Plumbing Africa September 2020 | Page 42

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