Protocol:

·      Inspector-General

·      Chief Inspector

• Acting Commissioner: Compensation Fund
• Chief Executive officer: Federated Employers Mutual Assurance
• Chief Executive Officer: Rand Mutual Assurance
• Senior officials of the Department
• Representatives of Organized Labour

·      Representatives of Organized Business

• Presidents    of    professional    bodies,    Experts,                     academics             and practitioners in OHS
• Ladies and gentlemen

Programme Director, it is a great honour for me to deliver this keynote address at this very important setting as we launch two new regulations, namely:

The Noise Exposure Regulations and The Physical Agents Regulations.

As per the Department's vision, we strive for a labour market which is conducive to investment, economic growth, employment creation and decent work. In October 2024, the Minister launched the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) strategy. At the same event, we also signed the OHS Accord, with social partners. This was a joint commitment to strengthen our collaborative efforts in protecting our economy through principles of prevention. Today is a demonstration of our active commitment through the promulgation of these regulations. This is a reminder that through the OHS strategy and the Prevention Accord, we commit to continuous improvement, which is central to ensuring decent work and employee rights at work. Which is essential to supporting the economy through improved productivity.

Today we have had presentations on a number of topics relating to the Noise Exposure Regulations and the Physical Agents Regulations.

We have been informed about the risk assessment process and how it must inform exposure monitoring as well as medical screening and surveillance. We have also learnt about the technicalities and complexities of conducting good quality exposure monitoring, which can assist the employers in implementing control measures to eliminate or mitigate exposures. The doctor also highlighted the importance of medical screening and surveillance being risk-based as these must respond to the risk assessment and the exposure monitoring. We also received a presentation on the new code of practice for audiometry. This is a new document that is incorporated into the Noise Exposure Regulations. Through this code of practice, we provide guidance to employers, employees and medical personnel on how audiometric tests must be conducted. Lastly, we had a presentation on the intricate details and implementation of the new regulations. I especially noted that legislation must not just be regarded as something to be maliciously complied with, it should be viewed as a mechanism for improving employee health and wellbeing. This supports productivity and improves and has a positive spinoff towards the economy. Something which is of prime importance to all of us.

The regulations are in response to climate change and the impact it has on employees in sectors such as Agriculture and Construction, to name a few. Even office workers are not spared from the ordeal and effects of climate change. I would like to remind us of the four farm employees who passed away in January 2023 in Kakamas in the Northern Cape. These workers succumbed to heat stroke as a result of exposure to intense heat. This is an indication that employers should put measures in place to protect employees from exposures to hazards which could be made worse by climate change.

Ladies and gentlemen, on the positive, the new regulations are geared to bring hope to industry in South Africa. The following are some of the benefits:

• Economic transformation and job creation. With improved risk assessments and OHS management systems, occupational injuries and disease can decline, which in turn would reduce financial costs of redressing injuries and diseases.
• Improvement on productivity levels. With well-functioning OHS management systems, health related lay-offs would decrease and also contribute to positive economic outcomes.

• Uninterrupted earnings by employees which could lead to sustained buying power and ultimately resulting in job creation as firms reinvest their income and expand.

Another impact of the new regulations is education and skills. Even internally, OHS officials have an opportunity to expand their knowledge base. I have since learnt that in the field of OHS, there is always room for improvement. Therefore, OHS requires life-long learning, which in turn will necessitate continuous skills development for employees to be able to adapt to new ways of working, new machines and other instruments and new skills and capacity that will ensure that there is compliance with required standards.

When it comes to updating legislation, it is not an easy process. The road towards updating these regulations was long and arduous. It started in 2019 and cost many hours and a great amount of resources. I am happy to point out that our social partners were part of the journey. We collectively spent long hours in technical committees that provided a platform for extensive and highly involving debates. Honestly, we are proud of the product of those engagements. Here we are, launching two well documented regulations. We can all be proud of the quality of the work that was produced.

The Department also continues to recognise the importance of tripartite relationship and partnerships with all our collaborative partners. This is displayed by the collaborative partnerships involved in organising this launch.

I am appreciative of the contribution by the Compensation Fund and its licensees, namely: The Federated Employers Mutual (FEM) and Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA).

The collaboration is also reaffirmed by the attendance of the some of the important professional bodies, the Department has a relationship with in the OHS field. This includes:

• Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene

• South African Society for Occupational Medicine

• South African Society of Occupational Health Nursing Practitioners

• Ergonomics Society of South Africa

• Occupational Hygiene Approved Inspection Authority Association, and
• South African Institute for Occupational Health and Safety

As a Department, we will continue to keep our doors open to these stakeholders and others in the quest to improve Occupational Health and Safety in the workplace.

In closing, I would like to remind us of the commitment made during the signing of the OHS Accord in October last year. Occupational Safety and Health continues to be in the spotlight and these two regulations will play an important part in the prevention of occupational related incidents and diseases.

One death, injury or illness, is one too many. The Department remains committed to Vision Zero.

Let's continue with our resolve and journey towards zero injuries and diseases!!!

“If you think compliance is expensive, try non compliance" Paul McNully.

I thank you.​

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