This was said at the National Occupational Health and Safety Conference (OHS) held by the Inspection and Enforcement Services branch of the Department of Employment and Labour at Klerksdorp in the North West Province. The conference started today, 26 February, and is scheduled to end on 28 February 2025.

The conference is part of a strategy to strengthen and continuously improve OHS systems to realise the Decent Work Agenda in the workplaces in the country. The conference is focusing mainly on the Metals/Iron and Steel Sector.

Presenting the trend analysis of occupational hygiene exposure monitoring, the Senior Specialist from the Department of Employment and Labour, Bulelwa Huna said the benefits of having a fully active Health and Hygiene Plan in the workplace improve employees' health, quality of life, and increased life expectancy. It also reduces the number of people who leave employment early due to injury or illness and lowers social and healthcare costs, while maximizing the employees' potential, leading to more efficient working processes.

Giving the snapshot of compliance levels in the Iron and Steel Sector based on the recent Blitz Inspections held by the inspectorate earlier this month throughout the country, the Chief Inspector, Milly Ruiters said the compliance levels in the industry were still a serious cause for concern.

“A total of 2 576 inspections were conducted throughout the country focusing only on this sector and only 48% of employers were compliant. It is unacceptable to have over 50% of employers being non-compliant" said Ruiters

According to the Chief Inspector, the Iron and Steel sector was as far back 2004 identified as one of the high-risk sectors based on the information gathered then, through the preventative and reactive systems where it was found that the Iron and Steel Sector contributed just over 22% of the total incidents reported.

Ruiters further said following these findings, in 2013 the Department together with social partners signed an Accord as part of the intervention plan where partners committed themselves to ensuring a safe and healthy workplace. However high number of incidents were still being reported.

The conference is among others focusing on the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) Amendment Bill; Unemployment Insurance Fund compliance; OHS international perspectives; snapshot of compliance in the Iron and Steel sector; OHS strategy; Violence and Harassment in the workplace, Construction challenges in the iron and steel; Future of Major Hazardous Installations; Future of Engineers in the Iron and steel Sector, Importance of qualifications in the sector;  National Code of Practice for Training Providers of Lifting Machine Operators; Electrical Machinery in Hazardous Locations; Legal implications of electrical installations; Safe Handling of gases within the reticulation environment;

This conference targets OHS practitioners, labour inspectors, health and safety managers, General Machinery Regulation (GMR 2) appointees, and associations that are active in the iron and steel sector.

For media enquiries contact:

Teboho Thejane

Departmental Spokesperson

082 697 0694/ teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za

-ENDS-

Issued by: Department of Employment

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