OHS
DEL WARNS OF STIFF PENALTIES FOR EMPLOYERS Employers who do not comply with the Department of Employment & Labour’s (DEL’s) fourth occupational health and safety directive, published on 11 June 2021, could face stiff fines. In this regard, the DEL has released the following notice reminding certain employers of their obligations regarding submitting required information: The directive applies: •
To employers and workers in workplaces who are permitted to continue or commence operations under the Disaster Management Regulations.
• For the duration of the national state of disaster.
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To employers who are obligated, in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), to conduct a risk assessment. Employers with fewer than 10 employees need only apply Section 12 of the directive.
“If the employer employs more than 50 employees, that employer must submit a record of its risk assessment to its health and safety committee and retain a written copy of such assessment, plan and policy.” – Section 4 of the directive “In addition to the other duties placed on the employer, an employer who employs more than 50 employees in a workplace must
submit the following categories of data to the National Institute for Occupational Health in the manner set out in the National Department of Health’s guidelines,” says Chief Inspector Tibor Szana. The employer must submit the data in the following manner: (i) Only once in respect of each employee’s status, ie: • Each employee’s vulnerability status for serious outcomes of a Covid-19 infection; (ii) Before Tuesday of each week in respect of the data referred to hereunder for the previous calendar week commencing on Sunday, ie:
SOUTH AFRICAN BUILDER NOVEMBER 2021
