GAS SAFETY - Sapema › wp-content › uploads › 2018 › 05 › ... · gas safety and related industries. It is these successful relationships which has made National Safety a

GAS SAFETY

LPG and water heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

The natural gas revolution in South Africa:A changing energy landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

The Montreal Protocol - The KigaliAmendments set for implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

SAPEMA NEWS

Listeriosis outbreak in South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Obituary Douglas Harry Uren (Dougie) . . . . . . . . . .26

PPE PRODUCT NEWS - SAPEMA MEMBERS

uvex Proud People Oscar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Stopping the spread of take-home toxinsWorkplace hazards shouldn’t come home . . . . . . . . .29

•

CONTENTS

January/February 2018 - Volume 78 Number 1

FEATURE ARTICLESISO 45001: latest changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Leading and tracking OH&S performance . . . . . . . . .6

Prevent the flu from breaking out in yourworkplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Substance abuse in mines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

A call to action for protecting health and safety ofmineworkers in South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Benrisk Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

IOSMMessage from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

H&S Reps training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

ACHASMACPCMP STAGE 5: Suspension ofConstruction Work - TECHNICAL GUIDANCENOTE 01/2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Health and Safety for the entrepreneuror small business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

News from SAIOH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

SAIOH and DUT host an international trainingcourse in occupational hygiene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

Participating associations / organisations / institutes with National Safety and the Safety First Association

OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE

January/February 2018 National Safety www.safety1st.co.za 1

Cover Story: See page 16

As we enter National Safety’s 86th year of publication,we continue to enjoy the support of several professionalassociations who use it as their mouthpiece: • The Institute of Safety Management (IOSM).• Southern African Protective Equipment Marketing

Association (SAPEMA).• Association of Construction Health and Safety

Management (ACHASM).• Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene

(SAIOH).• South African Qualification and Certification

Committee for Gas (SAQCC GAS).

National Safety is sent to the members of theseassociations who enjoy the variety of informative articlessubmitted by these professional bodies covering safetymanagement, personal protective equipment,occupational hygiene, construction safety management,gas safety and related industries. It is these successfulrelationships which has made National Safety a leadingpublication.

H&S REPS TRAINING

In this issue we introduce IOSM’s newly-launchedtraining programme for H&S Reps. This much neededprogramme has already enjoyed a lot of interest in themarket-place amongst companies who are serious aboutsafety.

ISO45001

Readers will also learn from Dr Bill Pomfret about ISO45001 which will soon be released, and howorganisations can prepare for it and benefit from it.

FLU, COLDS AND LISTERIOSIS

South Africa is in for one of the worst flu epidemics thisyear. Many European companies are still suffering fromits effects, with workers spending extended time at hometo recuperate. Absenteeism from sick staff memberscannot be prevented, but actions can be taken tominimise the spread which may lead to down-time whenworkers are away. Readers will also learn about thespread of Listeriosis and its prevention in our SAPEMApages. At the time of going to press, there are over 800reported cases of Listeriosis in South Africa, with just over60 deaths.

MINING SAFETY

National Safety was launched in 1932 when Sir ErnestOppenheimer, observed the poor health and safetyconditions on the mines and wanted to educate workersand employers on how improve conditions. Yet, stilltoday, the mines continue to be plagued by health andsafety issues, Rhys Evans explains that some of theaccidents may be caused by alcohol and drug abuse. Wealso read about various mining accidents andpreventative actions that need to be taken fromWellington Mudenha.

•

Copyright: 2018 Material appearing in this issue may not be reproduced without the permission ofthe editor or publishers in any form whatsoever.

The Safety First Association is a non-profit making, privately supported, public serviceorganisation which aims to prevent accidents by promoting an awareness of accident situations asthey exist in day-to-day living amongst members of the community. The Publishers and Editorsare not liable for any damages or loss incurred as a result of any statement contained in thismagazine. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy in this publication, neither the Publishersnor Editors accept any responsibility for errors or omissions in the content and reserve the right toedit all contributions. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of thePublishers or Editors.

Editor: Debbie MyerProduction Editor: Lindsay MyerChairman: George BrowseVice Chairman: Leighton BennettMarketing & Subscriptions: Maureen SchwegmannAdmin Manager: Bruce SchwegmannCommittee members: Leighton Bennett

Stewart ShapiroWensley MisroleGeorge BrowseDebbie Myer

Subscriptions / Administration / Marketing / Promotions3 Kwartel Street Vorna Valley, PO Box 321 Halfway House 1685Tel: + 27 11 701-5054 Fax: 086 684 2664E-mmail: [email protected]

Advertising & Editorial Delinds Publications cc12 Delta Road, Blairgowrie, Randburg, PO Box 72366 Parkview 2122Tel: + 27 11 886-5985 Fax: +27 11 886-1332 Cell: + 27 83-266-6662 E-mmail: [email protected]

National Safety is published by the Safety First Association and isthe official journal of• The Institute of Safety Management (IOSM)• Southern African Protective Equipment Marketing Association

(SAPEMA)• Association of Construction Health and Safety Management

(ACHASM)

National Safety is supported by:• Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH)• South African Qualification and Certification Committee for

Gas (SAQCC GAS)

National Safety incorporates:• Occupational Safety and Health• Personal Protective Equipment• Corporate Risk Management• Occupational Hygiene• Gas Safety

Editor’s Comment

2 www.safety1st.co.za National Safety January/February 2018

•

ISO 45001:latest changes

In my latest book “MeasuringPerformance” I explain the techniquesof quality, safety, health and

environmental auditing. I alsosummarise the evolution andchronology of management systemsthinking. This started with Sun Tzu'sArt of War probably written around488BCE - a masterpiece of strategyadvice showing generals how to wintheir battles - through the DemingWheel (PDCA) for continualimprovement from the 1950s topresent, next after which the UKHealth & Safety regulator wrote itshugely popular book in 1991 as“Successful Health and SafetyManagement”, commonly known asHSG65 and memorable for itspneumonic POPIMAR, then cameOHSAS 18001 which proved to be asuccessful standard.

Although it's difficult to captureaccurate figures (as it's not an ISOstandard and therefore not included inthe ISO annual Certification Bodysurvey), it's estimated that close to100,000 OHSAS 18001 certificateshave been issued. That places it thirdbehind ISO 9001 and ISO 14001respectively.

In its introduction, ISO 45001 reminds

us of the role top management MUSTplay if an H&S management system isto be effective.

These critical success factors include:

• promoting and developing a H&Sculture;

• their need to consult with workersover H&S matters and ensureworker participation in key H&Sdecisions;

• the need for them to provide thenecessary resources to run aneffective H&S management system;

• the need for them to ensure H&S isintegrated into business as usual.

At present, I would suggest that we aresome way off this being the norm,particularly when we view health andsafety from an internationalperspective.

WHY DO WE NEED TO MOVE FROMOHSAS 18001?

ISO have long desired to complete theholy trinity. Those with long memorieswill recall ISO 9001 started out aBritish Standard BS 5750 and ISO14001 also started out as a BritishStandard, BS 7750.

OHSAS 18001 (or BS OHSAS 18001to give it its proper title), is going thesame way for the same reason, to

elevate it from what is essentially anational standard - albeit one whichhas been globally accepted - to a trulyinternational standard, developed withfull international consensus.

As OHSAS 18001:2007 was due foran update anyway it seemed logical totake the opportunity to go down theinternational route, to try to drive H&Simprovement on an international basis.

ISO 31000 reminds us that risk is 'theeffect of uncertainty'.

It therefore follows that by reducingthe effect of uncertainty we will reduceour organisation's risk exposure.

Annex SL based standards, and thatincludes ISO 45001 of course, set outto do this by requiring organisations to:

• Be clear on what they have to do(legal requirements).

• Be clear on what they chose to do(other requirements).

• Be clear on how they will do it(planning, support in place andoperations)

• Be clear that it is being done(performance evaluation)

• Be clear on how to do it better(Improvement).

WHY DO YOU THINK THERE HAS BEENA BIG DIVIDE IN THE FEEDBACK ONTHE ISO DIS 45001?

ISO 45001 was always going to be aproblem child. Those developing thestandard come from national standardsbodies representing different parts ofthe world, with radically differentperspectives on workers' H&S.

Accepted working practices in somecountries are completely unacceptablein others, and the degree to whichworkers are able to actively participatein, and be consulted on, H&S matters,are similarly divergent.

Now throw into the mix the liaisonorganisations who at one end of the

Managing Consultant, Safety ProjectsInternational, Canada specialises in

auditing and evaluating both client andcontractor Safety Programmes and in

developing with them pro-activepreventative systems procedures andprogrammes to control all incidents.

by Dr Bill Pomfret


•

spectrum are passionate aboutenshrining workers’ rights at the core ofthe standard, and who at the otherrepresent employers'’ interests,believing it's for businesses to decidehow and when to involve theirworkforce in any H&S debate.

Finally, add in the complexities ofnational and international health andsafety legislation and perhaps you'llbegin to understand why this standardis taking so long to finalise.

What are some of the key changes andhow will they impact the way healthand safety is managed in South Africanorganisation?

For me the key changes are;

• The adoption of annex SL whichshould aid integration with othermanagement systems.

• The removal of the role ofmanagement representative which isdesigned to embed H&Sresponsibility more widely than onlythat single individual.

• The enhanced role top managementHAVE to play in the operation oftheir H&S management system -there are things they cannot nowdelegate.

• The requirement to integrate theH&S system into 'business as usual'

• The extension of workerconsultation and participation

• The requirement for theorganisation to prevent 'ill heath'(including psychological health) asopposed to only injuries

• There's explicit recognition thatinjuries and ill health can result notonly from immediate impacts butalso from long term impacts

• The need to consider H&Sopportunities, not only H&S risks

• Major shake-up of terms anddefinitions. Of the 37 included inISO 45001 only 3 are identical tothose in OHSAS 18001. New

definitions include 'worker' and'workplace'.

HOW CAN ORGANISATIONS PREPAREFOR ISO 45001?

Start by increasing awareness, if you areresponsible for your organisation'ssafety management compliant systemyou need to know about ISO 45001.

There's a lot of information circulatingon the internet but make sure you lookat that coming out of an informedsource, someone who is activelyinvolved in the revision process.

Then tell others in your organisationwhat's about to happen and how it willimpact on them. You'll need to speak totop management about their revisedobligations and you'll want to bringyour internal auditors up to speed withthe new requirements in order thatthey can spot issues during thetransition process.

Speak to your certification body to seewhat help they intend to provide youwith and note that if you are not happywith your certification body or anysupport consultants you may employ,now is a good time to change them.

You'll want to make this journey withpeople you trust.

Once you are clear where you need toget to, you can start to plan.

At this stage, it can only be an outlineas ISO 45001 is still a work in progressbut the bare bones can be put in placeand then adjusted when there is morecertainty as to the standard's contentsand timing.

WHEN SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT ISO45001 TO BE RELEASED?

