OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH A ‘DISMAL STORY’ IN SA

CONTRACTORS who fail to implement health and safety regulations on their construction sites were placing their workers at serious risk, especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing invasions by armed gangs who threaten violence unless their employment demands are met, Databuild chief executive Morag Evans said yesterday. While South Africa’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation is on par with that of the rest of the world, the country’s OHS record “tells a dismal story”, she said. The temptation to cut safety corners, meet tight project deadlines and budgets was a reality as many construction companies were struggling to stay afloat in the tough economy. An overloaded and understaffed OHS Inspectorate tended to only respond reactively to safety incidents, which resulted in ineffective enforcement of OHS regulations. Statistics released in October by The Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company showed that of 8 384 accidents at construction sites in 2018, 65 were fatal, with risky construction activities, site and environment conditions as the main contributing factors. Many contractors, especially in the small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) segment, couldn’t afford to implement effective health and safety regulations and procedures. “Health and safety is generally perceived to be a non-core task,” Evans said. She hoped the Department of Employment and Labour’s plans to employ an additional 500 OHS inspectors would enable a greater focus on SMMEs.