safety regulations
21 February 2007
The Home Affairs office in Itsoseng near Mafikeng in the North West province
was shut down after Department of Labour inspectors issued a prohibition notice
pointing to serious contraventions of the occupational health and safety
regulations. Some officials working in the Home Affairs offices in Itsoseng
alerted the Department of Labour inspectors about the appalling conditions they
were working under.
On investigation, the inspectors found that the whole building posed a
health and safety hazard to all persons using the office, officials and members
of the public. In a breach of facility regulations, the building had no safe
and running drinking water, sanitary facilities, toilets were found to be in a
bad state of disrepair and unusable. The walls, ceilings, floors and windows
were either cracked, falling in parts or broken. Fire extinguishers were
inadequate, outdated and unserviced. In a breach of the electrical
installations regulations, the inspectors exposed electrical sockets and loose
cables protruding through the walls. The building had no emergency exits and
the lighting was inadequate.
Enquiries:
Zolisa Sigabi
Cell: 082 906 3878
E-mail: Zolisa.sogabi.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Labour
21 February 2007