Not even members of PC283 know theanswer to that one. The official ISOtimeline shows the publication of anFDIS in November 2017 and thenpublication of the full ISO in March2018.

That said, there are a lot of technicalcomments on DIS2 (1200) and eachand every one of these needs to beconsidered. It's conceivable that ifPC283 cannot process all of these attheir meeting in Melaka this month,that they will need to schedule anothermeeting to complete the task.

Personally, I'd see March 2018 as theEARLIEST possible publication date

and if I were staking my own moneyon it I'd probably go for the end of Q22018.

WHAT PROCESS WOULD YOURECOMMEND FOLLOWING WHENTRANSITIONING?

View this as a journey.

Firstly, you need to understand whereyou want to get to. That's the easy bit,compliance with ISO 45001. Now taketime to understand what thedestination looks like, remember, if youdon't know where you're going, anyroad will take you there.

So, start by self-education and progressto awareness raising. Make sure you telleveryone where you are taking themand why this is right destination.

Next you need to understand whereyou are starting from.

Each organisation's departure point willbe unique, as the degree to which eachorganisation embraces OHSAS 18001will be different.

There are organisations already goingbeyond the basic requirements of thestandard whilst others will simply bedoing the minimum to comply. Theformer will be closer to the destinationthan the latter. Conduct a gap analysisto identify your own personal departurepoint.

Now we need to plan the journey,making it as smooth as possible andavoiding the potholes along the way.Enshrine your route in a transition planbuilt on the results of your gap analysis.

Periodically re-run the gap analysis toensure you are still on the correct roadand that you are continuing to makeprogress.

Get internal audits and managementreviews up and running early so if youdo drift off-course you can pick-up theright route once more or, if you identifya shortcut, position yourself to take it.

Treat this as a project, create a projectstructure to manage the transition, acommunications plan to keepstakeholders engaged, a project plan toact as your route plan and risk andissue logs as things will go wrong alongthe way, and the fallout will need to bemanaged.

Some organisations have a separatequality and health and safety manager.

Start by increasing awareness, if youare responsible for your

organisation's safety managementcompliant system you need to know

about ISO 45001. Make sure youlook at that coming out of an

informed source.


•

• Organisations must take intoaccount all 'interested parties' -which now includes the workforce.

These changes alter the responsibilitiesof risk management in that everyonecan now be held accountable.

The buck, ultimately, stops withbusiness directors - which is why, afteran incident, they need to be able toprove that they've taken every steppossible to mitigate a risk or preventone from occurring.

A due diligence defence is essential:

• Recognise trends and mitigate risksbefore they occur, reducing incidentrates and keeping your insurancepremiums low

• Automate workflows to reduceadmin and introduce a culture ofresponsibility to your workforce

• Remain compliant to regulatorystandards at all times and avoid theassociated costs of non-conformance

• Identify potential gaps in training toensure staff are fully up-to-date withall required health and safetytraining and to avoid preventableaccidents

• Provide easy and fast audit trails inthe wake of any audit or post-incident investigation, withoutadding to administrative demands.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE ACCESS ACOPY OF THE DRAFT?

Both BSI and ISO will happily provideyou with a copy of the DIS2 forsuitable recompense.

BSI are asking £30 for non-membersand £24 for members.

ISO are charging 58 Swiss francs(which equates to £46.80).

Both have online shops offeringimmediate downloads.

HOW CAN ORGANISATIONS USE THEANNEX SL TO MAKE TRANSITIONFASTER?

Get the quality and H&S managerstalking to each other.

Hopefully, given that we have only 12months of the 9001 and 14001transition periods remaining, work ontransitioning the organisation's QMSand EMS will be well advanced. At thevery least there should be a clear andcommunicated transition plan in placeby now.

That means a lot of lessons will havebeen learned by the quality andenvironmental people that can usefullybe passed across to the H&S manager.They will need to examine what wentwell and what didn't, what were theprincipal challenges and how werethese addressed.

The H&S manager will also benefitfrom the fact that by now topmanagement should have beeneducated by their quality /environmental heads as to their revisedroles in Annex SL based systems.

The organisation should haveestablished processes for thedetermination of context, for themanagement of risks andopportunities, the alignment ofmanagement system objectives withbusiness objectives and performanceevaluation of management systems.

The H&S system can be piggy backedoff these new ways of working,introduced to satisfy the QMS andEMS standards.

HOW CAN ORGANISATIONS ENSURECORRECT PROCESSES ANDPROCEDURES ARE BEINGFOLLOWED?

Documenting a health and safetymanagement system is one thing, but

organisations must ensure correctprocesses and procedures are beingfollowed.

This starts with ensuring individualsare clear as to their roles andresponsibilities, and are also clear as tohow specific tasks are to be performed.

These aspects are dealt with underclause 7 - Support - which encompassescompetence, awareness andcommunication sub-clauses.

Work is then planned and performedunder Clause 8, Operation with H&Sperformance and the effectiveness ofthe H&S system overall being checkedunder clause 9, Performance evaluation,by means of monitoring, measurement,analysis and evaluation.

Internal audit has a key role to play indetermining compliance (or otherwise)with agreed practice, as hasmanagement review.

Worker consultation and participationforums should also be used to identifyprocess deviations, noting that in someinstances the deviation may haveoccurred for good reason, for example,where following the process would haveendangered rather than protectedindividuals.

The standard is clear that where this isthe case workers should not be exposedto the threat of dismissal, disciplinaryaction or other reprisals as a result oftheir failure to follow the prescribedmethod.

ISO 45001: HOW DOES 'RISK-BASEDTHINKING' AFFECT YOUR H&SPROCEDURES?

The new ISO 45001 will follow thehigh-level Annex SL structure, whichmeans there will be more explicitrequirements around risk-basedthinking. But in terms ofimplementation, what does that meanfor you as a health and safetyprofessional?

• Health and safety leaders mustdevelop a proactive, preventativeapproach to risk (compared totraditionally reactive structures)

• Top management must take overallaccountability for the protection ofworkers' health and safetyobligations (the number of directorsjailed for H&S negligence tripled in2016 in many countries)

View this as a journey.

Firstly, you need to understandwhere you want to get to.

Next you need to understand whereyou are starting from.

You need to plan the journey,making it as smooth as possible

and avoiding the potholes along theway.

The buck, ultimately, stops withbusiness directors - which is why,after an incident, they need to beable to prove that they've takenevery step possible to mitigate arisk or prevent one from occurring


•

Irrespective of the size of theorganisation and the environment inwhich they operate, the objective is

to make working environments safeand sound. In order to achieve thisobjective and contain "runaway" ailingsafety systems it is important to reflecton how we lead and track ourorganisation's OH&S performance.

LEADING SAFELY AND RENEW ASAFETY PLEDGE

Setting the right OH&S tone in theworkplace is like a conductor of anorchestra. In order to get the bestmusic performance out of a group, heor she has to lead with impeccableskills. The same should be forsupervisors or their superior’s safeconduct whilst complying with thecompany’s safety and health standards.

In March 2018, the InternationalOrganisation for Standardisation (ISO)is expected to publish the eagerlyawaited 45001 OH&S standard. Thenew standard will be engaging onleadership as well as managementcommitment to ensure the OH&S iseffective.

Do you still remember "The"Management-By-Walking-Around(MBWA)" authored by Tom Peters. Itis still relevant today. The visibility ofmanagement in the operations

encourages the collective "We" and not"Them" attitude towards OH&S.Imagine a day in the life of a supplychain manager, who starts his or herday meeting with the production teamto obtain feedback on how supplychain decisions are impacting onworkers' health and safety in theoperations.

The existence of documented healthand safety policies is applauded.However, leadership needs a renewedsafety pledge through relevant forums.The health and safety policy is a goodexample from which the new years'specific commitments and goals couldbe communicated.

On a few occasions, I hear of supplychain personnel indicating that theirroles tend to be limited to pre-tendering and award stages. This isdetrimental as there will always be lackof reinforcing OH&S decisions in thecontractor's OH&S performance andnot a good example of leading safely.

TRACKING OH&S PERFORMANCE

In the workplace you often hear ofmanagers reminding their subordinateshow their unsafe behaviours will impacton their safety incentives.

Whilst incentivising safety seems

practical for some organisations, it iscritical that irrespective of the incentiveculture, ongoing discussions through asafety accountability culture need to beentrenched regularly. As the new yearbegins, let us communicate the topworkplace related incidents andassociated costs that our organisationsincurred in the previous year. Theexercise may seem obvious fororganisations that have identified andtracked leading and lagging OH&Sindicators.

Examples of leading indicators could bederived from OH&S audits, workplaceinspections or how personnel conductthemselves. Whereas lagging indicatorscould relate to incidents, accidents anddamage to property.

In the next issue, we will focus onleading and lagging OH&S indicatorsand how they impact on anorganisation's OH&S performance.

As we focus on leading and trackingOH&S performance, I found thefollowing quote intriguing: "Safetymeans first aid to the uninjured".Author Unknown.

The views expressed in this article arethe views of the author. They are notintended to substitute legal orprofessional advice.

Leading and tracking OH&S performance

Hope Mugagga Kiwekete is a ManagingConsultant at the Centre for EnterpriseSustainability (Pty) Ltd. Prior to his

current role, he was a Principal ConsultantRisk Management at Transnet FreightRail SOC Ltd, a Management Systems

Specialist and Senior EHS Auditor at theSouth African Bureau of Standards

(SABS).

Source: https://za.pinterest.com/pin/127860076896230258/Ongoing discussions through a

safety accountability culture need tobe entrenched regularly


•

Cold Flu

Loss of appetite Muscle pain

Sore throat High fever

Sneezing Headache

Cough Fatigue

Vomiting Chills

Prevent the flu from breaking out in your workplace

The flu coming to South Africa thiswinter may be the worst outbreakwe have had in years.

Although absenteeisms cannot beprevented, actions need to be taken toprevent it from taking over yourworksite.

Flu thrives in cold, dry environments,so with winter approaching there is stilltime to put preventative measures inplace.

HOW DO COLD AND FLU SPREAD?

Cold and flu viruses are highlycontagious - the contagious periodbegins immediately after infectioncarrying on for 7 days. In the earlystages of infection, a person does nothave symptoms so is unaware that theyare sick and may infect othersunknowingly.

STOPPING THE SPREAD OF COLDAND FLU VIRUSES AT WORK

Avoiding exposure to cold and fluviruses is the basis of prevention. Whenan infected person coughs or sneezes,the virus becomes airborne and survivesfor approximately one hour in the air. Ifanother person inhales the air carryingthe cold or flu droplets, they can catchthe virus.

Infected droplets may also settle onsurfaces infecting anyone touchingthem.

Infection can also be spread by shakinghands with infected individuals whohave coughed or sneezed into theirhands.

It is necessary to implement goodhygiene and flu vaccination policies inthe workplace to minimise the spread.

WORKPLACE PRACTICES

• Stay at home when you are ill.

