contents...cloud, various forms of analytics, internet of things, industry 4.0, cognitive computing,...

Newest member of the Ansell Family: Ringers Gloves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Coronavirus outbreak explanation andrecommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5The fog phenomenon on lenses explained . . . . . .6All suits may look the same ... but only onemakes the difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8At uvex safety - we take responsibility . . . . . . . . .13

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CONTENTS

January/February 2020 - Volume 80 Number 1

FEATURE ARTICLES

Digitisalisation is about empoweringpeople . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Be mindful of 0% alcohol beverages – theycould be a trigger for those struggling withalcoholism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Myth busters associated withCoronavirus outbreak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Behaviour-based safety processimplementation mistakes: "Our Company isincapable of change" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Is your factory future ready? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Benefits of drones in the constructionindustry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Implementation of emergency responseplanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Demystifying ISO Management systems,standards and related guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Five tips for ISO Systems Auditors . . . . . . . . . . . .22Be an agent of change - the time forreflection is now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Not adhering to safe choicesaffected my life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Frustrations with SACPCMP 2020fee increases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

The devastating impact of my injury on duty . . .28News from CEO of HSECP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

The ergonomics issues - Are there any? . . . . . . . .28News from ACHASM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

Participating associations / organisations / institutes with National Safety and the Safety First Association

January/February 2020 AFRICAN OS&H www.safety1st.co.za 1

Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34OSHAfrica Information sharing . . . . . . . . . . . . .35OSHAfrica Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36IOSH West African Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38IOSH No Time to Lose Campaign . . . . . . . . . . .39

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Message from President SAIOH . . . . . . . . . . . . .31SAIOH hosts a successful 2019 AnnualConference and AGM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE

SAPEMA MEMBERS

Formerly known as National Safety

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Digitalisation is not a new concept, since weare already surrounded by mobile technology,social media and various forms of connectivityin our daily lives. Instead digitalisation iscurrently increasing the access to information ata speed never experienced before. It is in howwe connect people, processes and technologiessustainably, where the heart of the valueopportunity lies.

So digitalisation will enable people toembrace opportunities through learning faster,delivering better quality, safer work, makingquality decisions, driving sustainability, andworking together as engaged teams.

Digitalisation is about connecting people,leveraging digital technologies to change theway people work, and enabling people andequipment to integrate in a data richenvironment. Digitalisation is not simply abouttechnology – it is more about empoweringpeople to improve their decision-makingcapabilities based on the right data beingavailable in real time. This empowers people toinnovate productivity, safety and cost efficiencyimprovements while routine administrativeand repetitive tasks give way to new excitingways of working.

The key focus of a digitalisation programmeis to ensure a foundation of connectivitybetween our different areas of work. This isprimarily enabled through the installation of awi-fi/network backbone. Once wi-fi/networkconnectivity is enabled, we can collect terabytes

of data from sensors, equipment and evenpeople as they capture production, safety andequipment critical data.

Prof Badenhorst described how there is aneed to assess workplace conditions and controlperformance simultaneously, 24/7, as part of anaccelerated occupation hygiene exposurereduction strategy through the optimisationand management of controls, to enable fasterand better informed information thatempowers employees and front-linesupervisors to take corrective actions in theirworkplaces.

This digitalisation and data analytics ofoccupational environmental data providespredictive performance-based monitoring andmaintenance of controls and provides real-timemonitoring of the occupational environmentand thereby supporting the vision of zero harm.

This digitalisation is incorporated into anOperational Intelligence Suite (OiS) systemthat is a real-time dynamic, business analyticsapplication that delivers visibility and insightinto data, streaming events and businessoperations. The OiS solution runs queriesagainst streaming data feeds, manual uploadsand event data to deliver diagnostic results, thatenable the business operations to makedecisions and immediately act on these analyticinsights, through manual or automated actions.

This OiS digitalisation technology is makingoccupational hygiene tangible by providingfaster and better-informed corrective actions,while the control monitoring remains pivotalwith conditional monitoring in support, toaccelerate the reduction of occupationalhygiene exposures in the workplace.

Furthermore, digitalisation is alreadyimpacting on H&S measure aspects inworkplaces, as H&S requirementdocumentation is now completed in real-timeon-line while underground, instead of laterwhen back on surface.

The question is, what does digitalisationmean for the occupational hygienist and theH&S practitioner with this type of monitoringof OHS in the workplace environments goingforward?This article is compiled from extracted informationfrom an Anglo American Platinum article by theirdigital technology lead, Ellie Brümmer & fromoccupational hygienist, Prof Cas Badenhorst’s OiSpresentation at the OSH Africa conference duringSeptember 2019.

Digitalisation is about empowering people

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION is the journey that we are on to transformthe way people work, leveraging digitalisation technologies to takeadvantage of the efficiency and cost saving opportunities thesetechnologies create in solving business challenges and developing newskills.

