The Department of Employment and Labour will join hands with the Construction sector in hosting the 2023 Construction Health and Safety seminar with the intention to reverse the intolerable loss of life and injuries.

The seminar seeks to cement strategic cooperation to promote decent work and achieve “vision zero" in occupational injuries and diseases. 

The theme of the two-day seminar is: “Construction Health and Safety" – and will be held in Durban.

The seminar is part of the Department of Employment and Labour's Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch advocacy programme to interact and educate stakeholders about health and safety issues. The Department has found that the construction industry faces serious issues in regards rates of compliance to health and safety.

For a number of decades, the construction industry has been beset with incidents of fatalities and large volumes of claims to the Compensation Fund, a worker's injuries and diseases claim Fund. 

Department of Employment and Labour Chief Director: Provincial Operations, Edward Khambula will do a welcoming address. He will share the platform with the Department's Chief Inspector, Milly Ruiters; and Department's Inspector-General, Aggy Moiloa.

There will also be speakers from various stakeholders such as: Federated Employers Mutual Assurance (FEM), Sasol, Black Business Council in the Built Environment (BBCBE), Master Builders South Africa (MBSA), and Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon.

The seminar will focus on discussions in areas such as legislation; draft National Infrastructure Plan 2050; contractor compliance; the importance of competence to ensure professionalism in construction health and safety; Occupational Hygiene in Construction; Construction Health and Safety within the local government; compensation for injuries and disease; safety, health and environment (SHE); and emerging construction issues.

Media is invited to the seminar which will be held as follows:

Date: 26-27 October 2023

Venue: Mount Edgecombe Conference Centre, Durban

Time: 09:00 (Registration at 08:00)

NB: Limited seats are available, please RSVP by 18 October 2023 to derick.claase@labour.gov.za

For more information, contact:

Teboho Thejane

Departmental Spokesperson

082 697 0694/ Teboho.Thejane@labour.gov.za 

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Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour

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