​The Directorate: Occupational Health and Hygiene (OHH) within the Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch of the Department of Employment and Labour in a partnership with the South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (SAIOSH) will host a Webinar on the Asbestos Abatement Regulations 2020.

The Webinar on the 2^nd of August 2022 will be held on Zoom. The aim of the Webinar is to provide external stakeholders and specifically registered asbestos contractors with information on the first few months of implementation of the Asbestos Abatement Regulations, that were published in November 2020.

From November 2020, the Department has given time for building owners to identify asbestos in place, develop inventories and management plans after promulgation, this transitional period has now passed. The Department also gazetted an amendment to the Regulations that will be discussed at the Webinar. In addition, guidance will be provided on the interpretation of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and practical aspects of risk assessments.

The Webinar will be addressed by Department of Employment and Labour's Acting Chief Inspector, Phumi Maphaha. He will share the platform with the Department's Senior Specialist: Occupational Health and Hygiene Bulelwa Huna; Department of Employment and Labour Specialist: Occupational Health & Hygiene Elize Lourens; Specialist OHH Warren Mallon and Chemical Stressor Technical Assistant Patience Ngubeni.

The discussions will focus on providing practical guidance to registered asbestos contractors and asbestos clients on the legislation and legal requirements.

This Webinar takes place in collaboration with SAIOSH, which is a professional body to register Occupational Health and Safety Professionals in South Africa. It is targeted at registered asbestos contractors, safety practitioners, approved inspection authorities and asbestos clients.

Meanwhile, the Department on 4^th of August plans to host a similar workshop in person and this will be held in Cape Town, Milnerton.

For more information on the Webinar contact: Patience Ngubeni at Patience.Ngubeni@labour.gov.za   or Elize Lourens at: Elize.Lourens@labour.gov.za

The Webinar will he held as follows:

DATE: 2 August 2022

TIME: 10h00 to 14h00

PLATFORM: ZOOM – Saiosh

LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JE2xK06IQd2qkrYQRGVcsg

DATE: 04 August 2022

TIME: 09h00 to 13h30

LOCATION: Milnerton Public Library (81 Pienaar Road) Cape Town

RSVP: Patience.Ngubeni@labour.gov.za

-ENDS-

Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour

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