DIGITALISATION involves a hostof powerful, accessibletechnologies like social, mobile,cloud, various forms of analytics,internet of things, industry 4.0,cognitive computing, artificialintelligence, augmented reality,virtual reality, digital twins andbiometrics

Leighton Bennett(Pr.CHSA)

Benrisk Consulting,Insurance Surveyor,

and OHS andRisk Management

Consultant

DIGITISATION is the conversionof text, images or sound into anelectronic format that can beprocessed by a computer.Electronic format data saves time,improves efficiencies and makesinformation more visible to thosethat need it to perform their work.

DID YOU KNOW?Digitisation and Digitalisation are separate terms which we need to understand.

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Copyright: 2020 Material appearing in this issue may not be reproduced withoutthe permission of the editor or publishers in any form whatsoever.

The Safety First Association is a non-profit making, privately supported, publicservice organisation which aims to prevent accidents by promoting an awareness ofaccident situations as they exist in day-to-day living amongst members of thecommunity. The Publishers and Editors are not liable for any damages or lossincurred as a result of any statement contained in this magazine. Whilst every effortis made to ensure accuracy in this publication, neither the Publishers nor Editorsaccept any responsibility for errors or omissions in the content and reserve the right toedit all contributions. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarilythose of the Publishers or Editors.

Editor: Debbie MyerProduction Editor: Lindsay MyerChairman: George BrowseVice Chairman: Leighton BennettMarketing & Subscriptions: Maureen SchwegmannAdmin Manager: Bruce SchwegmannCommittee members: Leighton Bennett

George BrowseSankie GreylingWensley MisroleWellington MudenhaDebbie MyerSteward ShapiroSalatiso MdeniFabian Buckley

Subscriptions / Administration / Marketing / Promotions3 Kwartel Street Vorna Valley, PO Box 321 Halfway House 1685Tel: + 27 11 701-5054 Fax: 086 684 2664E-mmail: [email protected]

Advertising & Editorial Delinds Publications cc12 Delta Road, Blairgowrie, Randburg, PO Box 72366 Parkview 2122Tel: + 27 11 886-5985 / Cell: + 27 83-266-6662 E-mmail: [email protected]

African OS&H is published by the Safety First Association and is theofficial journal of• Southern African Protective Equipment Marketing Association

(SAPEMA)• Association of Construction Health and Safety Management

(ACHASM)• HSE Connection Point (HCESP)

African OS&H is supported by:• Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH)• South African Qualification and Certification Committee for Gas

(SAQCC GAS)

African OS&H incorporates:• Occupational Safety and Health• Personal Protective Equipment• Corporate Risk Management• Occupational Hygiene• Gas Safety

Editor’s CommentWith this issue we sadly bid farewell to NATIONAL

SAFETY and with excitement welcome AFRICAN OS&H. Change is inevitable. And for us change came in the form of

a broader editorial content to cover the entire OSH discipline,as well as an increase of our circulation into Africa andbeyond.

Our story begins in 1932. Sir Ernest OppenheimerChairman of Anglo American was becoming increasinglyalarmed by the high rates of fatalities and injuries on his labourintensive mines. It was a larger problem than he could tacklealone, so he called a meeting with the major of JohannesburgMr DF Corlett who was known to be public spirited. Themayor agreed to assist on the condition that their initiativesinclude general industry which was suffering from the samepitfalls.

Road safety was another area of concern, with too manyaccidents caused by the congestion on the streets from themingling of pedestrians, bicycles and cars due to the growingcar population.

After consultation with other interested parties, it wasagreed that the best starting point would be through educationand awareness, and a vehicle was needed as a conduit fordissemination of this information.

And so it was that the Safety First Association was born 88years ago with Jan Smuts as its first patron. The aims of thisfledgling association would be achieved through publishinginformative literature such as posters, flyers and a magazinetitled National Safety.

Over the years as other related organisations were launchedcovering PPE, occupational safety, gas safety, occupationalhygiene and health etc, many appointed National Safety astheir official mouthpiece.

National Safety had by now entrenched itself as aninvaluable source of information for the industry.

Over the years, with the global professionalisation of theindustry, OSH practitioners have become hungry forinformation and eager to share data, expertise and lessons.Through modern communication and technology, this hasbecome a developing trend.

Twenty five percent of attendees to the OSHAfrica 2019Conference held in Johannesburg last year, came from out ofSouth Africa eager to share their knowledge and experiences,keen to learn from others and excited to network with like-minded professionals. To this end, National Safety has beenestablished as an important source of information sharing forOS & H practitioners on the African continent.

Taking all of this into consideration, and after muchdeliberation we acknowledged it was the time to moreforward and agreed on our new name AFRICANOS&H.

January/February 2020 AFRICAN OS&H www.safety1st.co.za 32 www.safety1st.co.za AFRICAN OS&H January/February 2020

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The World Health Organization(WHO) has continually reported onthe outbreak of the Coronaviruswhich originated in Wuhan City,Hubei Province, China.

This novel coronavirus wasoriginally transmitted to humans viaan animal reservoir (source), believedto have been encountered at theseafood and animal market in Wuhan.

However, additional cases havebeen identified in people who havenot visited this market, but havevisited other markets or haveinteracted with infected individuals.

VirusThe illness is being caused by a

newly identified coronavirus, 2019-nCoV. Coronaviruses are commonand typically cause mild to moderaterespiratory and cold type symptoms,though certain strains ofcoronaviruses have caused moresevere illness.

