Department of Labour is securing a police service assistance to gain access to a game farm in Glen, outside Bloemfontein after the employer refused access to inspectors to conduct inspections in the workplace.
A case has been opened with the police against the farmer for allegedly refusing the inspectors access to entry and conduct inspections as per Basic Conditions of Employment Act section 65, which gives inspectors power to enter any workplace and conduct inspection without obstruction.
The farm was among the 289 workplaces identified by the Department of Labour in the Free State province to conduct blitz inspections last week (13 to 17 June).
During the weeklong blitz, labour inspectors handed out notices to 47 non–complying employers of the 289 workplaces visited for a wide range of flouting uncovered in the industry.
The agriculture sector has been placed under the spotlight as part of the department’s drive to improve compliance in industries with high incident rates as well as compliance on the basic conditions of employment for the sector.
The inspectors crusading throughout the province issued 30 contravention notices for health and safety violations that threatened the well-being of workers while 3 improvement notices and 26 undertakings were for not complying with basic condition of employment.
Inspectors were among other things checking for compliance with health and safety measures, availability of risk assessment plans where required, training of workers on health and safety issues and the provision of protective wear for workers.
Some of the main contraventions by employers, pointed to no health and safety reps or committees being appointed, no qualified first aiders on duty and first aids box available, no electrical installation certificate being available, no protective wear being provided for workers, no incident registers kept and no guards or signs on machinery used by workers and the maintenance record for the machines.
Other violations includes incorrect payment of over-time wages, underpayment of salaries, no particulars of employment for workers, not providing workers with payslips, attendance registers not in place, registration with Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act and Unemployment Insurance Fund for which written undertakings were served.
Employers served with notices were given up to 60 days to rectify the situation.
