40 HEALTH AND SANITATION
Who should be appointed
Covid-19 manager?
By
Chris Coetzee
Chris Coetzee is director
of OHS Savvy Consulting
(Pty) Ltd, HSE Member
of IOPSA and Technical
Member of SAIOSH. He
has worked along with
training facilities as an
assessor to provide SAQA
Unit Standard training
on various subjects.
Chris currently works as
an Occupational Health
and Safety Practitioner
assisting IOPSA / FEM as
well as member companies
with OHS related issues.
He is the presenter of FEM
Tuesday toolbox talks.
Chris specialises in Fall
Protection Plans, Hazard
Identification and Risk
Assessments, Incident and
Accident Investigations
and Safety Management
Systems / ISO
A Covid-19 Compliance Officer / Manager appointment is in
terms of both the DMA 2002 Level 4 directives (In case we ever go
back to level 4) as well as the latest DMA 2002 – C-19 OHS 2020
16.5 requirement to appoint a Covid manager.
The person who would be considered to take on
this responsibility should be someone who knows
and understands the C-19 OHS 2020 directives as
well as their own company policies on Covid-19
prevention. Since the company must design a
Covid-19 Management Plan, the responsible person
is someone who has both the above knowledge and
the authority to carry out the plan.
Duties would include:
• To address employee or workplace representative
concerns and to keep them informed.
• To consult with the OHS committee on the nature of
the hazard in that workplace and the measures that
need to be taken.
• To ensure Covid-19 risk assessments are conducted
within your area of responsibility and are up to date.
• To assist with the compiling of Method Statements and
Developing of Safe Working Procedures / Operational
Plans for the prevention of Covid-19 and the spread of
Covid-19.
• To assist the employer to comply with sections 8, 9,
13, 17, 19, and 26 of the OHS Act, which are not
restricted to these sections only.
• To ensure that COVID-19 precautionary measures are
being taken by employees and visitors.
• To familiarise yourself with the relevant provisions of
the OHS Act, including those contained in sections
8, 9, 13–15, 17–19, 24, 26, 37 and the Disaster
Management Regulations C-19 OHS 2020.
www.plumbingafrica.co.za @plumbingonline @plumbingonline @PlumbingAfricaOnline September 2020 Volume 26 I Number 07