This newly identified virus is in thesame family as the viruses that causeSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome(SARS), which was first identified inAsia in 2003, and Middle EastRespiratory Syndrome (MERS),which was identified in 2012 withcases still occurring today.

A main initial animal reservoir(source) for the virus that causedSARS is believed to be civet cats thatinfected other animals. The initialanimal reservoir for the virus thatcauses MERS is believed to bedromedaries (e.g. camels).

The reservoir for 2019-nCoV is notknown at this time.

Health effectsThe symptoms of the illness

associated with this novel coronavirusare similar to those caused byinfluenza and other respiratoryillnesses and include coughing,shortness of breath, fever, anddifficulty breathing.

Unfortunately, a small number ofpeople infected with this novelcoronavirus have already died.

TransmissionAlthough the original transmission

was believed to be transmitted tohumans via an animal reservoirencountered at the seafood andanimal market in Wuhan, authoritieshave confirmed that human-to-human transmission has alsooccurred.

Secondary cases (contracted fromhumans rather than a reservoir)include both members of the publicand also healthcare workers who havehad contact with other infectedpeople. This has occurred in severalcountries in addition to China.

Recommendations from WHO• Wash your hands regularly• Cover your nose and mouth when

sneezing and coughing• Avoid close contact with anyone

who is coughing or sneezing orshowing signs of respiratory illness

• Thoroughly cook meat and eggs.

At this time WHO has not madeany recommendations for personalprotective equipment (PPE) use,including respirators, by the generalpublic.

Coronavirus outbreak explanation and recommendations

virus is so new and different that itneeds its own vaccine. Researchers arebusy trying to develop a vaccineagainst 2019-nCoV.

Are there any specific medicinesto prevent or treat the newcoronavirus?To date, there is no specific medicinerecommended to prevent or treat thevirus. Anyone infected with the virusshould receive appropriate care torelieve and treat symptoms, and thosewith severe illness should receiveoptimised supportive care.

Are antibiotics effective inpreventing and treating the newcoronavirus?No, antibiotics do not work againstviruses, only bacteria. The newcoronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a virusand, therefore, antibiotics should notbe used as a means of prevention ortreatment. However, if you are hospitalised forthe 2019-nCoV, you may receiveantibiotics because bacterial co-infection is possible.

Can regularly rinsing your nosewith saline help prevent infectionwith the new coronavirus?No. There is no evidence thatregularly rinsing the nose with salinehas protected people from infectionwith the new coronavirus.

Can gargling mouthwash protectyou from infection with the newcoronavirus?No. There is no evidence that usingmouthwash will protect you frominfection with the new coronavirus.Some brands of mouthwash caneliminate certain microbes for a fewminutes in the saliva in your mouth.However, this does not mean theyprotect you from 2019-nCoVinfection.

Can sesame oil block the virusfrom entering the body?No. The only chemical disinfectantsthat can kill the 2019-nCoV onsurfaces are bleach/chlorine-baseddisinfectants, either solvents, 75%ethanol, peracetic acid andchloroform. However, they have littleor no impact if you put them on the

skin or under your nose, and can evenbe dangerous to do so.

Does the new coronavirus affectolder people, or are youngerpeople also susceptible?People of all ages can be infected.Older people, and people with pre-

existing medical conditions (such asasthma, diabetes, heart disease) appearto be more vulnerable to becomingseverely ill. People of all ages to takesteps to protect themselves byfollowing good hand hygiene andgood respiratory hygiene.

The following information has been supplied by 3M PersonalSafety Division

Information supplied by the WorldHealth Organisation (WHO)Is it safe to receive a letter or a packagefrom China?Yes, it is safe. Coronaviruses do not survive longon objects, such as letters.

Can pets at home spread the newcoronavirus (2019-nCoV)?There is no evidence that pets such as dogs orcats can be infected with the new coronavirus.However, it is always a good idea to wash yourhands with soap and water after contact withpets. This protects you against various commonbacteria such as E.coli and Salmonella that canpass between pets and humans.

Can eating garlic help prevent infectionwith the new coronavirus?No. Garlic may have some antimicrobialproperties. However, there is no evidence that itcan protect people from the new coronavirus.

Do vaccines against pneumonia protectyou?No. Vaccines against pneumonia, such aspneumococcal vaccine and Haemophilusinfluenza type B (Hib) vaccine, do not provideprotection against the new coronavirus. The

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Alcohol-free beveragesThere is a growing selection of alcohol-free

beverages on the market. Being the designateddriver does not mean forgoing that beer or glassof wine anymore thanks to this increasingavailability of alcohol-free drinks. Some of thebeers available today include Castle Free,Heineken 0.0, Bavaria Non-Alcoholic andErdinger Alcohol-Free. There is also a wideselection of different alcohol-free winesavailable, from sparkling wines to red and whiteboth sweet and dry varieties. There is even aselection of non-alcoholic spirits, mostly gins,and the range is constantly growing. However,it is important to understand that not all‘alcohol-free’ beverages contain zero alcohol.

