed in the OHS Act and Regulations under the Pressure Equipment Regulations, with very specific requirements in terms of labelling, construction, examination and testing. Pressure vessels include amongst others, air compressors and fire extinguishers. These are common items in many working environments and failure to comply to the regulations can have severe consequences.
We can advise you on the compliance requirements for pressure equipment, while sourcing the best service providers to assist you wherever you are.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is one of the most common health and safety terms in every industry. PPE, protective clothing and workwear include a wide variety of items ranging from everyday items such as safety goggles and gloves, to more specialised equipment such as respirators and welding helmets.
We can assess your working activities and working environment and advise you on the best PPE, protective clothing and work wear for your industry, taking into account quality and value for money. We can help you to source PPE locally and internationally, saving you time and money.
Health and Safety Inductions
Inductions should be a part of every company’s welcome package. It’s a way of telling new employees and reminding old employees what the safety risks are in the workplace and how the company expects each employee to respond and behave so that incidents, accidents and injuries can be prevented.
While Health & Safety inductions are common practice in certain business sectors and a useful safety tool to inform employees of their Health and Safety duties, many companies overlook this opportunity simply because they are not aware or unsure on how to proceed.
We can assess your working environment and activities and advise you on what to include in your induction. We can also draft a quality induction for your business.
Health and Safety Files
When having to meet certain project or client requirements, contractors are often required to submit a full safety system in the form of a Health and Safety File. These files consist of a range of Health and Safety documents according to client, project and legislative requirements.
We can advise you on the contents of such a file, customise the required documents and assist you in building the entire system to specification.
Electrical Compliance
According to the Electrical Installation Regulations, where electric installations are present, certain requirements in terms of design, construction, testing and inspections are statutory.
We can help you to understand and interpret the requirements correctly and put you in touch with qualified and trusted service providers to facilitate the required inspections and issue you with the correct compliance certificates.