• Workplaces should be equipped witha range of hygiene products to helpprevent transmission. These includetissues, soap, paper towels anddisinfectant gels and wipes.

• Be prepared with backup workers toprevent equipment shutdown whenan infected person is ill.

• Visitors should also be encouraged to

stay away when they are ill. Wherethis is not possible, they must beencouraged to wear a face mask andwash their hands before entering.

• Put up signs and posters to educatestaff and visitors about the virus andits prevention - this should be inmultiple languages.

• Put up posters encouraging goodhygiene practices such as washinghands.

• Use personal protective equipmentsuch as a surgical mask while in theworkplace.

• Give training in multiple languages.

INFLUENZA VACCINATION

Influenza vaccination is the best way toprevent infection. It is important to geta flu shot every year, as the vaccines areupdated annually to include the mostrecent influenza strains. This isespecially recommended for individualswho are at high risk with medicalconditions such as:

• Severe asthma;

• Heart problems;

• Lung conditions;

• Kidney disorders;

• Impaired immunity;

• Diabetes;

Employers should consider fundingworkplace vaccination programmes.

Or, they could help their staff byproviding provide transport to theclinic or organise a mobile clinic to visitthe worksite.

CLEAN SHARED SURFACES ANDEQUIPMENT

Cleaning shared surfaces regularly inthe workplace is an importantprevention measure, including:

• Door knobs and handles;

• Buttons on equipment such asphotocopiers and telephones;

• Power tools;

• Computer keyboards;

• Handles of kitchen equipment likecoffee pots and microwaves;

• Benches and counters;

• Books or other materials;

• Bathroom facilities.

DISPOSE CONTAMINATED ARTICLES

Keep wastebins all over the workplaceto dispose of :

• Tissues;

• Disposable wipes used for cleaningsurfaces;

• Clothes or products which have beenin contact with an infected person

AVOID CLOSE CONTACT WITHPEOPLE KNOWN TO BE INFECTED

• Stand at least one metre away;

• Avoid skin contact (e.g. shakinghands);

• Wash your hands as soon as possibleafter skin contact;

• Avoid sharing eating and drinkingutensils like straws and spoons.

Differences between colds and flu

There are differences between colds and flu.Study this table to find out which you have.


•

The cost of alcohol and drug abuseto South Africa is an estimated R2 billion per year.

It must be noted that prevalence issignificantly higher in the miningindustry.

The first priority for any mine is tokeep workers who are under theinfluence of drugs and alcohol off thesite. However, to manage and reducethe incidents of abuse, a broaderunderstanding of the causes and aholistic strategy to address them, isneeded.

HOW BIG IS THE PROBLEM?

In South Africa, the prevalence ofalcohol dependence among adults isestimated at 10% while that of riskydrinking among workforces such as themining industry has been estimated at25% or more.

In a South African gold mine, theprevalence of risky drinking amongworkers was found to be 32%.

A study by the Mining Health andSafety Council of South Africa testedapproximately 2000 miners acrossseven mines for substance abuse. Theaim was to determine the prevalenceand factors which influence alcohol andcannabis use among mineworkers inSouth Africa.

The study found that:

• Of the almost 50% of workers thatused alcohol, just over 15% showedalcohol dependence;

• About one third of alcohol users(28.9%) drink alcohol five to sixdays in a week;

• Almost one tenth of participants(9.3%) drink alcohol every day;

• The prevalence of cannabis usevaried between 4.6% and 21.5%across mines, with a mean of 9.1%.

THE EFFECT OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Employees suffering from substanceabuse are more likely to have problemswith perception and motor skills, sufferfrom anxiety, paranoia, depression, andviolent behaviour, have difficultyconcentrating and processinginformation, and are more likely tomake lapses in judgement.

On site, workers who have alcohol intheir blood or use cannabis are a dangerto themselves and their co-workers.

A single mistake can cost many lives,result in work stoppage and ultimately,loss of income for the mine.

Driven by this knowledge, the need tocomply with health and safetyregulations and the growing impact ofloss of reputation that such incidentsresult in, many mines have putmeasures in place to manage substanceabuse.

But stopping abuse at the mine gates isnot enough.

UNDERSTAND THE CAUSES

The study notes that stress, loneliness,poverty, boredom, and inadequatehealth education contribute to the useof both cannabis and alcohol.

These study results agree with theknowledge ALCO Safe has acquiredthrough 25 years’ experience inproviding mines in South Africa andAfrica with breathalyser and drugtesting solutions to help them test for,monitor and control substance abuse.

“In my experience, this is borne out inthe contrast we see in the low levels ofabuse at established mines where acommunity has grown around themine and miners have their families togo home to, versus high levels of abuseat newly or poorly established mineswhere miners are away from theirfamilies, stress levels are high and thereare few amenities” explained RhysEvans, Director ALCO Safe.

What has become increasingly clear toALCO Safe is that the mines that are

mostsuccessful atreducing the abuseare the ones that make aneffort to understand what drivessubstance abuse, address it, and create aculture of safety that permeates theworkplace and extends into thecommunity.

Miners agree. The Mining Health andSafety Council of South Africa studyindicated that participants were wellaware of the dangers of alcohol abuse inthe workplace and that they felt thatboth alcohol and cannabis use could becontrolled among mineworkersthrough:

• Awareness programmes;

• Substance use testing;

• Rehabilitation programmes to assistthose who use substances;

• Disciplinary measures for offenders;

• Recreational facilities to relieveboredom.

IMPLEMENT CONTROLS, BUILD ASOBER CULTURE

The controls - breathalysers andrandom drug testing - have asignificant effect in curbing substanceabuse and ensuring that miners usethese substances more responsibly.

The mines selected for the study all hadcodes of conduct in place that variouslyprohibited possession or use ofsubstances in the workplace.

Some had established regular andrandom testing procedures; others only

Substance abuse in mines

Rhys Evans, Director ALCO-Safe


•

tested when an incident occurred.

The majority had instituted disciplinarymeasures and had rehabilitationprogrammes in place for workersdiagnosed with chronic abuse.

The highest cannabis use prevalence(21.5%) and breathalyser results abovethe legal driving limit (5.9%), occurredat a mine which had no mechanisms inplace to implement the measures in itscode of conduct.

Mines with alcohol policies whererandom breathalyser testing ofemployees was carried out at work hadlower levels of positive breathalyserresults.

However, to better manage substance

use and abuse, a holistic awarenessprogramme is needed that is upheld byall stakeholders - from the mineauthorities to the workers and theirrepresentatives - and reaches intomining communities.

AWARENESS TRAINING

This is a chief reason why, in additionto providing the equipment for testingfor substance abuse, ALCO Safe alsoprovides its clients, their managers,supervisors and workers with awarenesstraining and materials.

These take the form of presentationsand informative brochures to driveawareness among workers and thecommunity.

However, we also go the extra mile - toensure workers understand why testingis so important, we meet with workerrepresentatives and negotiate withunions, who in turn use their influenceto drive the message home.

In South Africa, much remains to bedone to curb substance abuse in mines.A single incident caused by someoneusing drugs or alcohol is one to many.

As the testing equipment for bothalcohol and drug use continues tobecome easier to use and more costeffective, mines need to continuallyreview their options and stay abreast ofnot just new equipment, but newapproaches to address workerwellbeing.

Now in its second edition, this South African occupational health and

safety handbook is a necessary aid to anyone responsible for

occupational health and safety.

Containing about 400 pages of information, it is invaluable to any SHE

practitioner, engineer and any other person who has an interest in

creating a safe workplace.

Readers and students will find the text easy to read and the illustrations

easy to follow.

It will also be valuable to the list of “must read” and reference

publications of chief executive officers, engineers and other top

managers who often have a responsibility for the health and safety of

the workers in their enterprise.

Universities and other tertiary educational institutions will find the book

a very handy source for prescribing to their students whilst libraries

would do well to make it available to the wider public.

UPDATED SECOND EDITIONNow Available!!

A comprehensive guide on everything you need to know about occupational health and safetyin over 400 illustrated, easy to read pages.

Tel: 011-701-5054 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.safety1st.co.za


•

Wellington F Mudenha is SHE andQuality Assurance Manager, SyntheconSutures Manufacturing. Wellington has

experience is in the development,implementation, maintenance and audit

of ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001

Management Systems, leading healthand safety teams and ensuring SHEQ

legal compliance. He is also proficient inSHEQ academic research, risk and

project management.

It was on Monday the 28th of August2017 that I tuned in to watch theeNCA prime time news show. Peter

Bailey the Health and SafetyChairperson of the National Union ofMineworkers (NUM) was beinginterviewed by news anchor VuyoMvoko following a mining incidentthat occurred at the Harmony GoldKusasalethu mine in Carletonville, westof Johannesburg. Bailey was calm butvisibly upset as yet another unfortunateoccurrence affected the health andsafety of mine workers in South Africa.

Three days earlier on Friday the 25th ofAugust 2017 at about 10:30 in themorning as 3000 miners were working,a seismic tremor - approximately 3100metres underground - resulted insections of the Kusasalethu minecollapsing.

Five workers were trapped followingthe incident and according to eNCA,Harmony Gold Mining Companyissued a statement saying rescue teamswere working endlessly since theincident occurred.

The mine suspended all operations andchannelled resources towards therescue.

The following day, the body of one ofthe trapped workers was brought tothe surface. In a statement issued onthat Saturday evening, CEO of themine Peter Steenkamp conveyed hiscondolences to the family and friends ofthe deceased and indicated that theywere trying to get their colleagues (thetrapped workers) quickly and safely outof the mine.

At the time, there was still hope thatthe rest of the trapped miners would berescued and brought back to thesurface to reunite with their families.

In retrospect it is clear why Peter Baileywas anxious in his interview withMvoko. As he sat for the interview, itwas the 4th day since the incident andearlier that day, the body of a thirdminer had been retrieved from themine. Sadly, he had 'succumbed to hisinjuries' according to a statement issuedby the mine. This brought to three thenumber of fatalities from this incident.

Nevertheless, there was still hope thatthe remaining two workers could befound alive.

NUM had been in engagement withmine management about the rescueefforts and the eNCA interviewexposed how Bailey and his colleaguesat NUM were clearly unhappy with themanner in which the rescue was beingconducted.

Despite efforts to rescue the workers,all five of them lost their lives.

Following the death of the five workersat Kusasalethu, Mineral ResourcesMinister Mosebenzi Zwane called onmining companies to prioritise healthand safety of miners as part ofgovernment's zero harm targets. Theminister went on to say "we cannot talkforever, action must follow".

Barely a month had passed since PeterBailey left the eNCA studios followingthat impassioned interview whenanother mining accident occurred. OnTuesday the 19th of September 2017 arock fall at the number 12 shaft killedtwo mine workers at Impala platinum

mine in Rustenburg, North West.According to News24, companyspokesperson Johan Theron said thattwo men aged 31 and 34 died whenrocks fell on their heads.