What does alcohol-free really mean?In South Africa the Liquor Products Act

defines an alcoholic beverage as one thatcontains more than 0.5% alcohol by volume.This means that while many of the alcohol-freebeverages available are free of alcohol, othersmay not be.

For example, Savanna Non-Alcoholic Lemonclaims to offer “the same crisp taste of SavannaCider without the alcohol”, which ismisleading, as they actually contain 0.3%alcohol. Castle Free similarly is not completelyfree of alcohol, containing 0.03%. JC Le RouxLe Domaine Non-Alcoholic NV sparklingwine does not specify the exact alcohol content,stating only that it is ‘less than 0.5%’. Manyalcohol-free wines also contain trace amountsof alcohol as they have been ‘de-alcoholised’ –comparable to decaffeinated coffee which stillcontains traces of caffeine.

The percentage of alcohol in these drinks isvery low, which means that even if you drinkthem to excess you are unlikely to blow apositive result on a breathalyser. As an examplean average person would have to drink 20Savanna Non-Alcoholic Lemon beverageswithin an hour to be classified as over the legallimit. However, they still contain alcohol, andfor recovering alcoholics this could bedangerous.

Potential trigger warningFor many recovering alcoholics, alcohol-free

beverages are a big danger zone. Even smallamounts of alcohol can be dangerous to anaddict, but it goes beyond the simple presenceof alcohol. Alcoholism is more than a physical

addiction, it is also mental addiction and forceof habit plays a significant role. The similarsmell, the taste, even the shape of the bottle orglass could all be triggers. For some alcoholicsjust the act of holding a wine glass could proveto be problematic, even if the glass containednothing more innocuous than fruit juice.

While more choice of beverages and a movetoward more mindful drinking habits arebecoming popular, alcohol-free beverages arenot necessarily what they appear to be, so it isimportant for anyone drinking them to beaware of this fact. For people in recovery, it isbest to stay well away, as these beverages may bedangerous territory.

By Rhys Evans,Managing Director of

ALCO-Safe

Be mindful of 0% alcohol beverages –they could be a trigger for those struggling with alcoholism

Myth bustersassociated withCoronavirus outbreak


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eyewear but also that lenses arecleaned frequently.

High humidity environments, bothindoor and outdoor, are likely toresult in foggy lenses regardless oftemperature differences. However,longer exposure to cold temperaturescan cause lenses to chill completely.Meaning any warmth will result inprolonged fogging despite wiping andother efforts. Warm factories andplants in cold environments are theperfect examples, as workers movefrom outdoors into the warmth theyare at high risk of fogging-up.

Earing foggy eyewear reduces theirvisibility preventing them fromworking productively and increasingthe risk of accidents. Many of thoseworkers chose to remove theirprotective eyewear in order to seebetter, which in turn puts their eyes atrisk from other dangers such as light,heat and airborne particles. 90% of allworkplace eye injuries can be avoidedby using proper safety eyewear,according to the Prevent BlindnessOrganisation, but foggy eyewearcreates another set of safety risks.

Many industrial settings incursevere financial losses due to fog. Inoil and gas fields or off-shoreplatforms, as well as miningoperations, production shortfall dueto downtime alone can reachhundreds of thousands of dollars perday. Agricultural facilities,construction sites and even factoriesor warehouses also become extremelydangerous workplaces when foggy.The reduced visibility in some casescan prevent work all together, suchdelays lead to severe losses for thebusiness and for contract workers thatare common in these settings.

The formation of fog is not just aweather condition. The samehumidity and temperature differencesthat create clouds of fog also fog-upsurfaces such as safety glasses andgoggles. When glasses fog-up it canreduce the visibility of the wearer,essentially blinding them until thecondensation can be removed. Inmany situations, this fogging-up canoccur at crucial moments and resultin disaster for the wearer or thosearound them.

In the workplaceJust like clouds of fog that form in

humid conditions because of thetemperature difference between theair and a surface; eye-glasses fog-updue to temperature differencesbetween the lens and surrounding air.This can happen when you movefrom a cold environment to a warmerone or the other way around. This isparticularly common in oil and gas,power, warehousing and otherindustries where workers regularlymove from indoor to outdoorenvironments or vice versa.

A number of factors can increasethe chances of this fogging effect.Dirty and damaged lenses, forexample, create more surface areaupon which condensation can form.This dirt increases the fogging effectand is particularly pronounced inolder glasses and goggles. In order toreduce accidents at work, businessesmust ensure that their employees areequipped with new and undamaged

The fog phenomenon on lenses explainedPreventing lens fogging

Where fogging up can cause serioushazards, such as workplaces thatoperate heavy machinery, it is essentialto not only have anti-fog but also anti-scratch protection on lenses. Anti-fogcoating incorporates hydrophilicmaterials that absorb moisture andhydrophobic techniques that divertexcess moisture to the sides of thelens. Most protective eyewear on themarket only protects the inside of thelens against fogging and the outsideagainst scratching but this does notaccount for all the types of fogging upthat can occur. Other technology likePLATINUM® Coating by BolléSafety offer more comprehensiveprotection from fogging up byapplying scratch-and-fog-resistantcoating on both the inside and outsideof the lens.Tel: +27 (32) 940 0993Email: [email protected]

6 www.safety1st.co.za AFRICAN OS&H January/February 2020

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Workers who deal with hazardous materials need theutmost confidence in their protective apparel. Tyvek®

protective apparel is engineered for superior protection,durability and comfort.

