Which occupational health and safety certificates does your company need to be compliant with the OHS Act?

In South Africa, health and safety compliance is largely governed by the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 of 1993. It’s important to note that there is no single “occupational health and safety certificate” that makes your business fully compliant with the OHS Act. In reality, there are a range of certificates and documents each company needs to prove that they are compliant with the requirements of the OHS Act. Which certificates and documents you need will depend on:

·      The number of employees you have

·      The type of work you do

·      Your level of risk

·      The OHS Act regulations that apply to your specific industry

In this blog, we’ll provide a practical breakdown of the most common occupational health and safety certificates and documents companies require to meet their legal compliance obligations.

1. Health and Safety Representative training certificate

If you employ 20 or more employees, you are legally required to appoint a Health and Safety Representative under Section 17 of the OHS Act. Your H&S Representative must:

·      Be formally appointed in writing

·      Receive proper training

·      Conduct regular health and safety workplace inspections

·      Represent the workforce’s health and safety interests and concerns

·      Participate in Health and Safety Committee meetings

To prove compliance in this regard, you are required to have certificates showing that your appointed H&S Reps completed accredited Health and Safety Representative training. You are also required to have a formal appointment letter outlining the functions of the role, signed by the appointee and management.

2. First aid training certificate

Under the General Safety Regulations, if you employ more than 10 employees, you are required to appoint and train a First Aider. Thereafter, organisations are required to appoint additional First Aiders at a rate of one First Aider for every 50 employees.

First Aiders must receive accredited training from a training provider approved by the Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL). To prove compliance in this regard, employers are required to have valid first aid training certificates for each appointed First Aider, as well as formal appointment letters signed by the appointee and management.

3. Fire Warden training certificate

The OHS Act and its Environmental Regulations place responsibility on the employer to eliminate or manage fire risks in the workplace, ensuring that adequate firefighting equipment is available and that personnel are properly trained to react appropriately in the event of a fire.

Industry best practice is to appoint one Fire Warden per group of 50 employees, or more in workplaces with a higher fire risk. Employers need to produce valid Fire Warden training certificates and signed appointment letters to prove compliance in this regard.

4. Evacuation planning training certificate

Demonstrating adequate emergency preparedness is a vital aspect of health and safety compliance. Evacuation planning training equips your appointed Evacuation Marshals with the skills needed to:

·      Develop and implement emergency response procedures

·      Conduct mandatory bi-annual evacuation drills

·      React appropriately to a range of potential emergency scenarios

·      Ensure that the correct emergency evacuation signage is displayed

·      Ensure that Evacuation Floor Plans are properly displayed

·      Ensure that the required emergency preparedness equipment is available on site

Employers are required to keep evacuation planning training certificates and signed Evacuation Marshal appointment letters on file.

5. Health and Safety Supervisor training certificate

Section 8 of the OHS Act states that employers have a duty to provide adequate health and safety supervision in the workplace. In meeting this requirement, Health and Safety Supervisors play a very important role in workplace health and safety, including:

·      Enforcing health and safety rules and safe work procedures

·      Monitoring health and safety compliance

·      Reporting hazards and risks

·      Representing the interests of management at Health and Safety Committee meetings

·      Assisting with incident investigations and risk assessments

Health and Safety Supervisors require accredited training to ensure that they understand their duties and responsibilities and are able to execute them confidently and effectively. Employers should have Health and Safety Supervisor training certificates and formal, signed appointment letters on file.

6. Risk assessment (HIRA) training certificate

A core tenet of the OHS Act is that all employers have a duty to provide a safe workplace that is free of risks. As such, hazard identification and risk assessment (HIRA) is a key aspect of OHS Act compliance.

When conducting a HIRA, employers are required to:

·      Identify workplace hazards

·      Assess risk levels

·      Implement control measures

·      Review and assess control measures regularly

·      Conduct risk assessments at least once a year, or whenever work conditions change

Risk assessments must be carried out by a competent person who has undergone HIRA training and holds a valid certificate and appointment letter in this regard.

7. Ergonomics training certificate

The Ergonomics Regulations of the OHS Act state that all employers have a duty to implement an ergonomics programme in the workplace. This includes providing ergonomics training to all employees, performing ergonomic risk assessments, putting controls in place to control ergonomics risks, and conducting medical surveillance where necessary. As such, DoEL inspectors may request to view ergonomics training certificates and ergonomics risk assessment reports to assess your organisation’s compliance with the Ergonomics Regulations. Ergonomic risk assessments should be conducted at least once every two years.

Other industry-specific OHS training requirements

Specific industries may require additional OHS training, including:

·      Incident Investigation training

·      HAZMAT training

·      Stacking and Storage training

·      Health and Safety Officer training

Additional occupational health and safety certificates and documents required for OHS Act compliance

Health and safety compliance goes beyond staff training. In addition to the training certificates listed above, ensure that you have the following documents in order:

·      Written appointment letters for all Health and Safety Team members

·      Risk assessment reports and a regularly updated risk register

·      An up-to-date health and safety file

·      A copy of the OHS Act displayed where all employees can see it

·      A signed Health and Safety Policy displayed where all employees can see it

·      Incident reports (including Annexure 1 and WCL documents)

·      Health and Safety Committee meeting minutes

·      COCs for all electrical installations

·      COCs for all fire and suppression equipment

Take the guesswork out of OHS Act compliance

Absolute Health Services specialises in OHS Act compliance and offers a comprehensive OHS Compliance Assessment service to determine your current compliance status and identify any gaps. We also offer accredited OHS training, on-site risk assessments, and OHS management services to assist you in reaching full compliance with the OHS Act. Contact us to find out how we can assist you in making your workplace safe, prepared – and compliant.