Hazard identification, potential risks and their controls are key components in the handling of the Major Hazard Installation (MHI).

In an effort to address areas of concern the Department of Employment and Labour Chief Directorate – Construction, Explosives and Major Hazard Installations (MHI) within the Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch is to host a MHI workshop.

The workshop will be focusing on pipeline protection and involvement of the municipalities to put a stop encroachments of MHI impact zones by illegal land grabbers. (for example, encroachments at Zandfontein 317JR, the Department assisted in obtaining power of attorney from Human Settlements which was transferred to City of Tshwane, to remove the encroachers from Sasol and rand Water impact zones).

The main pipelines operators in Mpumalanga will also be participating and sharing good practises with the Department and Local Government. The co regulators from National Disaster Management Centre as well as South African Local Government Associations are expected to give presentations on the control of the MHI site.

The topics to be discussed include:

• Major Hazard Installation Protection Requirements (Duties and Responsibilities of Local government and Duty holders)
• Areas of Cooperation between Local government and Duty Holders.

The Department, Ehlanzeni District, eMalelane local municipality and Mjejane Trust (private Land owner) were served with court litigation by Sasol pipeline to remove the encroachers in the 231 Impala Broedery (168 2137 hectors), where Sasol pipeline is traversing from Mozambique to Secunda. The Department, chose not to appear in Court but is currently strategising with Ehlanzeni and the complainant (Sasol) to remove those in the impact zone and relocate them to safer locations.

The other pipeline owners (Transnet and Afrox), were approached to compare notes and it was then realised that encroachment is a commonality in the Mpumalanga Province. As such, this intervention is necessary for Regulators to come up with a better cooperation to control and protect the classified MHI facilities.

The two-day workshop will be held from 18-19 October 2022 at Anew Hotel, Highveld, Nelson Mandela Street at Emalahleni. The workshop will be held from 08:00am-16:00.

The Major Hazard Installation workshop is targeting the Department of Employment and Labour’s inspectors, officials from local municipalities, risk managers and MHI installers.

Major Hazard Installation(s) refers to -  installations where any substance (eg. Chemical, gas) is produced, processed, used, handled or stored in such a form and quantity that it has the potential to cause a major incident or an occurrence of catastrophic proportions, resulting from the use of plant and machinery, or from activities at a workplace.

Some of the MHI’s are found mostly in petrochemical works/facilities and refineries, chemical works and production plants, compressed air manufacturers/users such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), nitrogen gas, medical oxygen, hydrogen gas, and chemical stores and distribution centres.

For more information on the workshop contact Dumisa Manana at 0609750131/ dumisa.manana@labour.gov.za or Octavia Ngcefa at Octavia.ngcefa@sasol.com.

For more information, contact:

Teboho Thejane

Departmental Spokesperson

082 697 0694

Teboho.Thejane@labour.gov.za

-ENDS-

Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour​

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