Health and Safety Summit
November 6th, 2008Health and Safety in the Construction industry will be the topic of a summit hosted by the Department of Labour on Tuesday 11 November 2008 . This high level Construction Health and Safety summit follows the recent spate of accidents in the workplace that have claimed a number of lives and left many people injured.
The growing trend of Construction Safety accidents cause concern amongst industry bodies.
Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana will address the gathering to be held at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Ekurhuleni and he will no doubt challenge the construction industry to take a fresh look at Contruction Safety.
The Department of Labour states that the aims of the summit will be to:
- Set targets to reduce the number of workplace fatalities,
- Raise awareness about Health and Safety issues on construction sites,
- Reduce the number of Health and Safety related injuries and deaths.
The summit will also look at the Occupational Health and Safety Accord signed between the Department of Labour, business and labour unions in 2002. The plan is to try and put together an effective strategy to deal with the Health and Safety incidents in line with this accord.
The main goal of the accord signed in 2002 was to reduce the high number of work-related accidents and to promote workplaces that is alligned to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
In South Africa, the iron and steel, construction, agriculture, food, drink and beverage sectors are identified as sectors with the highest risks when it comes to workplace Health and Safety accidents countrywide. Almost 47 percent of reported workplace injuries and fatalities received by the department’s Health and Safety inspectorate comes from these industries.
According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers are required to bring about and maintain a reasonable practicable work environment that is safe and without risk to the Health and Safety of their employees.
Written warnings and fines are given to employers that do not comply to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Among those scheduled to participate at the summit are representatives of trade unions, business, professional architects and designers, Occupational Health and Safety legal expects as well as government departments.
Source: BuaNews
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