East London Companies get contravention and prohibition notices
East London Companies get contravention and prohibition notices
Released by Department of Labour on 22 January 2004
Department of Labour inspectors slapped two East London companies
with nine contravention notices and two prohibitions after they were
found to have contravened sections of the Basic Conditions of
Employment Act (BCEA) and Occupational Health and Safety Act during a
night raid yesterday.
The inspectors, who were led by Deputy Director-General of Service
Delivery, Dr Vanguard Mkosana, were initially barred from entering
Paramount Mills in the city centre, but successfully conducted
inspections after informing the employer that the Department of Labour
have the right to obtain a court order allowing them to proceed with
inspections.
Inspectors served four contraventions on Paramount Mills
for:
- Not providing protective clothing
- Not maintaining fire extinguishers
- No adherence to Occupational Health and Safety Regulations
- No proper stocking of goods.
Another employer in the West Bank area - Wa Wina Bakeries, was
issued with two prohibition notices and five contraventions.
Inspectors halted operations at the bakery because the employer locked
workers within the bakery premises with no safety exits in case of an
emergency.
Inspectors also served prohibition notices because one of the
machines in the bakery had an exposed wiring system.
The company was further served with five contravention notices with
regards to the following:
- Fire extinguishers were not serviced in three years
- Premises had no emergency exits
- Workers were not provided with protective clothing
- Workers had to use toilets as change rooms
- The company had no summaries of the Basic Conditions of Employment
Act and the Employment Equity Act.
"We are committed to the protection of all workers in urban and
rural areas. These inspections are part and parcel of the ANC
government?s commitment, and a clear indication that we will not
tolerate contraventions of labour legislations. There is no place for
employers to hide from us," said Dr Mkosana.
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