A.85/1993

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT 85 OF 1993

SUMMARY

TEST This Act provides for the health and safety of persons at work and for the health and safety of persons in connection with the use of plant and machinery. It also provides for the protection of persons other than persons at work against hazards to health and safety arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work.

SECTIONS OF THE ACT THAT MAY APPLY TO YOU

Section 8: General Duties of Employers to their Employees

This section states that every employer is obliged to provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of his employees. It also lists a series of specific duties of employers aimed at assisting with the achievement of this requirement.

Compliance Obligations?

In order to comply with this section, the implication is that you would have to conduct a hazard identification and risk assessment of all the activities that are found at your work place, so that the hazards and risks to health and safety are identified and properly understood. Once understood, measures must be implemented to eliminate, avoid or mitigate these risks. Note the employer’s specific duties under sections 8(2)(a)-(j).

Section 13: Duty to Inform

This section sets out the various duties that employers have to inform employees and health and safety representatives in regard to health and safety hazards, inspections, investigations, formal inquiries and incidents.

Compliance Obligations?

Ensure that employees understand the hazards to their health and safety attached to any work that they have to perform. Ensure that health and safety representatives are advised of inspections, investigations and formal enquiries before they take place. Inform health and safety representatives as soon as reasonably practical of any incidents that occurred in the workplace or section of workplace for which that health and safety representative has been designated.

REGULATIONS AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
  • OHSA: ASBESTOS ABATEMENT REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.1196 IN GG 43893 OF 10 NOVEMBER 2020 AS AMENDED UNDER GNR 5042 IN GG50930 OF 12 JULY 2024
  • OHSA: CODE OF PRACTICE FOR EXISTING GOODS HOISTS INSTALLATIONS, LIFT, ESCALATOR AND PASSENGER CONVEYOR REGULATIONS, 2010 AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.94 IN GG 40594 OF 03 FEBRUARY 2017
  • OHSA: CONSTRUCTION REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.84 IN GG 37305 OF 07 FEBRUARY 2014
  • OHSA: DRIVEN MACHINERY REGULATIONS, 2015 AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.540 IN GG 38905 OF 20 JUNE 2015 AS AMENDED UP TO AND INCLUDING GN R.913 IN GG 39253 OF 02 OCTOBER 2015
  • OHSA: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.242 IN GG 31975 OF 06 MARCH 2009
  • OHSA: ELECTRICAL MACHINERY REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.1593 IN GG 11458 OF 12 AUGUST 1988 AS AMENDED UP TO AND INCLUDING GN R.1185 IN GG 12497 OF 01 JUNE 1990
  • OHSA: ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS FOR WORKPLACES AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.2281 IN GG 10988 OF 16 OCTOBER 1987 AS AMENDED UP TO AND INCLUDING GN R.307 IN GG 27967 OF 07 MARCH 2003
  • OHSA: ERGONOMIC REGULATIONS 2019
  • OHSA: FACILITIES REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.924 IN GG 26636 OF 03 AUGUST 2004 AS AMENDED UP TO AND INCLUDING GN R.1045 IN GG 26753 OF 10 SEPTEMBER 2004
  • OHSA: GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.929 IN GG 25129 OF 25 JUNE 2003
  • OHSA: GENERAL MACHINERY REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.1521 IN GG 11443 OF 05 AUGUST 1988
  • OHSA: GENERAL SAFETY REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R1031 IN GG 10252 OF 30 MAY 1986 AS AMENDED UP TO AND INCLUDING 06 MARCH 2025
  • OHSA: HAZARDOUS BIOLOGICAL AGENTS REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GNR 1887 IN GG 46051 OF 16 MARCH 2022
  • OHSA: INCORPORATION OF SAFETY STANDARDS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.829 IN GG 33561 OF 17 SEPTEMBER 2010 AS AMENDED UP TO AND INCLUDING GN R484 IN GG 41622 OF 11 MAY 2018
  • OHSA: LEAD REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.236 IN GG 23175 OF 28 FEBRUARY 2002
  • OHSA: LIFT, ESCALATOR AND PASSENGER CONVEYOR REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.828 IN GG 33561 OF 17 SEPTEMBER 2010
  • OHSA: MAJOR HAZARD INSTALLATION REGULATIONS 2022
  • OHSA: NOISE EXPOSURE REGULATIONS, 2024
  • OHSA: NOISE INDUCED HEARING LOSS REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.307 IN GG 24967 OF 07 MARCH 2003
  • OHSA: NOTICE OF DIRECTIONS IN TERMS OF SECTION 27(2) OF THE ACT READ WITH REGULATION 3(4) OF THE GENERAL SAFETY REGULATIONS AS PROMULGATED IN GNR 328 UNDER GG 44663 OF 04 JUNE 2021
  • OHSA: PHYSICAL AGENTS REGULATIONS, 2024
  • OHSA: PRESSURE EQUIPMENT REGULATIONS AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.734 IN GG 32395 OF 15 JULY 2009
  • OHSA: REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY AS PUBLISHED UNDER GN R.533 IN GG 12337 OF 16 MARCH 1990 AS AMENDED UP TO AND INCLUDING GN R.962 IN GG 15747 OF 20 MAY 1994
  • OHSA: REGULATIONS FOR HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL AGENTS, 2021PUBLISHED UNDER GOVERNMENT NOTICE R280 IN GG 44348 ON 29 MARCH 2021
  • OHSA: TEMPORARY EXEMPTION OF 14, 14A, 14B,14C,14D OF THE HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL AGENT REGULATIONS