The Civil Engineering Contractor March 2019 | Page 33

INSIGHT
Call to action
Andre Coetzee, managing director of SHEQProf.
But it seems as if it receives a lot
less publicity or action from the
enforcement agencies. Why is this?
Furthermore, FEMA recorded an
average of 8 577 incidents a year,
of which 450 turned out to be a
disabling injury but able to return to
work after the recuperation period
and 35 that could never work again.
These statistics, staggering as they
are, are only the tip of the iceberg
and do not include other industries
governed by the Occupational
Health and Safety Act and managed
by the COID (Compensation for
Occupational Injuries and Diseases)
Act or RMA (Rand Mutual Assurance).
The sad fact is that these statistics
seem not to be taken seriously as non-
compliance, and unsafe organisations
are still all around us. The only
people who are negatively affected
are the poor families of the injured or
deceased employees.
Do we see more and better
enforcement? Unfortunately, no. Do
we see prosecutions? Unfortunately,
again no. Are companies concerned
about the enforcement agencies
inspections? It does not seem that way
from my experience. How can we, as
society, accept this?
I must admit that had it not been
for the few companies I have come
across that are committed and serious
about real safety and not just a tick-box
exercise, coupled with the fact that I
care, I would have hung up my safety
shoes after almost 20 years and ventured
into a different field.
I would like to end this little venting
session of mine with a challenge to each
and every manager and company out
there to really take stock and to answer
the following three questions honestly:
• Are all my employees competent
to do their tasks and do they
understand the risks associated
with their tasks?
• 
Have I ensured that they are
working with safe and serviceable
equipment?
• 
Have I created a safe working
environment for them?
Remember, each employee is
somebody’s son or daughter or
somebody’s mother or father and they
are only trying to put food on the table.
We need to step up safety within the
workplace as society. Who knows, the
next incident may affect you and then it
might be too late. nn