Again, Mineral Resources MinisterMosebenzi Zwane said he wouldimmediately act by launching aninvestigation into the incident throughhis ministry.

In under a month, seven workers haddied at the two mines.

Speaking on 22 September 2017 at thememorial service of the two workersthat were fatally injured at the ImpalaShaft 12 in Rustenburg, president ofthe Association of Mineworkers andConstruction Union (AMCU) JosephMathunjwa said 'a life of a mine workeris painful because chances of comingout alive and uninjured are very slim'.

More of such incidents were to followas 2017 drew to a close. In October,two miners were trapped and later diedafter a fall of ground at AngloGoldAshanti's Mponeng Mine inCarletonville.

This pushed the AMCU to issue amedia statement on the 16th ofOctober 2017 calling for theDepartment of Mineral Resources toestablish a commission into mine safety.

A month later in November, a seismicevent led to a rock collapse at the samemine (Mponeng) resulting in fiveminers being trapped underground.

Sadly, two of the miners lost their lives.Three were rescued alive, two withminor scratches and one with ashoulder and leg fracture.

2017 was a bad year for health andsafety in the mining sector on the backof 73 fatalities in 2016, 77 in 2015 and84 in 2014.

A call to action for protecting health and safety of mineworkers in South Africa

At the time, there was still hopethat the rest of the trapped minerswould be rescued and broughtback to the surface to reunite withtheir families


•

BAD START TO 2018

Little did we know that events of 2017were a forerunner for an extraordinaryscare that was to start off 2018.

On Wednesday 31 January, 955 minerswere trapped two kilometresunderground at the Sibanye-StillwaterBeatrix mine in the Free State.

Mine management blamed severe rainstorms for a power failure. Havingfailed to rescue workers with backupgenerators (only a few miners wererescued one at a time), on Friday 02February all 955 miners were safelybrought back to the surface afterEskom restored power at the mine.

Yet again in the aftermath of this event,

EWN reported that Mineral ResourcesMinister Mosebenzi Zwane tasked hisoffice to investigate why generators atthe mine failed to kick in.

Zwane picked his words carefullysaying, "We do not want to speculate interms of what happened" and wasreported by Eyewitness News as beinghopeful that safety concerns would beaddressed following his meeting withmine management and the unions.

POOR HEALTH AND SAFETYREPUTATION

The mining sector in South Africa isreeling from a poor health and safetyreputation.

Over the years, the tragic loss of lifewithin the mining industry hasoccurred much too often.

It is only a few incidents that get mediacoverage. There are possibly moreunreported incidents that occur on theground.

Some miners lose their lives as a resultof unfortunate natural events like theearth tremors and seismic events, butmore often than not, the loss of life is aresult of poor implementation of health

and safety controls within some of themines, poor commitment to health andsafety by mine management andappalling emergency preparedness asexhibited at the Sibanye-StillwaterBeatrix mine.

The industry generally does have soundsafety legislation such as the MineHealth and Safety Act 29 of 1996 andassociated regulations, but the miningindustry is not putting in placeadequate measures to protect thehealth and safety of mineworkers.

The minister can be seen at almostevery mine disaster and the unions arevocal and always on the ground tosupport their members, yet clearly,more interventions are required toprevent fatalities and injuries withinmines.

Surely enough has been said.

The time could not come sooner for theDepartment of Mineral Resources,employers and the unions to come tothe party and work collectively toimmediately resolve the poor healthand safety record in the mining sectorso that 2018 will be a better and saferyear for mineworkers.

Mineral Resources Ministercalled on mining companies to

prioritise health and safety ofminers as part of government's

zero harm targets.

Mining is crucial to theeconomy so a lot more must be

done to protect the health andsafety of workers in the sector.


•

GAS SAFETY

On average, water heating isestimated to be one of the topfive household electricity

consumers. This has caused a shift toother alternative energy sources.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) isincreasingly becoming the alternativeenergy source for many households inSouth Africa, its increased availability,effectiveness and efficiency has had anever increasing number of peopledrawn to using it as a water heatingalternative.

Both Natural Gas and LPGas can beused for water heating. However,because Natural Gas is only available incertain areas it is not vastly used. LPGis portable and transportable whichmakes it a friendlier alternative.Whether the water heater is located inan upmarket suburb or a more ruralenvironment, it would be possible toget an LPGas cylinder (bottle) to thesite.

THE MECHANICS OF AN LPG WATERHEATER

When using an LPGas water heater,there is no need for a large water tankor geyser to store and heat the water asis the case with an electric geyser.

When the LPGas water heater isactivated, cold water passes through apipe located just above a small flame(which is fed by the LPGas) and thisheats the water as it passes. Therefore,only the water that is needed is actuallyheated.

When using current water heatingmodels, once the water has been turnedoff, the flame automatically shuts off sono gas is unnecessarily burnt. Thismeans you only heat the water that isused and you only use the gas as andwhen it is required.

With traditional geysers, all the waterin the geyser is kept hot and whenrequired for a bath or a shower, onewaits for the cold water to flowthrough the tap until hot water flows.This means there was unused andtherefore wasted water, noting thatcold water still needs to be added tomake the temperature comfortable foruse.

With an LPGas water heater, thetemperature of the water can be set to

an acceptable limit so that it can beimmediately used without moderatingwith additional cold water.

An LPGas system can be used invirtually any application, domestic,commercial or industrial and isincreasingly fairly common in domesticand commercial use.

The system does, however, need to bedesigned and installed according to therequirements, this can be done by aproperly trained and Registered LPGasPractitioner.

It should be noted that only RegisteredPractitioners (Installers) are permittedto undertake the installation of anyLPGas appliances - including LPGaswater heaters. These practitionersshould be trained by the LiquefiedPetroleum Gas Safety Association ofSouth Africa (LPGSASA) which ismandated by the Department ofLabour (DoE) to undertake thistraining. They should then beregistered through an independentbody (SAQCCGas) which is alsomandated by the DoE to do so. This isa requirement in terms of theOccupational Health and Safety (OHS)Act and the Pressure EquipmentRegulations (PER).

INSTALLATION SNAGS

Calculating the size and number ofLPGas cylinders required to ensure asufficient flow of hot water andestablishing the pipe sizingrequirements can certainly be achallenge, however, the trained andregistered LPGas Practitioner iscertainly capable of calculating these.

These Practitioners are also competentin ensuring that the entire installationcomplies with the various regulationswhich cover LPGas installations.

Installations not undertaken by such aninstaller could be potentially hazardous.When an installation has beenundertaken by an unregistered installer,insurance companies will most likelyrefuse to cover the costs of any damageto property or assets that may occurdue to that installation.

Like any working appliance, there is aneed for maintenance, this also shouldonly be undertaken by a trainedpractitioner.

LPG and water heating

To find a Registered Installer near you,simply go to: http://saqccgas.co.za/where you will be able to source one viatheir town or suburb.

COST EFFECTS-LONG TERMINVESTMENT

The complexity of the installationdetermines the costs, an LPGas waterheater would generally be moreexpensive than a standard electricgeyser to purchase and install.

However, considering the effectivenessof the water heater and the fact that itonly heats the water required, therunning costs are far more efficient.The longer you keep and use it, themore it saves.

There is a large number and broadrange of LPGas water heaters availableto suit various cost and applicationrequirements.

It is important to note, however, thatonly appliances which carry a PermitVerification number are approved foruse. A list of these products can befound on:https://www.lpgas.co.za/safety/find%20a%20safe%20appliance/Search_Appliance.php


NGV Gas' development of acompressed natural gas distributioninfrastructure, including deliverynetworks, filling stations andconversion systems.

These companies (both divisions ofCNG Holdings) have alreadyconverted state hospitals, canneries andmanufacturing and assembly plantsacross a range of industries, in additionto commercial fleets, busses and around1000 taxis, to natural gas.

In so doing, the benefits to these endusers is discussed in the followingpoints.

REDUCE ENERGY / FUEL COSTS

Natural gas has a high energy contentand excellent price/kilojoule ratio, withconsistent energy outputs that improveefficiency.

Natural gas delivers 20% to 40% costsavings over petrol and diesel.

ENHANCE SITE AND VEHICLE SAFETY

Lighter than air, natural gas dissipatesquickly into the atmosphere, reducingthe risk of fire pools.

It's also more difficult to ignite, with acombustion temperature of 600° C(150° C higher than petrol and LPG).

LOWER OPERATIONAL ANDMAINTENANCE COSTS

This cleaner burning fuel reducesresidue, stench and carbon build up,lowering maintenance requirementsand extending service intervals andprolonging overall equipment life, bothin plants and in vehicles.

This reduces downtime and loss ofproduction time.

GO GREEN

Natural gas emits less CO2 and otherharmful greenhouse gases than otherfossil fuels.

The inevitable introduction of carboncredits in South Africa will emphasisethe economic and environmentalimportance of natural gas increasingly.

Enjoy stable pricing schedules

•

Recent on- and off-shorediscoveries of globally significantquantities of natural gas in

southern Africa - including trillions ofcubic metres of natural gas in theRovuma Basin off the Mozambiquecoast, the biggest global find of naturalgas in decades - represent a new dawnfor the region's energy landscape.

Natural gas is one of the cleanest,safest, and most useful forms of energy,providing the world with over 20 percent of its energy requirements acrosspower generation, industry andtransport applications.

In South Africa, at just three per cent,the meaningful addition of natural gasto the country's energy mix willrejuvenate an overburdened, out-datedenergy infrastructure and reducecyclical energy shortfalls.

Perhaps even more importantly, it willstimulate the economy by allowingbusiness and industry to lower theirenergy and operational spend whilealso creating significant numbers ofnew jobs and skills developmentopportunities.

As the market for gas grows, theconstruction of new conversionworkshops, gas filling stations andsatellite gas distribution infrastructurewill provide a permanent stream ofdirect employment. Downstream,training, operations and maintenance,bus assembly and manufacturing oftrailers, cylinders and other gasequipment will also create significantemployment avenues.

The South African government hasstated that natural gas forms thebackbone of regional economicintegration among Southern AfricanDevelopment Community (SADC)member countries. Plans to establish aregional natural gas committee are alsoafoot, which will be tasked withpromoting the inclusion of gas in theregional energy mix.

Natural gas is already a reality forindustrial and transport sectors within a300 km radius of Johannesburg thanksto NERSA-approved gas tradersVirtual Gas Network (VGN) and

Natural gas isn't prone to the constantprice fluctuations seen in crude oilproducts, and therefore allows fargreater budgeting accuracy whileincreasing customer cash flow.

ENHANCING ACCESS TO NATURALGAS

Natural gas can be distributed invarious ways: through pipelines;compressed in high pressure cylinders;or liquefied by freezing to -163° C incryogenic tanks.

VGN and NGV Gas receive naturalgas at a distribution station inLanglaagte via the Sasol Gas pipelinethat runs from Temane to Secunda andthen to Johannesburg.

It then distributes gas to customersanywhere within a 300 km radius ofthis distribution station, managing theentire delivery process on a pay-as-you-use basis according to customers'energy requirements.