Somebody has to do the dirty work. And those who doit will want the inherent barrier protection that DuPont™Tyvek® protective apparel offers.

Tyvek® protective apparel helps protect your workersagainst small size hazardous particles, down to onemicron. This includes particles such as lead, asbestos,radioactive particles and mold.

Protection is built into the fabric itself; there are nofilms or laminates to abrade or wear away. And for a betterfit, Tyvek® garments with comfort fit design have beenengineered for enhanced worker range of motion anddurability in use.

When you're reviewing other disposable coveralls andclaims of how their fabrics perform versus Tyvek®, pay

attention to the fabric type. For example, the fabrics ofother Type 5/6 products compared to Tyvek® typically aremade with either microporous film (MPF) or spunbond-meltblown-spunbond (SMS) fabric—neither of which hasthe unique properties of Tyvek®. Tyvek® is a much lightermaterial than spunbonded-meltblown-spunbonded(SMS) and microporous film (MPF).

Tyvek® fabric's durability advantage over microporousfilm fabrics delivers consistently better barrier, even afterwear and abrasion.

Engineered using proprietary flashspun polyethylenetechnology, garments made with Tyvek® fabric providemany advantages versus other products, including superiorbarrier protection after abrasion, durability and comfort.

Not all "white suits" have the built-in protection ofTyvek®. DuPont™ Tyvek® coveralls offer unmatchedprotection, breathability and better garment durability withcomfort in mind.

From painting to composites, agriculture to crime sceneinvestigation, Tyvek® offers a range of protective apparel tomeet your needs.

We continue to innovate by bringing cutting-edgesolutions like SafeSPEC™, an online tool that helpssafety managers make the best decisions for selectingapparel. It’s just another way we’re helping hazardouswork become less hazardous to the worker.

Visit www.Safespec.dupont.co.uk

Tel : +27 11 218 8600Email: [email protected]: www.dupont.co.za

Contact Loren Pearson Tel: +27 11 218 8654 / Cell: 082 377 6765Email: [email protected]


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Safety is often the starting point for positive-change initiatives within organisations.

Planning and managing change is a strategicadvantage if successfully executed. If not,however, a downward spiral of negativeexpectations can eventually paralyse anywillingness to confront change.

Therefore, in addition to being an importantarea for positive change, a safety initiative'ssuccess or failure may foreshadow the successor failure of future change efforts.

Fortunately, today's companies, both nationaland international, have come to the realisationthat antecedent and results-only safetyprogrammes cannot maximise safeperformance.

Safety processes that target the root cause ofmost accidents and incidents, humanbehaviour, once ignored or rarely heard of, havenow claimed the spotlight.

The new acceptance and implementation ofbehaviour-based safety methods is a step in theright direction, but a few common missteps canprematurely cripple your organisation's process.

During the past 20 years on a number ofprojects and with our clients, we have identifiedsix mistakes companies have taken inimplementing behaviour-based safety, and fallunder the categories of "how" you implementand "what" you are trying to get people to do.These are:

1. Thinking that observation and participationare the core of behaviour-based safety

2. Failing to apply positive reinforcementsystematically and effectively

3. Changing only the hourly employees(worker level employees)

4. Making behaviour-based safety the primaryresponsibility of the employees

5. Not training managers, supervisors andhourly employees in the core principles ofbehaviour change technology

6. Trying to fit an activities-based "programme"to your organisation.

Thinking that observation andparticipation are the core of behaviour-based safety

The origin of this first and biggest mistakecan usually be traced to the numerousconsulting companies selling behaviour-basedservices. Most of the consulting firms selling

and delivering behaviour-based instruction aresafety professionals by training and experience.Their understanding of the behaviour approachis limited, resulting in applications whichrigidly duplicate and emphasise random piecesof applied behavioural science.

This shallow understanding of humanbehaviour is evident in the tendency to describebehaviour-based safety as "an observationalprocess" or as "observational safety."

One of the most obvious activities in thebehavioural safety process is to observe othersat work.

But, behaviour-based safety is not primarilyabout observation.

Another element of behaviour-based safetythat is overly focused upon is "empowerment"or "participation."

Involving hourly employees in safetymanagement is recognised as a uniquecharacteristic of the behaviour-based process.Yet, behaviour-based safety is not primarilyabout empowerment.

The biggest mistake a company'smanagement can make is to assume that theorganisation has correctly implementedbehavioural safety because observations arebeing performed by employees, some of whomare participating on the steering committee.

Behaviour-based safety is about integratingbehavioural technology into the managementof safety in your company. Behaviouraltechnology is the system and process forapplying the laws and principles that governhuman behaviour. The objective of applyingthese laws and principles is to achievebehaviour change.

Performing observations and allowingemployees to conduct those observations doesnot necessarily lead to changes in the waypeople behave at work. In most instances, itonly changes the way they behave when theyare being observed.

This was a key finding on one of our recentprojects, as we focused on the observations andnot the changes in behaviour.

