The Department of Employment and Labour continues to respond to decent work agenda – Deputy Minister Boitumelo Moloi
Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour, Boitumelo Moloi told the 2024 World Day of Safety and Health commemoration that the Department has amended the Environmental Regulations for Workplaces and is in the process of promulgating Physical Agents Regulations in response to climate change.
Moloi was addressing the commemoration of World Day of Safety and Health, in Bolivia Lodge, Polokwane today. The day, which is internationally observed on 28 April, is celebrated in remembrance of all the injured and diseased workers as well as those who have fallen as a result of exposure to hazardous conditions in the workplace.
She said the world of work has not been spared from affliction caused by climate change.
“We are beginning to see and experience the effects of global warming in earnest. Workers, in a number of sectors, are often at the receiving end as they are mostly the first to be exposed to the effects of climate change.
Often, for longer periods and at greater intensities, not discounting other sectors, this is mostly prevalent in both the agriculture and the construction sector as the nature of work, almost exclusively, occurs outdoors”.
“In response to climate change challenges, we have amended the Environmental Regulations for Workplaces. Furthermore, we are in the process of promulgating the Physical Agents Regulations once all the related work is finalised. The amendments have addressed requirements in lieu of protecting workers from exposure heat, cold and sunlight,” Deputy minister Moloi said.
She said the amendments are precisely because exposure to such conditions is prevalent in the outdoors, thus affecting workers in such conditions.
Moloi told the attendees that in responding to decent work, the Department makes legislation that requires employers to identify hazards attached to any work that needs to be conducted and thereafter inform and train workers on control measures to be implemented.
The Inspector General Aggy Moiloa, in opening the occasion, reminded the gathering of the incident that occurred in January 2023 in Kakamas, Northern Cape Province, where four workers died as a result of extremely high temperatures. She encouraged participants to spare a thought to workers who remain vulnerable.
Under the theme “Impact of Climate Change on Occupational Health and Safety at Work”, the campaign is meant to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
As a build-up to the event, the Department’s Inspection and Enforcement Services conducted high impact inspections in seven provinces to check compliance levels in the agriculture and construction sectors.
According to Chief Inspector Milly Ruiters, 1 266 inspections were conducted in the agriculture sector and 805 were found to be compliant. In the construction sector, of the 256 inspections conducted, only 170 employers were found to be compliant.
Ruiters said employers in the agriculture sector were found wanting on the non-payment of national minimum wage, non-compliant with the OHS Act and its regulations, non-complaint with basic conditions of employment act, and many employers were not contributing to the UIF and declaring employees. A total of 447 notices were issued to noncomplying employers who are expected to comply with the required time frame.
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Mapula Tloubatla
Provincial Communication Officer: Limpopo Province
Cell: 060 989 7509
E-mail: Mapula.tloubatla@labour.gov.za