The increased availability in Gautengof this superior, alternative energysource is enhancing long-termprofitability of assets in the industrialand transport sectors.

As the gas economy develops, SouthAfrica will be able to increaseproduction efficiencies, economicgrowth and job creation, and reducingreliance on a less-efficient, pollutingfuel used in an aging energyinfrastructure.

The natural gas revolution in South Africa: A changing energy landscape


•

The Kigali Amendment wasadopted on the 15th October2016 in Kigali, Rwanda at the

close of the 28th Meeting of the Partiesto the Montreal Protocol (MOP 28).

This amendment stipulates thatdeveloped countries will begin reducinghydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as of 2019while developing countries commencethe phase-out at a later stage.

Phasing down HFCs under theMontreal Protocol is expected to avoidup to 0.5 degrees Celsius warming bythe end of the century.

With Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago'sratification, the Kigali Amendment tothe Montreal Protocol has exceeded the20-Party threshold for entry force.

During MOP 29 which took place inMontreal, Canada, parties took intoconsideration: The Kigali Amendment;the Multilateral Fund (MLF)replenishment; issues related to article2 of the protocol including nominationsof critical use exemptions andnominations for essential useexemption; use of controlled substancesas process agents; energy efficiency; andsafety standards relevant to low global-warming potential alternatives.

The introductory section that tookplace from the 20th - 22nd November2017 addressed the financial reportsand budgets of the trust funds for theVienna Convention and the MontrealProtocol as well as the extension of thetrust funds.

While most of the agenda items atCOP 11/MOP 29 were relatively easilydiscussed and agreed on, theMultilateral Fund (MLF)Replenishment Contact Group workeduntil close to midnight on the final daybefore they could agree on a draftdecision to be presented to plenary.

"Delegates' most pressing task was toconclude the MLF replenishmentnegotiations successfully for thetriennium 2018-2020.

The MLF replenishment is crucial forArticle 5 countries, as the fund financesactivities to help met their complianceobligations to phase out ozone-depleting substances (ODS)."The EarthNegotiations Bulletin

A draft decision was finally agreed on,where energy efficiency took a largeportion of the discussion.

The importance of improving energy

efficiency during the phasing out ofHFCs is a crucial component as thiscould at least double the climatechange mitigation benefits of the HFCsphase-down.

The Montreal Protocol partiesconcluded that developing countrieswould receive US$540 million underthe Montreal Protocol to proceed thephase-out of HCFCs and to enableactivities for phasing-down HFCsunder the Kigali Amendment.

Developed countries will provide thefunding over the period 2018 to 2020through the MLF.

The agreements that were reached atthe conclusion of this joint meetingconfirmation that parties have takensteps to ensure continuedimplementation of the MontrealProtocol and the implementation of theKigali Amendments, which receivedsufficient ratifications prior to the MOP,and will enter into force as of 1stJanuary 2019.

The Montreal Protocol The Kigali Amendments set for implementation

High ODP Low ODP Zero ODP Zero ODPHigh GWP High GWP High GWP Very Low GWP

ODP = Ozone Depletion Potential GWP = Global Warning Potential


ARE YOU MEETING ALL OCCUPATIONALAND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES?

Occutech is an inspection authority for the work and business environment surrounds approved by the Department of Labour

• Indoor air quality assessment• Risk assessors• Occupational hygiene• Environmental consultants

“PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!”http://www.occutech.co.za

Email: [email protected]: (031) 206-1244 Fax: (031) 205-2561

Occutech is able to recognise,

evaluate and recommend

cost-effective controls of

occupational and

environmental hazards

The year seems to have started at a frenetic pace! Let'shope this is an indication of growth for the rest of theyear!

At IOSM we have also started a number of initiatives toimprove our service to members in terms of living our visionand mission.

WORKING WITH OTHER PROFESSIONAL BODIES

During 2017 the IOSM started talking to a number ofprofessional bodies in order to establish closer relationshipswith them to enhance the network ability of our members.

We have developed a close relationship with the IndependentProfessional Body Forum to represent the OHS fraternity inthose circles. We are in the process of signing an agreementwith them that will regulate the recognition of CPD pointsbetween professional bodies.

We also started talking to South African CommunicationsIndustries Association (SACIA) in the context of assistingthem to establish an Event Safety Council to regulate OHSin the events industry.

We have also started talking to the Risk ManagementInstitute of South Africa (IRMSA) and obtained theircooperation with the sharing of information and attendanceof their events.

We also approached the International Institute of Safety andRisk Management (IIRSM) to work closer together andmaybe explore membership reciprocity; negotiations are stillongoing in that regard.

SHE REP COURSE

The Institute has identified a need to mentor and facilitatepractical training for health and safety representatives.

We identified that these people are often sent on courseswhere they are not really exposed to the practical workexpected of them and because of this, they don't really knowthe right way of doing things in the workplace.

The first learners are currently busy with the process. Pleaseread elsewhere in this publication for more detail.

UPSKILLING TRAINING

Hand in hand with that we have also started a process ofpresenting the short courses that forms part of our

•

Joep Joubert

Message fromthe President

registration criteria, in an effort to provide members with areliable source of training to close some of the gaps in theirtraining matrix. Service providers have already been asked tosubmit their particulars and indicate their willingness toparticipate in the process.

The Institute in no way wants to compete with ourmembers, rather we want to facilitate the learning to reachour members in a way beneficial to all parties. Please followyour e-mail circulars to keep up to date in terms of thedetail.

LIAISON WITH DOL

The management of IOSM recently had our regular meetingwith the Chief Inspector at the DoL at which matters ofmutual concern were raised and discussed. One such issuewas of course the delay in the publishing of the revised OHSAct for comment. This has been a long time coming and isas frustrating to the DoL as it is to our members. However,all things going well, we should eventually see somemovement this year.

The Department is aggressively addressing the revision ofRegulations to the Act. The technical committee onErgonomics is working to finalise the comments on the draftErgonomics Regulations, the Asbestos AbatementRegulations were published and awaiting comments. Weexpect a few more regulations to be published for commentduring the year.

The registration process and the standards associated withregistration were also under discussion. This is a long termprocess but things are bound to change in that context.

A-OSH EXPO

Remember to start planning your diary for A-OHSExpo2018 to be held at Gallagher Estate from 22 to 24 May. It isan opportunity for OHS practitioners to gain exposure to awide range of products and services which you may notnormally see.

As usual the IOSM will be involved in the Seminar Theatreand you can again look forward to some very informativetalks!

E-mail: [email protected] / Tel +27 12 661 5166 / Website: www.iosm.co.za


•

Health and Safety Representatives (H&S Reps) come inall shapes and sizes, from all backgrounds and areemployed in all sorts of organisations.

In general they all have one similar characteristic: they alltake their duties seriously.

There are many very good workshops out there aimed atgiving H&S Reps the theoretical knowledge they need.

Now, the Institute of Safety Management (IoSM) has seen aneed to give the H&S Reps practical training in the H&SReps own organisation’s practices by their own organisation’smentors and in their organisation’s own premises.

IoSM has designed a programme to meet all of thoserequirements which will provide a mentor / facilitator at theend of a telephone or email to monitor, help and assessprogress.

The programme has been designed to complement andreinforce and personalise the more generalised training thatcandidates receive at most "H&S Reps Workshops" given byother service providers.

HOW THE PROGRAMME WILL HELP YOUR ORGANISATION

The format of the programme ensures that the H&S Repsare instructed to suit your organisation's needs:

• Your organisation's methods and practices are respected.

• Your internal facilitator/mentor is chosen by yourselvesfrom members of your staff with the necessary experience.

• Your organisation decides when candidates are ready forcertification.

• Your name is on the Certificate of Competence.

WHAT THE INSTITUTE PROVIDES

• A facilitator/mentor from IoSM to assist give advice andhelp by telephone or email.

• A framework of the process

• An assessment of the log book and knowledge questions.

• A certificate of competence on completion of theprogramme.

H&S Reps training


•

The process is as shown in Figure 1.

SUCCESSFUL PILOT PROJECT

IoSM has been running a pilot scheme for the past fewmonths and a progressive small to medium sized company inthe construction sector was chosen to test the programme.

Atlas Roofing is a privately owned Waterproofing and SIPSPanel manufacturer and installer and employs approximately30 people. They have two workers who have been appointedas H&S Reps and who have attended an H&S Reps Courseand are now undergoing training.

The programme is based around SAQA Unit Standards:

• 259622 - The functions of the Workplace Health & SafetyRep.

• 120330 - Continuous Risk Assessment in the Workplace.

• 120333 - Pre-use safety and or audit inspections in theworkplace.

• 120335 - Conduct an investigation into workplaceincidents.

REQUIREMENTS OF CANDIDATE

The candidate is required to complete both aspects of eachunit standard that is the log book and knowledge sectionsand is required to attend an external "H&S Reps Workshops"given by other service providers recognised by IoSM.

The H&S Rep is required to log his involvement in all of theabove Unit Standards, give proof of this in the form of

attendance registers at H&S committee meetings, twomonths H&S inspection checklist and co signature on anaccident investigation report, amongst other requirements.These form part of the log book to be submitted.

The log book is to be completed by the candidate under theguidance of the facilitator / mentor from your organisation,signed off by him or her, and countersigned by a member ofmanagement. This will help give validity to management'scommitment and involvement in health and safety in theworkplace.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE LEARNED

The legal aspects and the theories and thinking behind therole of the H&S Rep as learned at the external course is avital complement to the whole process. The knowledgeportion of the programme is to ensure that candidates retainthe knowledge gained at the external H&S course and willnow understand and learn how to apply that knowledge.

The programme is expected to take between three and sixmonths. This will depend on the intensity of the training,the timing and nature of items requiring practicalinvolvement and the ability of candidates.

E-mail: [email protected] / Tel +27 12 661 5166 / Website: www.iosm.co.za

Figure 1. The process


•

Benefits for the employer are:• Improved skills and understanding of the role of the

H&S Rep.

• Better communication between management andstaff.

• Better understanding of the law and the OSHAct bymanagement and supervisors.

• Encourages your H&S Reps loyalty to theorganisation.

• Encourages your supervisors to take a greater interestin Health & Safety.

• An affordable way to boost the image of yourorganisation in the H&S field.

• A better understanding of the role and duties of theH&S Reps.

• Removes the 'blurring' between legal and imposedduties of H&S Reps.

While undergoing the training candidates will be GeneralMembers of the Institute and on completion of theprogramme they will be presented with their certificate.This will certify their competence to act as an H&S Rep fortheir organisation. Your organisation is named on thecertificate.

Benefits to the H&S Reps are: • Improved competence and skills.

• A safer workplace for all employees.

• The opportunity to advance within yourorganisation.

• Obtaining the skills to take on new responsibilitieswithin your organisation.

• The feeling of self-worth a certificate of competencegives.

• H&S Reps are then encouraged to work their way upthrough all levels of IoSM.

