The right to sit at work

World Spinal Health Day, was celebrated recently and health24 takes a look at employment laws designed to protect the spines of those who stand at work. "South African legislation is not as explicit as The Law on the Right to Sit in Employment passed by Israel in 2007," says Faan Coetzee, director of employment law at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr.

"It is common in shops and reception desks, for instance, that employees are required to spend their working hours in motion or in a standing position," says Coetzee, "[t]his law in Israel gives those employees the right to sit when there is no need for them to stand or walk." The Israeli law further obliges the employer to 'provide the employee in the place of employment with a seat for work' and outlaws 'preventing an employee from sitting during work, unless the regular performance of the work does not enable sitting'.

In South Africa, the Occupational Health and Safety Act "requires every employer, where reasonably practicable, to provide an ergonomically sound seat for every employee whose work can be effectively performed while sitting," says Coetzee, "but it also protects those employees whose work is normally performed standing to be allowed to take advantage of any opportunity for sitting which may occur, and for this purpose the employer shall provide seating facilities... this all helps to protect the spines of the South African labour force," Coetzee adds.

Read the full article on www.health24.com.