Every year thousands of people suffer from occupational hazards and in other instances have to leave work permanently because of work-related injuries and illnesses. Against this background the Department of Labour (DoL) will on Wednesday, 27 March 2013 host a meeting with various stakeholders to sign an iron and steel health and safety Accord.
The signing of Iron and Steel Accord with various social stakeholders is part of an effort to improve the status of occupational health and safety (OHS) in the iron and steel sectors in South Africa. In the meeting the Department of Labour will also unveil findings of a recent noise induced hearing loss study.
The National Department of Labour formally invites all iron and steel health and safety stakeholders and the media to attend the aforesaid meeting which will be held as follows:
Date: 27 March 2013
Venue: Birchwood Hotel and Conference near Boksburg, Gauteng province.
Time: 08H00, registration
09h00, starting time.
According to DoL’s Deputy Director: Inspection and Enforcement Services Mohlakola Monyaki the meeting and signing signifies commitment to changing the status quo in which workers are exposed to hazards to a ‘Zero harm’ working environment.
Monyaki said delegates at the meeting will also be given feedback about the study on Noise Induced Hearing Loss in the iron and steel sector conducted by Department of Labour.
The the meeting is expected to be attended by employers, Managers, Safety Health and Environmental Managers, SHE practitioners, Full time Shop stewards, Engineers, Technicians, Environmentalists, Hygienists and Occupational Health Doctors associations from the iron and steel industry.
According to Monyaki the latest signing build on other commitments. He said the department signed an Occupation Health and Safety accord in 2003 and the construction accord was signed in 2012.
Acting Deputy Director General IES: Thobile Lamati is expected to sign the Accord on behalf of the department and will also deliver a keynote address at the meeting. There will also be speakers from the Department of Labour, representatives of Organised Labour and Organised Business who will also be signing the accord.