Contact IOSME-mail: [email protected]

Tel +27 12 661 5166Website: www.iosm.co.za


•

ACPCMP STAGE 5: CONSTRUCTION WORK Suspension of Construction Work

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY ACHASM

TECHNICAL GUIDANCE NOTE 01/2010

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this Technical GuidanceNote is to assist ACHASM membersand the broader Construction Industrywith information andrecommendations relative to aparticular issue or problems identifiedby members. The information providedin each technical note is in no way to beconsidered exhaustive and is forguidance and information purposesonly. Each case and situation consideredneeds to be assessed on its individualmerits having regard to the relevantcircumstances. No liability can beaccepted by ACHASM for any errors oromissions, nor for any loss or damagearising from reliance on anyinformation contained herein. Alwayscontact The Department of Labour orthe Association of Construction Health& Safety Management for specific andmore detailed advice.

LEGISLATIVE AND INDUSTRYREQUIREMENTS

Compliance with legalisationconstitutes the absolute minimumstandard on any project, and is notdeemed better practice. Given that theOccupational Health and Safety ActNo 85 of 1993 (OH&SA) should beapplied in its entirety on each project,the Construction Regulations 2003cannot be considered in isolation.Furthermore, current legislation ispartly prescriptive, detailing exactrequirements, while also partlyperformance based (non-prescriptive).The difference between prescriptionand performance based legislation isoften confusing for many, and wherethere is a lack of prescriptive legislation,the actions required tend to be unclearor ignored. In light of this, the issue ofsuspending work due to a health andsafety (H&S) issue on a constructionsite has been noted by a number ofprofessionals as requiring furtherinterrogation. The suspension ofconstruction work is detailed in theConstruction Regulations 2003 (CR's),namely:

• Regulation 4(1)(e) states: "A clientshall be responsible for the followingin order to ensure compliance withthe provisions of the Act - to stop

any contractor from executingconstruction work which is not inaccordance with the principalcontractor's health and safety plancontemplated in regulation 5(1) forthe site or which poses a threat tothe health and safety of persons".

• Regulation 5(3)(d) states: "Aprincipal contractor shall beresponsible for the following in orderto ensure compliance with theprovisions of the Act - to stop anycontractor from executingconstruction work which is not inaccordance with the principalcontractor's and/or contractor'shealth and safety plan for the site orwhich poses a threat to the healthand safety of persons."

• The above regulation must be readin conjunction with Section 8(1) ofthe OH&SA: "Every employer shallprovide and maintain, as far as isreasonably practicable, a workingenvironment that is safe and withoutrisk to the health of his employees."

Industry guidelines in the form ofColto, GCC, JBCC and NEC, etc., donot address H&S to any extent, otherthan to stipulate compliance. It mustbe remembered that legislativerequirements will supersede conditionsof contract, and therefore takepreference.

DISCUSSION

Given the legislative requirements,when should work be suspended, anddoes this apply to the entire project, orpart thereof? Stopping all or part of aconstruction project can have majorimplications (including financial) andcould lead to the suspension ortermination of a contract. Thus, thedecisions made relative to either partialor total stoppage should not bepunitive.

The CRs are performance based withrespect to suspension of work, and thusthe interpretation of the requirementscan lead to confusion. The CRsdefinition of 'construction work' is quiteclear, as is the requirement to develop,provide and approve a project specificH&S Specification(s) for each project.The H&S Specification(s) is developed

according to the scope of work and thespecific standards that are required tobe adhered to during the project.Failure to comply with the H&SSpecification(s) or the H&S plan(s) intotal or for part of a project should beseen as a potentially serious offence,leading to serious consequencesincluding the loss of life.

A site with insufficient legaladministrative paperwork will notnecessarily be deemed non-compliant,however when this is coupled withother critical H&S contraventions,decisive action will be required.Examples of such issues are listed onAddendum 1. A number of practicalexamples are discussed and theinterpretations of various situations areposed. The examples are based onactual experiences of the authors, andhave been chosen to indicate thecomplexities faced in the constructionfield.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLES1. No proof of workman'scompensation vs. expired 'Letter ofGood Standing'Every employer is required to maintainregistration and be in good standingwith the Compensation Commissioneror other licensed compensation insurer.A competent H&S Officer andPrincipal Contractor should be aware ofall contractors' 'Letters of GoodStanding' expiry dates and shouldensure that their up-to-date 'Letters ofGood Standing' are provided prior totheir expiry. Where serious non-compliances are identified i.e.contractors with no proof of workman'scompensation, serious action will berequired. When auditing an existing project, thefollowing may occur:• The Contractor is a large

organisation, and the 'Letter of GoodStanding' may just not have beensent to site. While this is not anacceptable behaviour on the part ofthe H&S Officer, the issue in mostcases can be addressed almostimmediately. There should be nosuspension of work pending a timeframe stipulation.


•

• Where a contractor has beenappointed by a Principal Contractorbut cannot show any proof ofworkman's compensation (valid'Letter of Good Standing'), theContractor in question should not bepermitted to start work on site.

• Where a Principal Contractor auditsits Contractors, where their 'Lettersof Good Standing' have expired andwhere no attempt to obtain furtherletters can be proven, theContractors who are non-compliantshould be instructed to prove goodstanding within 14 calendar days.Failure to comply within theinstructed time frame should thenlead to suspension of thatContractor's work on site. One musthowever bear in mind thatContractors registered with theGovernment Commissioner veryoften get issued with 'Letters ofGood Standing' that are only validfor a month at a time due to theparticular premium arrangementswith that Contractor.

2. Failure to load test liftingmachines and tackleThe Driven Machinery Regulations areprescriptive regarding when liftingmachines and tackle are to beinspected and tested. When auditing an existing project, thefollowing may occur:• Lifting machines do not have valid,

in-date load test certificates.Stoppage of the particular liftingmachine should be enforced until avalid, in-date certificate has beensupplied.

• The load test certificate does notrefer to the registration numbersupplied by the Department ofLabour (LME number) or the ECSA(LMI number), thus deeming thecertificate invalid. Stoppage of theparticular lifting machine should beenforced until a valid, in-datecertificate has been supplied.

• Proof of 3-monthly lifting tackleinspections are not available.Stoppage of the particular liftingtackle (chain sling, webbing sling,etc.) should be enforced until a valid,in-date certificate has been supplied.

3. Failure to induct employees as tothe site hazardsThe Construction Regulations compela Contractor to induct its employees

and other persons i.e. visitors as to thehazards prevalent before entering site.• A Contractor fails to induct its

employees and is already undertakingwork on site. This scenario is straightforward and should result insuspension of that Contractor's worksuntil proof of H&S induction is inplace.

• A Contractor fails to induct certainemployees. The employees inquestion should be stopped fromundertaking work on site.

The three examples detailed aboveexplain the differences between thesuspension of a particular activity /employee / person and broader siteworks. Clearly the lack of a valid loadtesting certificate could lead to afatality(s) - the interpretation of theneed to suspend such an activity istherefore valid. On the other hand thelack of a valid 'Letter of Good Standing'is not indicative of the level of health &safety on site and should therefore notnecessarily trigger a work stoppage.An important point is the channels ofcommunication when considering asuspension of work. In other words,what protocol will be followed? Theprotocol needs to be clearly identifiedand detailed in the tender

documentation and particularly in theH&S Specification(s) to ensure that theClient's Principal Agent (Engineer,Architect, Project Manager, etc.)understands, enforces and follows thecorrect steps when stopping aparticular activity / employee / personand / or the broader site works.

CONCLUSIONS

As discussed, the issue of interpretingwhen work should be suspended ismore often than not complex and couldhave serious contractual and financialimplications.

The potential outcomes of non-conformance and / or legal non-compliance should be clearly spelt outin the H&S Specification(s) and tenderdocumentation. The aforementionedthus implies that the H&S Agent mustbe involved in the 'Concept andViability' stage (SACPCMP) of theproject to ensure such inclusions /prescriptions.

A clear understanding of the'suspension of activity / employee /person' is required by all project roleplayers in an effort first and foremost toeliminate risk to site personnel as wellas to protect the interests of theconstruction client.

(The shaded blocks refer to the required action to be taken). This Technical Guidance Note has been prepared toprovide general guidance. ACHASM does not offer this document as legal advice for any particular situation, as eachproject will be different. If you require advice on the interpretation of legislation as it applies to a specific situation youshould source advise from a suitably qualified person or from the Department of Labour.

Project Activity / Task / Work Item Suspend Task Suspend or Contractor Project

'Annexure A' not completed or submitted prior to commencement of project or changes to the project

Letter of Good Standing expired

Applicable inspection checklists incomplete or not done

No site supervisor or assistant site supervisor

Workers not inducted

No training of workers or contractors e.g. risk assessments

Construction Vehicle/Mobile Plant Operator

No proof of authorisation to operate

No medical certificate of fitness (annual)

No proof or competence

Excavations

No appointment of competent excavation supervisor

No proof of competence

No registers for all or part of the excavations seen on site

Incident Management

Incident occurred and investigation not completed within appropriate time

Incident occurred, however corrective action not introduced

No first aider on site (depending on number of personnel)

No first aid box or contents missing

ADDENDUM 1


•

Health and Safety (H&S) is mostoften thought of as being forlarge, organised business. So

many 'one-man band' or familybusinesses, or those that fall into themicro or small business sector are atrisk when it comes to H&S. Why isthat? There are a number of reasons. Inmany cases, its all about attitude andmisconceptions. Comments I haveheard about why not to have H&Sinclude: 'It will never happen to me'; or'I am too small to be able to affordH&S', or 'H&S is for sissies', or 'youneed money to have H&S in abusiness', and my all time favourite'Aren't I exempt from this being anSMME?' So what do you need to know,and what can you do to ensure you oryour employees don't get injured,become ill, or die on the job?

The Department of Labour (DoL) haswhat is thought to be an excessivenumber of legislative requirements thatneed to be applied in the workplace.Two sets of law are non-negotiable,namely the Occupational Health andSafety Act (OHSA), No. 85 of 1993with a number of Regulations, and theCompensation for Injuries and DiseasesAct (COIDA), No. 100 of 1995.However, each is there for a particularreason, and to address specific aspectswhere many are injured or have losttheir lives at work. The small businesssector is mostly high-risk. How manyrisks do you take on a daily basis?Accidents don't happen without somethought given - even unconsciously. Ifyou tell a worker to climb a ladder, andyou give him a damaged ladder, youare creating a potential accident. Whathappens if your worker falls and is

seriously injured, or even worse, dies?In many cases the other way of dealingwith compliance is to do exactly as thelaw says, with no thought for theconsequences. The term that describesthis behaviour is 'malicious compliance'.For example, the General SafetyRegulations only require a first aid boxwhen you have five or more people.But the work you do is welding, aworker gets burnt, and there is no firstaid box to treat the injury.

