FEATURES
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and time-wasting situation ; it can lead to down time and other resources being required to attend to the incident .”
Joemat points to the top five root causes for safety infringements as : unsafe acts or behaviour , presented as poor judgement or decision making ; inadequate mental state , presented as a loss of concentration ; inadequate physical condition , which is presented as fatigue ; inadequate skill levels presented as insufficient skills or training ; and unsafe acts or behaviour , presented as insufficient supervisory control .
In Thejane ’ s experience , a prominent driver for transgressions is unsafe or poorly maintained equipment . “ Having conducted inspections in the sawmill industry within the last five years , there was a major concern on the part of the Department of Labour relating to how unsafe the equipment was and what condition the machinery was in ,” he says , noting , “ At some sawmills , the electrical installations are also of concern as was the issue of workers being exposed to sawdust on a daily basis without wearing any protection .”
PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE
Non-compliance can bear a penalty of imprisonment or a fine ; these are outlined in each applicable regulation in the OHS Act . “ However , these penalties are usually related to the employer ; it is only in very rare cases that any penalties are imposed on an employee . Employee noncompliance is normally handled in line with the company ’ s disciplinary code ,” says Swift .
According to Wainwright , even though the company ’ s disciplinary code will provide for various levels of sanction for safety regulation noncompliance , “ Such discipline must be applied consistently and fairly , otherwise there develops a tendency among employees to ‘ hide ’ noncompliance and even injuries ,” he says .
Thejane highlights the impact of non-compliance from an economic perspective . “ I think the industry should concern itself with the fact that a whole business can be brought to a standstill for several days until there is compliance . Secondly , there is the reputational risk involved ; no business wants to be associated with anyone who puts their workers – or anyone else ’ s – at risk . It not just about the fines one may have to pay ,” he says .
For Joemat , though , “ The highest penalty for non-compliance is fatality . One of our safety philosophies at MTO Group is that we are all our ‘ buddies ’ keepers , a key driver in our safety culture .”
THE BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY
While a measure of responsibility rests with all players in the value chain , the bulk of responsibility for compliance regarding machinery and equipment lies both with the manufacturer and the purchasing party or employer .
“ The OHS Act very clearly prohibits the manufacture or sale of machinery or equipment which does not comply with the prescribed requirements of the legislation , thus placing some responsibility on the manufacturer / supplier ,” says Wainwright . “ However , the greater responsibility lies very much with the user ; Section 8 of the act prescribes the duties and responsibilities of the employer and includes a requirement to ensure that all equipment and machinery is safe for use , and that employees are properly trained and competent in the use of ,” he explains .
“ Where the legislation is not prescriptive , the supplier is still required to ensure that the equipment complies with best practice in occupational
health and safety . Where any employer is not sure or not comfortable relating the safety features of any equipment , they may contact the Department of Labour or the relevant Approved Inspection Authority for assistance ,” says Thejane .
For the MTO Group , the value chain does not operate in a vacuum and when it comes to safety , all stakeholders must work together . “ We believe that the relationships between supplier , buyer and end user are built on the principle that the success of one supports the success of the other ,” says Joemat .
AUTOMATION VERSUS MANUAL OPERATIONS
A sawmill ’ s decisions around automation versus manual operations would usually be backed by strategy concerning operational efficiency and cost savings . In Swift ’ s opinion ,
" SAFCOL believes that the creation and maintenance of a safe workplace and safe work behaviours are a primary business requirement ."
− Paul Wainwright , SAFCOL .
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42 JUNE / JULY 2018 //