Frequently Asked Questions

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 of 1993 requires every employer to provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of employees, contractors, visitors, and members of the public. Depending on your business activities, this may include conducting workplace risk assessments, appointing Health and Safety Representatives, developing Health and Safety policies, implementing emergency procedures, maintaining legal documentation, providing employee training, and ensuring workplace hazards are identified and controlled. Meeting these legal requirements helps businesses reduce workplace risks while maintaining ongoing Health and Safety compliance.

Yes. Health and Safety compliance is a legal requirement for employers operating in South Africa. Every employer has a duty to take reasonably practicable steps to protect employees from workplace hazards and to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and applicable regulations. Failing to comply can result in enforcement action, fines, business disruption, and an increased risk of workplace incidents.

The documents required depend on your industry, workplace activities, and the risks present within your business. Common Health and Safety documents include workplace risk assessments, Health and Safety policies, legal appointment letters, emergency procedures, emergency evacuation plans, incident registers, inspection records, training records, first aid documentation, fire safety records, and contractor documentation. A Health and Safety Consultant can determine which documents are legally required for your specific business.

A Health and Safety Consultant helps businesses understand, implement, and maintain compliance with South African Health and Safety legislation. Services typically include Occupational Health and Safety Audits, workplace risk assessments, Health and Safety documentation, contractor compliance, emergency evacuation planning, employee training, incident investigations, workplace inspections, and ongoing compliance support. Their role is to help businesses create safer workplaces while reducing legal and operational risks.

Outsourcing your Health and Safety management provides access to experienced professionals without the cost of employing a full-time Safety Officer. An outsourced Health and Safety Consultant manages compliance, updates documentation, conducts audits, provides legislative guidance, and helps businesses address compliance issues before they become costly problems. This allows business owners to focus on running their operations while maintaining ongoing Health and Safety compliance.

During an inspection, an inspector may assess your workplace, review Health and Safety documentation, inspect equipment, verify employee appointments and training records, evaluate workplace conditions, and determine whether your business complies with the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Any areas of non-compliance may result in recommendations, improvement notices, prohibition notices, or further enforcement action depending on the severity of the findings.

The best way to prepare is to ensure your workplace is safe, organised, and supported by up-to-date Health and Safety documentation. This includes maintaining current risk assessments, legal appointments, inspection records, emergency procedures, evacuation plans, employee training records, and incident registers. Conducting regular Occupational Health and Safety Audits is one of the most effective ways to identify and correct compliance gaps before an official inspection takes place.

Some of the most common compliance issues include missing or outdated risk assessments, incomplete legal appointments, inadequate Health and Safety training, outdated emergency procedures, poor housekeeping, missing safety signage, incomplete inspection records, expired fire equipment servicing, inadequate contractor documentation, and missing Health and Safety policies. Regular audits and ongoing compliance management help businesses identify and correct these issues before they result in enforcement action.

The training required depends on the nature of your workplace and the risks involved. Common training includes Health and Safety Representative Training, First Aid Training, Fire Fighting and Emergency Response Training, Incident Investigation Training, Legal Liability Training for Management, and task-specific safety training where required. Employers are responsible for ensuring employees receive appropriate instruction and training to perform their work safely.

The timeframe depends on the current level of compliance, the size of the business, and the complexity of its operations. Some businesses require only minor updates to their documentation, while others need comprehensive Health and Safety systems implemented from the ground up. Following an initial Occupational Health and Safety Audit, SafetySolve provides a clear action plan and works with your business to achieve compliance as efficiently as possible.

An incident investigation is a structured process used to determine the root cause of a workplace incident, accident, injury, illness, near miss, or property damage. The purpose is not to assign blame but to identify what happened, why it happened, and what corrective actions can be implemented to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. Effective incident investigations are an essential part of Occupational Health and Safety management and help businesses improve workplace safety, reduce risks, and maintain compliance with South African Health and Safety legislation.

Certain workplace incidents must be reported to the Department of Employment and Labour in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the General Administrative Regulations. These generally include work-related fatalities, serious injuries, incidents that result in an employee becoming unconscious, the loss of a limb or bodily function, and dangerous occurrences prescribed by legislation. Employers should also investigate all workplace incidents, even those that are not legally reportable, to identify root causes and prevent future occurrences.

Yes. Many Occupational Health and Safety services can be provided remotely, including compliance advice, document reviews, policy development, legal appointment preparation, risk assessment reviews, incident guidance, and ongoing compliance support. Where workplace inspections, audits, or site-specific assessments are required, on-site visits can be arranged. Combining remote and on-site support provides businesses with a flexible and cost-effective approach to maintaining Health and Safety compliance.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act applies to almost every employer and workplace in South Africa. Whether you operate an office, warehouse, factory, retail store, school, healthcare facility, engineering business, logistics company, or manufacturing plant, you have a legal duty to provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risk to employees and other persons who may be affected by your activities. Compliance requirements will vary depending on the nature of your business and the hazards present in the workplace.