The major objective of an effectivebehaviour-based safety process is to make safebehaviour a habit. The above concepts arecritical for changing unsafe habits to safe habitsand for changing an organisation's safetyculture.

Behaviour-based safety process implementation mistakes:"Our Company is incapable of change"

Saide Aly Mansur has aBSc Occupational Health

and Safety and isManaging Director Mansur

and AssociatesInternational Consultants.Saide has over 27 yearsexperience in OHS withinthe oil and gas industry

having worked in Trinidadand Tobago and the

Middle East. Saide hashelped establish mentoring

and safety coachingprogrammes and has

worked on various safetyimprovement processesthat have challenged the

safety norms.

•

Unsafe behaviour is habitual in mostemployees. They have done something thewrong way for so long that they are notconscious of the behaviour. This was identifiedwith project management and contractor teamsthat had worked on similar projects in the pastand were familiar with each other.

The major objective of behaviour-basedsafety is to replace all the unconscious unsafebehaviour with unconscious, or automatic, safebehaviour - or safe habits. To accomplish thisobjective, employees, supervisors and managersmust understand and apply behaviour changetechnology effectively.

Failing to apply positive reinforcementsystematically and effectively

As previously stated, achieving lastingorganisational change (changing the culture) isimpossible without a sufficient grounding inthe basic laws and principles of behaviour. Thisdeficiency is most critical regarding positivereinforcement.

In his book, Bringing Out the Best in People, Dr.Aubrey Daniels reviews the most commonerrors made in delivering positivereinforcement.

Most supervisors and managers make theseerrors daily. Positive reinforcement is the key toreplacing unsafe work habits with safe habits. Ifprovisions have not been made in your safetyinitiative for training in the principles andapplication of positive reinforcement, then thenatural reinforcement that is currentlysupporting unsafe work habits will continue toelicit that behaviour.

We know that unsafe behaviour or risk taking(including taking shortcuts / risks inimplementing behaviour-based safety) occursbecause it has some natural positivereinforcements. Risk taking saves time, effortand sometimes helps the performer avoiddiscomfort. Unsafe behaviour then, is self-perpetuating because of the naturalconsequences that favour it.

Completion of an ABC Analysis usuallyindicates that several positive consequences (forthe performer) support and maintain unsafebehaviour. The ABC Analysis (Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence) is a simple methodof systematically analysing the antecedents andconsequences influencing a behaviour.

With that concept in mind, it then followsthat delivering regular positive reinforcementfor safe behaviours is the key to replacingunsafe habits with safe habits. Managers,supervisors and co-workers must deliver thisreinforcement immediately, consistently and

appropriately or the safe behaviour we areencouraging will never reach habit strength.

Positive reinforcement is currently applied ina superficial manner, if at all, in mostbehaviour-based processes.

The failure of organisations to implementand manage change and to obtain long-lastingchange in organisational behaviour (culturechange) relates to this fact. Mistake No. 3 alsostems from the lack of sufficient and correctuse of positive reinforcement.

Changing only the hourly employees(worker level employees)

For long-lasting change, everyone must makea behavioural change, and not only the hourlyemployees. Management is integral to change,yet most initiatives target employee behaviouralone. Any behaviour-based process shouldinclude a list of support behaviours for bothmanagement and supervision. This listconstitutes a measured self-inventory in theform of a checklist with points.

A measurement and graphed feedback systemforms the basis of positively reinforcingmanagers and supervisors for specificbehaviours related to supporting the behaviour-based safety process.

Hourly employees are reinforced forincreased rates of safe behaviour, whilemanagers and supervisors are reinforced fortheir supportive behaviours.

With measurement systems in place to trackthe behaviour of hourly, management andsupervisory personnel, plus a knowledge ofhow to deliver positive reinforcement for theincreased frequency of specific behaviours, RiskNo. 4 might be avoided.

Making behaviour-based safety theprimary responsibility of the employees

Behaviour-based safety should have ameasured, well-defined role for everyone inyour organisation. Too often, behaviour-basedprocesses are positioned and implemented ashourly employee programmes. This bringsabout short range changes visible in the form ofspecific bureaucratic activities which focus onimplementing change. Long range, however,one will observe:• Resentment in the hourly ranks related to

the perception that they are putting out mostof the work and effort to make the processwork.

• Abdication by management and supervisionof responsibility for safety because it's "theirprogramme" or "their responsibility" tomanage safety now.


•

waterless and virtually CO2-neutral• we have introduced complex

energy recovery systems to reduceour energy consumption

For a number of years, uvex hasfollowed its own social code,implemented a prohibitedsubstances list and applied acomprehensive qualitymanagement system:• binding social standard for all

suppliers - based on globallyrecognised standards such as thoseof the ILO or SA8000

Sustainability is one of the mostpressing challenges of our time acrossa wide spectrum of social,environmental and economic matters.

At uvex, we want to realise ourvision of protecting people in asustainable way.

As a manufacturer with a high in-house production rate, we caninfluence most aspects of the valuecreation chain. In uvex plants, we'veimplemented over 300 measures andprojects to improve our sustainabilityperformance.

