State report calls for national policy on occupational safety and health

The government needs to develop a national policy and strategy on occupational safety and health to instil a culture of compliance with health and safety regulations across all sectors of the economy, a report has found.

The report said though SA had a comprehensive legal framework on occupational safety and health, it was “fairly complex and fragmented”, with the main legislation falling under three government departments and other regulatory agencies.

Four main pieces of legislation under three departments govern occupational safety and health. These include the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act under the employment & labour department; the Mine Health and Safety Act under the department of mineral resources & energy; and the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act under the department of health.

“The emphasis is now more than ever on the implementation of the recommendations,” the report said. Recommendations include developing an integrated data collection system on occupational injuries and diseases that will inform national policy and strategy on occupational safety and health.

The report recommended that the government capitalise on opportunities brought about by Covid-19 to instil an occupational safety and health culture across all sectors of the economy and government departments. Titled “The Profile of Occupational Health and Safety SA”, the report was commissioned by the department of employment & labour and the International Labour Organization, a UN agency that deals with social justice and sets international labour standards.

Employment & labour deputy minister Boitumelo Moloi said that during 2019, more than 28,000 inspections were conducted with fewer than 300 inspectors, and inspections showed poor compliance with occupational safety and health protocols by the wholesale & retail, manufacturing, and iron & steel sectors.

In 2019/2020, the construction sector was 83% compliant, agriculture 74%, chemical 67%, iron & steel 62%, wholesale & retail 53%, and manufacturing 44%. Moloi said the application of occupational safety and health legislation in SA was poor.

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the employment & labour department had been sending its inspectors to workplaces and factories to check compliance with occupational safety and health protocols aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19, and fining or closing down noncomplying establishments.

The report stated that from 2016/2017 to 2019/2020, the employment & labour department received 578,276 claims for occupational injuries and diseases. In the 2019/2020 financial year, the Western Cape led with 24,543 claims, followed by Gauteng, with 20,629, and KwaZulu-Natal with 10,472.

Moloi said claims against the Compensation Fund had been rising over the years, accounting for just over R4bn in 2016/2017, with medical costs accounting for 61%-71% of the claims.

Black Business Council CEO Gregory Mofokeng said: “Incidents in the workplace remain high. We are supportive of all measures to make sure that workplaces are safe.”

Business Unity SA director Deidre Penfold said there was a need to improve occupational safety and health regulations in the country to prevent incidents and improve the safety of employees in the workplace.

Fedusa general secretary Riefdah Ajam said SA should not be left wanting in terms of international best practices. A strategy and policy on occupational safety and health should be a non-negotiable, she said.

Aggy Moiloa, the employment & labour department’s inspector-general, said: “This report is the first of its kind. It will be produced every three years as we seek to improve the plight of employees in the workplace.”