OHS Chat

Your Devil’s Advocate here. I thought that I’d spoil you with an early newsletter this time round since I anticipate that I will be dashing around like a lost breathe until my OHS legislation Road show concludes in the last week of June. And I’m tempted to be wicked again. I mean with sex shops burning down in Pretoria and the like, I would not be the demon I am if I did not comment. After all it’s an occupational related incident and considering that a massage parlour also went up in flames, it requires closer scrutiny! While the official prima facie cause appears to be arson (not linked to any orifice) but perhaps to the person who committed it, I personally believe that the fire was caused by friction at the massage parlour. There was a power failure at the time according to reports so a faulty electrical installation can be ruled out! Enough. Before I get into trouble again, let’s mo(u)rn the loss of the porn and move on.

Last Friday was International Day for Health and Safety at Work and was commemorated by the Minister of Labour along with Director of the ILO (International Labour Organisation) at the site of the Injaka bridge collapse which killed 13 people and injured many others back in 1998. At the ceremony the Minister said that Government will spare no effort to prevent avoidable hazardous incidents to ensure safety in the country’s workplaces. The Injaka bridge disaster was one of the worst accidents in the South African construction industry, he said. The Inspector’s Report is at http://www.labour.gov.za/docs/legislation/ohsa/incidents/index.html . The matter now rests with the OHS Specialised Courts in Pretoria and should go to trial soon. More at http://www.klasslooch.com/injaka_bridge_collapse.htm .

Also since my last newsletter a few more inspectors have been assaulted and insulted by certain employers and the Minister is very unimpressed!

NOSHCON, NOSA’s annual conference at Sun City came and went with the keynote speaker being May Hermanus, the Chief Inspector of Mines. (Mine Health and Safety Inspectorate). Her speech can be accessed by at http://www.klasslooch.com/mine_insps_to_scrutinise_suppilers.htm . I was particularly interested in her comments that suppliers of plant and machinery will be closely scrutinised in future. She is of the opinion that many of them are failing in their duty of care by supplying unsafe equipment and thus in contravention of section 21 of the Mine Health & Safety Act and its identical twin, section 10 of the OHS Act. I cover both these sections extensively at my OHS Workshops and have always felt that their (criminal liability) impact has never fully been appreciated. My congratulations to all those employers who received awards for their achievements in OHS. They can be found at http://www.noshcon.co.za/newsmain.asp

Most importantly she indicated that the integration of the various inspectorates dealing with occupational legislation would be advanced this year, with parliament passing proposed legislation to Nedlac for comment. “It may be a lengthy process yet, but we are forging ahead and expect draft legislation to be available within four months.” The inspectorates of the DME and the Department of Labour are expected to merge into one body. Well there you go. I think this must be the first reference to the amalgamation of the various bodies since Faiza Salie, the former Chief Inspector of Factories, mentioned it many years ago in an interview with Engineering News. Notice that May Hermanus talks of ‘occupational legislation’ as opposed to OHS legislation. One wonders if the mining inspectors will also be patrolling the suburbs checking whether private householders are paying their domestic employees the minimal wage and contributing to UIF?

Speaking of lengthy things (no reference to Pretoria specialty shops), we anxiously await the Marquee Collapse Report which we will told would be made public once Premier Shilowa has studied it. As I mentioned in my Special Subscriber Newsletter, I am particularly interested in its findings relating to the construction regulations and the nature of the recommended criminal charges – which I’m sure there will be. Equally so the Coega bridge incident last year.

My first OHS Legislation Roadshow is doing nicely, particularly in Sandton and Durban. I can still do with more bums in seats without the venues becoming confined spaces as defined. Cape Town, I know the plight of the Tahrs is your biggest concern in life but us Northerners can broaden your horizons. Perhaps we should implode that damn mountain that casts such a dark shadow over you? I think East Londoners are still reeling over the costs of the workshops but I’m a Jo’burg boy and, after watching last Sunday’s Carteblanche on MNET, you all know how much we pay / being ripped off for water and lights here. So I have to charge Jo’burg prices. I personally am happy that no-one has read my water meter since 2002 as I have discovered that my pipe (no reference to any specialty shops in Pretoria) has been leaking, litres per second, for several months. I never saw any signs of a leak as it was 3 meters below my brand new (now smashed) paving. (Rand Water guys please help although I know it’s Jo’burg Water that I must suck up to. (No reference either …..). Pity I don’t live in Durban as eThekwini Water Services is sending 13 delegates to my June Workshop in Durban. Thanks guys. Do you have contacts in Jo’burg?

Anyway, anyone who registers for the Workshops On-Line at http://www.klasslooch.com/2004_june_sem_booking.htm will still receive an automatic 10% discount per delegate and 20% discount per delegate for the August Johannesburg Workshop. I’m almost giving away places at the November Workshops! You can earn 25% discount per delegate for November by clicking on http://www.klasslooch.com/nov_open_sem_booking_2004.htm . You must pay before end August though. More general information at http://www.klasslooch.com/june_sem_info_2004.htm . Subscribers you can knock yourselves out!

Well that’s me for now. I’m going to go cry me a river…...into my water meter.

Please feel free to circulate this newsletter to anyone who has the stomach for it. I will only add the Workshop Newcomers only after obtaining their permission.

As always

Your Devil’s Advocate.

PS. How many men does it take to open a beer?
None. It should be opened by the time she brings it.

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