Mondi Paper applauded for safety compliance

An almost 100 percent adherence to safety standards by Mondi Paper Company in Mpumalanga’s Piet Retief, is a clear vindication that some employers are heeding to Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana’s clarion call of putting workers lives first before profits.

Jacob Malatse, Acting Chief Inspector for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), who led the delegation of inspectors in the area as part of an ongoing nationwide campaign aimed at enforcing safety laws urged other employers to follow suite.

Zolisa Sigabi, spokesperson for the department said: “Inspections should not be perceived in the negative light but as an educational tool in which both employers and workers are benefiting.”

At least one prohibition notice was served against a small company sub-contracted by Mondi for not servicing tractors used for collecting and loading wood onto trucks.

The department kick started the forestry and agricultural advocacy and inspection campaigns focussing on compliance with OHS on Monday.

By day one, (Mon), 17 employers were visited in Utrecht, Newcastle and Dundee in KwaZulu-Natal.  Nine did not comply with the Health and Safety laws. They were given 60 days to correct the situation.   In Limpopo, 14 contravention notices and nine written undertakings were issued to non-complying employers.

4000 employers will have been visited countrywide by the time the campaign comes to an end on Friday.

After consolidating, at least 400 non-complying employers will be sampled for targeted enforcement and compliance. Recommendation for prosecution will also be considered where necessary.  

The campaigns are a fore-runner to the all-important theme in March – already dedicated to workers’ rights.

Similar campaigns in the construction, steel and iron sectors were conducted with the aim of reducing workplace accidents.