Sustainable protection of peopleand the environment

By using green energy, carefullychoosing our suppliers, establishingour own social standard and muchmore, we take responsibility. For ouremployees. For the people thatprotect themselves with our PPE. Forthe environment.

uvex's approach to sustainability In production, we consider the

environmental impact of all ourprocesses:• over 90% of the energy we

consume is green energy -generating annual CO2 savings ofmore than 7000 tonnes

• our earplug production process is

• 85 regularly audited core suppliers• consistent implementation of

defined measures across the worldby trained uvex employees

• more than 10,000 hazardoussubstances checks are carried outeach year along the entire valuecreation chain

• systems have surpassed legalrequirements

• 80 employees dedicated toensuring that all products are ofoptimum quality

• 11 uvex locations across the worldwith DIN-ISO-9001 certification

As a family company, we place highvalue on continuity and theresponsible use and deployment ofsocial, environmental and economicresources - to protect ourenvironment, society, and the healthof our customers.

Stay tuned. Stay safe.

At uvex safety - we take responsibility

UVEX Safety South Africa (Pty) Ltd uvex safety (Durban) Phone: +27 (31) 569 6780 E-Mail: [email protected]

uvex safety (Pretoria) Phone: +27 (12) 345 6656 E-Mail: [email protected]

•

• A backlash in which the process dies a slowdeath because hourly employees tire of theadditional work and responsibility withoutreceiving adequate positive recognition andreinforcement for their efforts.

As explained above, an outline must bedeveloped that specifically defines measuredroles for management, supervisory and hourlyemployees.

Not training managers, supervisors andhourly employees in the core principles ofbehaviour change technology

To inspire managers, supervisors and hourlyemployees with a sense of ownership in thisprocess, the company should provide everyonewith the same training.

Training is the launch pad for change but isonly worthwhile if followed by feedback andpositive reinforcement for new desirablebehaviours.

It is through training that a consensus andacceptance of roles and responsibility iscommunicated and attained.

An additional element of importance to stressduring training is that though behaviour-basedsafety focuses on safe behaviour, we know thathuman behaviour is the common path toproblems and improvements in the areas suchas service, quality, timeliness and costreduction.

Behaviour is the common variable in everyorganisational performance issue.

When an organisation learns the principles ofbehaviour change, those same principles can beapplied to other strategic performance variables.

A grounding in basic behavioural technologyprecedes the natural progression to using theprinciples for all performance improvement.Thorough training of the entire workforceregarding behavioural technology presents theopportunity for vast changes in performance-changes unavailable to business units that viewbehaviour-based safety as simply a collection ofmeetings, observations and data review.

Trying to fit an activities-based"programme" to your organisation

This mistake is precipitated by the perceptionthat behaviour-based safety is a sequence ofactivities, meetings, observations and datareviews, rather than a process for changingbehaviour.

If your organisation is attempting toimplement a programme that encourageslengthy (30 minutes or more) observations of along list of behaviours.

Most organisations assume that the following

are necessary to achieve behaviour-based safety:• A programme with time, manpower and

paperwork requirements that create a newbureaucracy in the company;

• Large amounts of time off the job tocomplete training, paperwork andobservations, and attend meetings;

• Assignment of already overworkedpersonnel to the new initiative;

• Significant indirect costs in lost production,overtime and time off the job; and

• One to two years of hard work to attainsignificant results.

All of the above are reflections of theactivities-based approach to behaviour-basedsafety.

In contrast, the principles and conceptsapproach provides you with an understandingfor the rationales behind the activities andallows you to use your knowledge ofbehavioural technology to tailor and design aprocess that fits your requirements.

For instance, your behaviour-based trainingshould include the following elements:• Make observations on longer than five

minutes.• Observe only two or three behaviours at a

time.• Integrate observations into the work process

so that there is no time off the job.• Design self-observations for employees who

operate vehicles or work alone.

Many of the programmes now implementeddo not use the practices listed above. Thetraditional activities approach is, therefore,much more demanding in terms of resources.

Those who become more familiar withbehaviour technology will soon find that theshorter list is not only more desirable but alsoobtains the fastest and best results.

ConclusionIn conclusion, the abovementioned areas

when implementing a behaviour-based processsurround a core of misunderstanding what abehaviour-based safety process really is.

The correct approach begins with an in-depth knowledge of how to change humanbehaviour.

The laws and principles of behaviouraltechnology can be engineered to the exactrequirements of your company and extended toall the behaviours your organisation's strategicperformance objectives demand.


•

ConclusionsThe transformation will likely shake up your

world view so that you'll never look at thenature of work in quite the same way again.That's a good thing!

No one can ever know the future but thetrends that have started will be carried forwardto their logical conclusions.

We all need to re-imagine our space in theworking spaces of tomorrow.

What about our personal brand equity, andwhat it means to be an entrepreneur at all levelsof employment? And we are just scratching the

surface of the information on the future ofwork.

Ahead of us is also the problems associatedwith climate change which deals with thepossibility of human extinction and althoughthis seems far in the future, we need to starttaking it into consideration when we look atThe Future of Work.