The DoL won't be knocking on yourdoor to see if you are complying withthese Acts, rather they will be possiblybe escorting you to prison, or finingyou, following a serious incident orfatality at your workplace. All our lawsare available on the DoL website:www.labour.gov.za - free of charge.There are a number of other sites whereother labour legislation is available,www.actsonline.co.za gives you a rangeof other legislation to access, also at nocost.

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND RISKASSESSMENTS (HIRA)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)in the United Kingdom (UK) hasintroduced a simple 5-step riskassessment programme that you coulduse in your business - again - free ofcharge! They also provide a freetemplate that is very useful. Thefollowing steps are easy, and hopefullyyou will be motivated to take them.

Step 1: Identify all the operations andprocesses your business is involvedwith, and potential areas wheresomeone could get hurt, e.g. using agrinder and welding.

Ask your workers where they think thehazards are. Read your manufacturersguidelines to check instructions.

Step 2: Identify who could be injured.There are increasing numbers of youngpeople looking for work, and manywomen are entering areas of work thatonly men used to do. Visitors comingto see you, and the general public mayalso be injured. Also list the types ofinjury or problem that may occur, e.g.waste falling off the back of yourbakkie because it is not secured, could

cause a traffic accident, and fatalities orserious injury to the public and youremployees.

Step 3: Evaluate the risks, and decidewhat can be done. When you haveidentified the risks, and who could beaffected, then you decide what themost cost-effective way will be toreduce the risk of the accidentoccurring in the first place. When youhave an idea of how risky the task is,you can decide how much of a risk youwant to take. Is the risk worth it? If itis, what do you need to do to makesure you limit the effect of the work?What needs to be available to ensurean accident does not happen, e.g.providing a worker with properclothing if he is going to be cutting andgrinding.

Step 4: Record findings andimplementation. Recording findingshelps you with training your staff andinforming those who may be affectedby your business. You are the bestperson to know what will work, and toensure your workers are protected.Many a time a simple process like thismay limit the liability you carry as anemployer. Having trained a worker onthe risk he may be exposed to couldlimit the level of injury, or eliminate therisk entirely. It is important to recordwhat control measures you want toimplement, and who will beresponsible for checking them.

Step 5: Review and update. In mostcases your business does the samethings continually, with an occasionalvariation on a theme. Therefore, onceyou have identified the hazards in yourbusiness, and recorded all the actionsfrom steps 1-4, you can determine thelevels of risk and revisit them shouldconditions or circumstances change.

Keeping all the information relative toH&S can seem a huge responsibility,but try and keep it simple. You mayjust save a life, and the paper trail couldkeep you out of trouble with the law.

Health and Safety for the entrepreneuror small business

Dr Claire Deacon PhD (Constr. Mgt)claire deacon and associates (cd&a)

PR.CHSA (SACPCMP)

ACHASM Email: [email protected] Cell: 076 263 0549


•

The following five keys to food safetyshould be followed:

• Keep clean. Wash your hands beforehandling food and often during foodpreparation.

• If you are handling or storing rawfood, do not touch food that isalready cooked unless you havethoroughly washed your hands andthe food preparation utensils thatyou are using. In other words,separate raw food from cooked food.

• Cook food thoroughly. Never eathalf cooked or uncooked foodespecially meat products. Food thatdoes not usually need cooking beforeeating, needs to be thoroughlywashed with clean running water.Families with no source of cleanrunning water need to boil theirwater before domestic use.

• Keep food at safe temperatures.Food to be kept cold should berefrigerated and food to be servedhot should be served hot.

• Use safe water for domestic use at alltimes and use only milk productsthat are pasteurised. In situationswhere pasteurisation is not possible,boil the milk prior to use.

Listeriosis is a serious, but treatableand preventable disease caused bythe bacterium, Listeria

monocytogenes. The bacteria is widelydistributed in nature and can be foundin soil, water and vegetation.

HOW IS LISTERIOSIS TRANSMITTED?

Listeriosis is usually spread through theingestion of contaminated foodproducts most frequently raw orunpasteurised milk and soft cheeses,but also vegetables, processed foods,ready-to-eat meats and smoked fishproducts.

Listeria can survive in normaltemperatures associated withrefrigeration (4°C).

The Listeria bacterium can also betransmitted from a pregnant woman toher unborn baby during pregnancy orat the time of birth.

Direct contact with the organism cancause skin lesions.Animal products and fresh producesuch as fruits and vegetables can becontaminated from these sources.Infection with listeria may result in thefollowing three conditions:• flu like illness with diarrhoea

including fever, general bodypains,vomiting and weakness

• infection of the blood stream whichis called septicaemia

• meningoencephalitis (infection of thebrain).

WHO CAN GET LISTERIOSIS?

Anyone can get Listeriosis. However,those at high risk of severe disease arenewborns, the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, pregnantwomen and their unborn babies, andthose with underlying conditions suchas HIV, diabetes, cancer, chronic liver orkidney disease.There are four possible sources ofListeriosis:• directly at origin e.g. farm• food processing plant• retail• food preparation at home.

Listeriosis outbreak in South Africa

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SAPEMA

Contact SAPEMA: Secretary: Helena van Greunen ,Email: [email protected]

Tel: 063 442 9935 / 071 602 1456 Website: www.sapema.org

SUGGESTED PPE TO BE USED:

• Gloves, eye safety goggles, lab coat,disposable shoe covers and animalhandling gown.

• FFP 2/3 respirator mask coveringthe mouth and nose when notworking in a Class II BiosafetyCabinet (BSC).

• Appropriate PPE recommended forlower arms such as sleeve covers orsecuring gloves over the sleeves oflaboratory coat.

• Those at greater risk of infection(pregnant women or immunocompromised individuals) shouldtake extra care when working in alaboratory where L. monocytogenesis propagated or handled.

• Personnel should not work withListeria monocytogenes if skin is cutor scratched.


•

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SAPEMA

It is with great sadness we announcethe passing of Doug Uren after a briefillness, on Saturday, January 20, 2018,at the age of 66 years.

His career with 3M began as aCustomer Service Representative in theGraphic Arts Division, at theElandsfontein offices on the 21stFebruary 1974.

In November 1979, was he promotedto Senior Field Services Representativeand was again promoted to PrincipalFSR in November 1983.

Effective 1st June 1987, Doug waspromoted to Area Service Supervisorfor the ES & SD department.

With the continued growth of OHESDand the increasing importance of fieldservices to the business, Doug was thenpromoted to Regional ServicesManager in April 1984.

In June 1993, he was promoted toSales Executive for the OccupationalHealth and Environmental SafetyDivision, and in June 2002 promotedto Area Sales Supervisor.

In February 2002, he was promoted toBusiness Development Manager andwas further promoted to TechnicalAffairs Manager in September 2004.

Doug took early retirement at the endof June 2014, but returned in July2014 to provide professional services asa Trainer in the SS &PS division.

Doug played an instrumental role inrepresenting the 3M Personal SafetyDivision at various organisations andinstitutions.

He was a very active member of

Obituary Douglas Harry Uren (Dougie)Technical Manager - 3M South Africa - Personal Safety Division (retired)05 November 1951 - 20 January 2018

SAPEMA and played a key role onStandards settings and adoption at theSABS.

Doug will be remembered as anadvocate for health and safety in theworkplace and for his vast knowledgeand willingness to empower andeducate.

Besides his passion for safety, he alsohad a passion for motorcycles and wasappointed as the 3M Motorcycle Clubleader.

Doug will be lovingly remembered byhis wife of 37 years, Lesley and hischildren, Jonathan, Neville andMatthew.

Doug will also be fondly rememberedby his two grandchildren, Mateo andLuca.

Donations can be made in Doug’smemory to the Muriel Brand School.Banking details for Muriel BrandSchool: Use "Uren" as the referenceName of bankers: ABSAAccount number: 240 561 921Branch code: 63 2005

SAFETY POSTERS

Contact The Safety First Association. Tel: +27 11 701-5054 / Email: [email protected]

www.safety1st.co.za


•

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Advertorial

In the presence of the managingdirectors of uvex subsidiaries, all FK1staff from Fürth and the surrounding

area, as well as employees taking partin international A+A training and theartist Jan Molendijk, Managing PartnerMichael Winter unveiled the firstproud people Oscar.

Darryl Jacobs and his entire team werethe recipients of this amazingachievement!

The uvex proud people Oscar is alasting symbol of recognition for uvexemployee achievements.

The proud people Oscar has beenaround for quite some time at uvex. Foryears, its predecessor was awarded topeople who went that extra mile toprovide exceptional service to the uvexgroup. As such, the proud people Oscarhas always been an expression of thanksand appreciation.

Michael Winter really wanted to createsomething lasting, a symbol of hisappreciation to award all employees –

including those in the future – whohave made significant contributions tothe uvex group. The idea was for thenames of the employees honoured withthe award to be displayed in public.

LOCAL ARTIST

Michael Winter found his inspiration inan art project by Antony Gormley in StPetersburg and wanted the proudpeople Oscar to reflect this.

Jan Molendijk an artist from Fürth waschosen to assume responsibility forimplementing the entire project.

A long process resulted in a technical,cubist approach, while a generalallusion to the familiar Oscar statuettewas also adopted (the gentle curves invarious directions and at the base), allof which combined together to createan elegant, advanced and futuristicimpression.

TRULY ONE OF A KIND

Many experts were involved in

bringing the design to life. It took over1,000 hours, used 450kg of steel andinvolved 475 individual parts.

It is made entirely (including the base)out of lots of individual parts that weremanufactured from steep plates. Incontrast to objects created via injectionmoulding, the end result is somethingcompletely unique – just like uvex.

FIRST PROUD PEOPLE OSCARAWARDED

Honoured employees receive a smallreplica of the proud people Oscar tokeep for themselves, while their namesand achievements are engraved on thebase of the large statue.

The first proud people Oscar wasawarded to the MAI Region (MiddleEast-India) on 9 October for their verysuccessful 2016/7 financial year.Congratulations was given to DarrylJacobs and his entire team for thisamazing achievement.

uvex Proud People Oscar

UVEX Safety South Africa (Pty) Ltd uvex safety (Durban) Phone: +27 (31) 569 6780 E-Mail: [email protected]

uvex safety (Pretoria) Phone: +27 (12) 345 6656 E-Mail: [email protected]

MEMBER OF


•

Workers can unknowingly bringhome hazardous substances ontheir clothes, shoes, skin, tools

and vehicle interiors. These hazardoussubstances are known as "take-hometoxins." Family members are vulnerableto these toxins,which can embedthemselves in furniture and laundry,circulate through household air, and betransmitted by person-to-personcontact.

The Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration(OSHA) has standardsfor preventing take-home occurrences,and can impose stiff fines on employerswho don't follow them.

THE RISKS OF TAKE-HOME TOXINEXPOSURE

Health impacts from bringingworkplace hazards into the home canbe temporary or permanent. In somecases, physical symptoms may arisemany years after initial exposure.

