• HEALTH AND SAFETY
SA-OSH : TOP OF THE HOUR OSH FOR ZERO HARM
By Sharyn Macnamara
Enforcing employee safety and promoting personal wellbeing and health in the mining industry is challenging . ‘ Zero harm ’ is the target in an unforgiving , dynamic environment . Sharyn Macnamara ( SM ) speaks to Mark Anderson ( MA ), Specialised Exhibitions portfolio director , about what A-OSH EXPO offers visitors with this quest in mind .
The A-OSH EXPO 2023 , to be held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand from 6 to 8 June 2023 offers health and safety professionals the power of four : A-OSH EXPO is co-located with the 30-year-old Securex exhibition , the established Facilities Management Expo and the recently launched Firexpo under one roof . The event brings together thousands of experts , products and services to address OSH issues from every angle and to make top of the hour developments available in one venue , over three days for busy mining professionals whose time means safety .
SM : Mark , how has A-OSH evolved over the 13 years since its inception and why do you believe the evolution has taken the route it has ?
MA : To set the scene , Occupational Safety and Health ( OSH ) originated in South Africa as far back as the early years after World War I when the government recognised the issue of serious injuries and fatalities in the workplace . The Factories Act , 1918 ( Act no , 28 of 1918 ) was promulgated and set a standard then for OSH in the country and regulations moved with developments in the industry thereafter . The Factories , Machinery and Building Work Act , 1941 ( Act no . 22 of 1941 ) replaced this original Act to include builders . The Machinery and Occupational Safety Act , 1983 ( Act no . 6 of 1983 ) was later introduced and 10 years later was followed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act , 1993 ( Act no . 85 of 1993 ), known well in the industry today . Many other related Acts have since been promulgated , not least of which is the Mine Health and Safety Act , 1996 ( Act no . 29 of 1996 ).
Similarly , A-OSH EXPO has moved with the industry evolving with regulations , industry trends and technology . Co-located with Securex since its inception 13 years ago , in its early years A-OSH was focused on the providers of personal protective equipment ( PPE ), OSH training , and thereafter increasingly on software to assist with OSH . Our offerings at the event have therefore been ever evolving and improving over time as the dynamic trends and tech change in the industries we serve .
The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic , and the subsequent lockdowns , created some of the greatest and fastest changes . We saw the obvious increasing emphasis on safety measures to provide increased protection for all individuals , including the obligatory masks , sanitisers and temperature scanners / cameras .
Fast-paced technology today continues to play an increasingly important role in the evolution of OSH – and therefore our event .
All images Specialised Exhibitions
For example , improved masks offer better protection for the employee , providing essential data such as heart rate , blood pressure , blood oxygen levels and other vital signs of the individuals wearing them . Some of the more recent designs even have the capability to monitor how alert a worker is and if they are feeling fatigued !
Another strong trend influenced by COVID-19 is
Mark Anderson , portfolio director at Specialised Exhibitions — a division of Montgomery Group .
employee mental health , regarding the psychological wellbeing of individuals , together with psychosocial wellbeing – how people interact with one another .
A-OSH EXPO continues to keep its finger on the pulse of current industry trends and requirements , catering to the evolving needs of the market .
SM : What differentiates AOSH from other expos out there currently ?
MA : A-OSH EXPO is not only Africa ’ s largest platform for organisations sourcing occupational safety and health ( OSH )
The Saiosh powered free-to-attend Seminar Theatre running over the full three days of the exhibition will include thought-provoking topics presented by respected industry professionals on the entire spectrum of OSH .
30 • African Mining • June 2023 www . africanmining . co . za