Accord to improve safety of iron, steel workers

Speaking to SAnews after the signing ceremony on Wednesday, 27 March 2013, Chief Inspector: Occupational Health and Safety at the Department of Labour Thobile Lamati said the sector had been identified as high risk.

He said this was informed by claims processed at the Compensation Fund as well as the number of incidents reported on the Integrated Occupational Safety System (IOSS).

"The accord is aimed at eliminating occupational injuries and diseases in the iron and steel sector.

"[Today's signing] is the culmination of the work that was started in 2002, where all the relevant stakeholders decided that in order to give effect to improved health and safety in the iron and steel sector, an accord needed to be signed," Lamati said.

Some of the objectives are to prevent risks related to occupational injuries and diseases; promote the occupational health and safety of all persons involved with and affected by work or activity, and promote meaningful participation in occupational health and safety in consultation with stakeholders and partners.

Lamati said the accord would also help with capacity building among employers and employees on occupational health and safety matters. It would aid the sector to develop best practices in occupational health, as well as continue to uphold the occupational health and safety principles as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

The chief inspector said his department, organised labour and business committed themselves to promote good relations with their social partners for the benefit of health and safety in the iron and steel sector.

"This accord will also encourage both employer and employees to report incidents, as well as to enhance compliance with occupational health and safety legislation and its regulations.

"We also commit to making the necessary resources available in order to fulfil the objectives of this accord and entrench the right of employees to refuse to work in dangerous conditions," he said.

The National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa's national health and safety sector coordinator, Puleng Mminele, said: "This tripartite accord is a positive move towards the right direction, as we strongly believe that it will help to curb the high risk in the iron and steel sector.

"It is our view that even our members in this sector will be happy and committed to implement the objectives of this accord."

Chief economist at the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa, Henk Langenhoven, said of the accord: "It is pleasing to see government taking the right steps that will improve the working conditions in the sector. We are pledging to do a lot of awareness and training amongst all our members," he said.