Stopping the spread of take-home toxinsWorkplace hazards shouldn’t come home

KEEP WORKPLACE TOXINS WHERETHEY BELONG

Employers can help prevent the spreadof take-home toxins by choosing theright protective garments for workersand requiring them to don and doffthem onsite.

Employers in many industries trustprotective garments made withTyvek®, which are soft, lightweight,durable, ultra low linting, gammastable, chemically and biologically inert

Spunbonded polypropylene fabric is apoor barrier against particles in the 1-2micron range. By contrast, in Tyvek®the barrier extends throughout thefabric and helps provide excellentprotection against particles in the 1-2micron range.

Tyvek® apparel's comfort-fit designimproves worker mobility and makesgarments easier to put on and take off.Available garments include coverallsand coveralls with respirator-fit hoods,as well as a variety of accessoriesincluding hoods, sleeves and slip-resistant shoe covers.

DUPONT PPE SELECTION MADE EASYThe DuPont™ SafeSPEC™ onlineproduct selector tool helps employerseasily select DuPont protective apparel.The database is the largest of its kindand contains more than 2,000permeation test results.DuPont™ SafeSPEC™ is also availableas an app for mobile devices.

www.safespec.dupont.co.uk

For further information and details of authorizeddistributors in your region contact :Loren Pearson Cell:+27 (82) 377 6765

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

MEMBER OF

Loren PearsonDuPont Protection Solutions

Sales and Marketing ManagerChemical Industrial Clothing

Asbestos prolonged exposure cancause asbestosis, mesothelioma andother asbestos related injuries.

Lead ingestion can cause physicaland mental development problemsin children. Can be fatal in highdoses.

Pesticides: Studies have confirmedassociations between early-lifeexposure to pesticides and pediatriccancers, impaired cognitive functionand behavioural issues.

Construction, manufacturing,mining, shipbuilding, thermal,insulation, farming, roofing.

Construction, renovation,manufacturing, mining, wholesaletrade, transportation, smelting,welding.

Agriculture, pest control.

HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE INDUSTRIES WHERE COMMONLY FOUND


SAIOH ELECTS EXECUTIVECOMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR 2018

At the last SAIOH Council Meeting of2017, Council members elected CeliaKeet as the SAIOH Vice President for2018.

Celia is a Registered OccupationalHygienist (ROH) employed byOccupational Hygiene MonitoringServices (Pty) Ltd, and the ImmediatePast Chair of the SAIOH WesternCape branch. SAIOH welcomes andcongratulates Celia on her newappointment, as well as Sean Chester,the new Professional CertificationCommittee (PCC) Chair, who took uphis post in October 2017.

Julie Hills vacated the position of VicePresident and Treasurer, which she heldin 2017, to become SAIOH’s newPresident in 2018; KennethHlungwane is the Immediate PastPresident.

Conference and pre-conferenceProfessional Development Courses(PDCs) in October; and theinternational training course inoccupational hygiene, presented at theDurban University of Technology(DUT) in December.

2018 - THE ROAD AHEAD

The SAIOH key objective for 2018, ‘Topromote the occupational hygieneprofession’, is a natural progressionfrom the 2017 objective ‘To entrenchexcellence, professionalism andcompetence’ for occupational hygieneprofessionals. Both objectives had asound foundation from the 2016objective ‘To build SAIOH capacity atall levels’.

The New Year 2018 will see theimplementation of the approved newSAIOH regional structure, to achievethe key aims of the SAIOH Five-YearStrategy (2015-2019).

•

OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE - SAIOH

News from SAIOHSAIOH HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2017, ANDLOOKING AHEAD FOR 2018: SAIOH was formally awardedaccreditation to act as an examiner forthe ‘W201 – Basic principles ofoccupational hygiene’ module of theOccupational Hygiene TrainingAssociation (OHTA); SAIOHmembers saw the introduction ofrecognised proficiency training inasbestos-related work in South Africa,accredited by BOHS; SAIOH’s statusas an Accredited Certification Providerwith the South African QualificationsAuthority (SAQA) was renewed; Peter-John (Jakes) Jacobs, one of our ownCouncil members, SAIOH PastPresident and official representative ofSAIOH to the InternationalOccupational Hygiene Association(IOHA), was voted in as the IOHAPresident Elect for 2018.

REPRESENTATION AT THE DOLHEALTH FORUM

SAIOH continued its representation atthe Department of Labour’sOccupational Health Forum, incollaboration with the sisterorganisations, the South African Societyof Occupational Medicine (SASOM)and the South African Society ofOccupational Health NursingPractitioners (SASOHN), and madevaluable contributions to discussiongroups and workshops on hot topicsand priority issues in occupationalhealth, such as hazardous biologicalagents, service provision of medicalsurveillance, and reviews of the draftregulations for hazardous chemicalsubstances and ergonomics.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

We kept our members informed aboutnew developments for improving thecompetence and professional delivery ofoccupational hygiene services.

SAIOH also organised and offeredevents accredited for ContinuingProfessional Development (CPD)points its members and otheroccupational safety and health (OSH)professionals, such as the occupationalhealth seminar presented by DrThomas Fuller from the University ofIllinois in July; the SAIOH Annual

Under the auspices of theMemorandum of Understanding(MoU) between SAIOH and the

American Industrial HygieneAssociation (AIHA), SAIOH organisedand co-hosted an international trainingevent at DUT, from 4 to 7 December2017. The training course inoccupational hygiene was presented byinternational discipline expertsrepresenting AIHA and the IndianaUniversity Fairbanks School of PublicHealth (FSPH), USA.

The training course, CPD-accreditedby SAIOH and the South AfricanInstitute of Occupational Safety andHealth (Saiosh) for their respectivemembers, was attended byoccupational hygienists and other OSHprofessionals, including environmentalconsultants.

Course participants came from as farafield as Botswana and Mozambique.Thirty four participants attended thecourse, representing associations andorganisations across various sectors.

A discounted registration fee was

afforded to students to maximise thebenefit which can be derived from thepresentation of this type of experttraining, including networkingopportunities, discussion fora and firsttime exposure to certain topics for someof the attendees (seven of the ninestudent participants were from DUT).

As a further benefit negotiated betweenSAIOH and AIHA, course participantswere given the opportunity to purchasethree of the AIHA e-books at asignificantly reduced cost, throughSAIOH.

The training programme spanned arange of topics relevant to practitionersin occupational hygiene and OSH,including evaluation and control ofchemical and physical hazards;ergonomics and human factors;psychosocial factors in the workenvironment; statistics for occupationalhygiene practice coupled with thepresentation and interpretation of datasets using statistical tools; field skills;and the evaluation of interventions.

The discipline experts who facilitated

SAIOH and DUT host an international training coursein occupational hygiene


•

the training were Drs Steven Lacey,Emily Ahonen and Perry Logan, allmembers of AIHA. Dr Steven Lacey isa certified industrial hygienist andsafety professional with a PhD inIndustrial Hygiene. He is an AssociateProfessor and Chair of the Departmentof Environmental Health Science atIndiana University FSPH, inIndianapolis, and his current research ison medical laser health and safety. DrLacey is the Immediate Past Presidentof AIHA. Dr Emily Ahonen is anAssistant Professor in the Departmentof Environmental Health Science andthe Department of Social andBehavioural Sciences at FSPH. With aPhD in Public Health, her areas ofinterest and research are work andhousing as they interact with healthand well-being, and the evaluation ofinterventions to address various publichealth challenges. Dr Ahonen has alsoworked in health promotion withmigrant agricultural workers inMichigan. Dr Perry Logan, a certifiedindustrial hygienist with a PhD inEnvironmental Health, is the globalmanager for 3M CorporateErgonomics, Industrial Hygiene. DrLogan enjoys all aspects of thedisciplines of Environment, Health andSafety, with areas of interest inleadership, competency development,auditing, exposure risk assessment andmanagement, ventilation design, andBayesian and mathematical exposuremodelling.

SAIOH would like to extend a specialvote of thanks to Mr Shakeel Ori,Director of Co-Operative Education atDUT, for his proactive contribution toarranging the venues, student support,transport and catering logistics, and formaking his staff members readilyavailable for assistance with thetraining course.

SAIOH is grateful to and appreciativeof two of its members for representingboth SAIOH and DUT at the trainingcourse, for their on-the-groundsupport and assistance for the variousaspects of the training, and forgraciously hosting the visiting coursepresenters: (1) Dr Ivan Niranjan,Senior Lecturer in the EnvironmentalHealth programme, Department ofCommunity Health at DUT andImmediate Past Chair of the SAIOHKwaZulu-Natal branch, recentlyappointed by the Minister of Labour asOccupational Health and Safety

Advisory Council Member forOccupational Hygiene; and (2) Peter-John (Jakes) Jacobs, SAIOH CouncilMember and Past President, andIOHA President Elect for 2018.

Acknowledgement is also given to

Claudina Nogueira, SAIOH Councilmember responsible for liaison, formuch of the behind-the-scenes workand planning of the training course;and to Kate Smart in the SAIOHOffice, for administrative support forthe course.

Best foot forward – Participants and presenters of the International Course in Occupational Hygiene, hosted bySAIOH and DUT, 4-7 December 2017. (Photograph courtesy of SAIOH and DUT)

Vote of thanks – MurielMogane, Chair of the SAIOHKwaZulu-Natal branch, handsa gift of appreciation to the maincourse presenter, Dr StevenLacey, while his fellow presentersDrs Emily Ahonen and PerryLogan look on (Photograph:courtesy of SAIOH and DUT)

Report by: Claudina Nogueira, SAIOH Council Member, Portfolios: Liaison andCommunication & Marketing, e-mail: [email protected]

In relaxation mode - Course presenters andhosts at the Hluhluwe Nature Reserve,post-training course. L to R: Drs EmilyAhonen, Steven Lacey, Ivan Niranjan,Perry Logan and Mr Jakes Jacobs.(Photograph courtesy of SAIOH and DUT


GuideWhat are the disciplines thatWhat are the disciplines that

contribute to the body of knowledgecontribute to the body of knowledgefor managing occupational safety for managing occupational safety

and healthand health

BENRISK CONSULTING cc, THE OSHE & RISK MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONALSCell phone: 083 325 4182 Phone/Fax: (011) 678 7983 E-Mail: [email protected]

For a person to be competent in the field of occupational safety management one needs to develop your knowledge of thesciences, the skills and ability of the art and the Plan-Do-Check-Act of management

The table below highlights the various disciplines and performance accomplishments involved in the management of occupational safety and health. Depending on the industry one is working in some aspects may not be applicable, whilesome other fields may need to be added for your industry.

Note: This table content is not considered exhaustive.

The Occupational Safety Management Profession covers the widest number of body of knowledge disciplines becauseit manages the health and safety of everybody in their workplaces.

Leighton Bennett, OSHE & Risk Management Consultant

Documents

GAS SAFETY - Sapema › wp-content › uploads › 2018 › 05 › ... · gas safety and related industries. It is these successful relationships which has made National Safety a