The Importance of Occupational Hygiene Surveys in the South African Workplace
The significance of occupational hygiene surveys can’t be underscored enough. Making sure that the workplace is a safe and healthy environment is everyone’s responsibility and concern. It is why the International Organisation for Standardisation created the ISO 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. Workers spend so much of their lives in the workplace, and they have a right to a safe and hygienic workspace.
There is never any telling when a workplace incident can occur. Even though it is impossible to completely rule out an unexpected accident, it is within South African business owners’ ability to minimise the likelihood of injuries occurring in the workplace. Many industrial sites are loaded with machinery, chemicals and tools to which workers are exposed to daily, and minimising the risks that they face can contribute to keeping workplace injury rates to a minimum.
Occupational hygiene surveys are excellent ways to keep on top of the health and hygiene challenges facing your business. As time evolves, so do the company’s occupational health requirements. An occupational hygiene survey should be carried out at least once every twelve to twenty-four months.
What is Included in an Occupational Hygiene Survey?
Your occupational hygiene survey is a careful examination of the hazards in the workplace that can cause harm to people. It allows you to weigh up risks and to determine whether enough precautions are in place to avoid harm to your employees. Accidents and sickness can ruin lives. It can also affect your business by diminishing production, damaging machinery and causing insurance costs to spiral.
Here are a few of the things that you can expect from your occupational hygiene survey and a thorough occupational health and safety management system:
- A comprehensive review of the company’s current health and safety documentation;
- Development of SHE files;
- Health and safety documentation management and control;
- Re-engineering of current health and safety systems;
- Design, development and maintenance of electronic health and safety management systems; and
- Consultancy and general health and safety advice services, to name a few.
Choose IOH Solutions for Comprehensive Occupational Hygiene Surveys in South Africa
At IOH Solutions, we are thoroughly aware of all the relevant occupational hygiene legislation that applies to South African businesses. Throughout our many years of experience in the sector, we have developed occupational hygiene surveys that take all of the requirements and obligations that employers have to adhere to into account.
Some of the legislation that applies to workplaces throughout South Africa in keeping in line with occupational hygiene requirements include:
- The OHS Act No. 85 of 1993 – Section 8;
- Hazardous Chemical Substances Regulation of 1995 – Section 5; and
- Noise Induced Hearing Loss Regulation of 2004 – Section 6.
If you need the assistance of an expert in this regard, who can help to ensure that your company remains compliant and on the right side of the law, contact us at IOH Solutions for comprehensive occupational hygiene surveys. Keep your workplace hazard-free and safe for all your employees to execute their duties.