The Future of Work impacts people dailysince it deals with our human needs, wants, andexpectations. The Future of Work is now! So,let’s agree that the Future of Work is importantand relevant to most people worldwide.

Benefits of drones in the construction industryDrones have become a major asset for

construction companies and for consultants.Contractors are making use of drones to see

construction progress through site pictures.This can be done once a week or even once intwo weeks. The drone pictures are extremelyhelpful because they give another perception ofthe construction project as a whole.

Below you can see an example of the beforeand after drone pictures of one of RisconConsultants projects.

Drones can be useful on aconstruction site

Drones can be used during site induction tofly over the site while live streaming to a screenin the induction training location and identifypossible hazards live. This gives the site visitorsa perception of how the site layout is and itgives them an indication of where hazards areon site.

Other uses of drones help safetyHealth and safety consultants are making use

of drones more and more to do site inspections

making them faster and more effective. Engineers and architects are making use of

drones to do inspections on difficult locations,such as when they want to ensure that the roofsheeting has been properly installed and sealed.This means that they no longer have to climbon high scaffolding or dangerous areas to dothese inspections. With the result, on-siteinspections are made safe and therefore are lessof a concern.

Quantity surveyors are making use of dronesto fly coordinates, measure distances and tomake sure that material is installed as claimedby the contractor. The QS can fly over thetrench and ensure that the water pipe isinstalled for the 400m as the contractor hasclaimed.

Drones and the 4IRDrones are part of the 4th industrial

revolution and we need to adapt and make useof the technology that is available for us to use.

Technology is here and we might as well useit to improve our work.

Johan Heyneke has aBCom Business

Management (RiskManagement) degree from

Davinci Institute.He started working atRiscon straight after

matriculating one of theirclient’s production plantwhere he learned about

safety. He was thenappointed as a safety

officer for several sites aswell as a safety consultantto ensure that the principalcontractors safety officercomply with the act and

regulations.

AfterBefore

•

In this article, Dr Bill Pomfret writes aboutthe success of any future factory programmewhich will be most influenced by the shopfloor workers. Training, empowering, andretention will ensure that the workforce oftomorrow will be employed in the “futurefactory.”

The factory and the future of workThe Factory of the Future (FoF) will be more

than a checklist of emerging technologies toimplement, it will prove to be a single point inthe evolution of manufacturing. The Factory ofthe Future (FOF) will be the embodiment andrealisation of industrial transformation,encompassing a journey into new technologiesand modes of operation that will affect plantsglobally for decades to come.

The FoF will not stand alone. Its focus will beinside the four walls of the factory, but its valuewill be in creating a competitive advantage offlexible and more cost effectivelymanufacturing smart and connected productsthat better meet the needs of consumers.

It is estimated that between 2020 and 2030,75 to 375 million workers will need to switchjobs that will require new skills and neweducation due to automation and technicaldisruption. In terms of magnitude, it's akin tocoping with the large-scale shift fromagricultural work to manufacturing thatoccurred in the early 20th century in bothEurope and North America.

But in terms of who must find new jobs, weare moving into uncharted territory. Thoseearlier workforce transformations took placeover many decades, allowing older workers toretire and new entrants to the workforce totransition to the growing industries. The speedof change today is potentially faster. The task

confronting every economy, particularlyadvanced economies, will likely be to retrainand redeploy tens of millions of mid-career, ormiddle-age workers.

The future of work and how it is goingto affect all of us in critical ways

We need look at disruption rules through thelens of paradigm shifts and disruptive forces,this will encompass Volatility, Uncertainty,Complexity, Ambiguity. We need to understandand look at what causes these changes, why itmatters to you, and how it impacts you, andmost importantly, what you can learn and do asa result of these disruptions.

It can be what you do to earn a living or whatyou do to have fun or how you live your life. Inother words, it is all the stuff you do that hasmeaning and value for you.

When there’s a disruption, most of usresearch information on jobs or careers to findanswers and encouragement. Most old-schooljob books provide life, career, or job road maps.Follow these steps and you’ll get to where youwant to be. If you believe these principles andfollow these practices, you’ll find a satisfyingjob and enjoy a substantial salary withguaranteed yearly increases.

The Future of Work will define the causesand effects of volatility, uncertainty, complexity,and ambiguity affecting the very nature ofwork, that all appear at a critical moment wheneconomic and technological changes dominatethe press in alarming headlines. We need tomake sense of trends, and find practicalsolutions for anyone coping with the forces ofdisruption.

Is your factory future ready?

Dr. Bill Pomfret brings anunrivaled perspective on

risk, regulation and liabilityfrom over 50 years ofexperience as a safetyconsultant working for

leading companies aroundthe world.

He also spent nearly adecade in the North Sea

exploration and productionas a safety manager. D Bill is a passionateadvocate for safety

training.


•

been victims of looting, property damage andthreat to life of employees within. You may notsee any justification to move your businessfrom these routes due to profit / servicedelivery but you are still obligated to at leastmake sure that you have planned for instanceswhere you may have to lock down or intensifyyour security.

4. Internal capacity and externalemergency support

Law abiding citizens, juristic or otherwise paytheir taxes and municipal bills relating tomunicipal services.

In return, the expectation is that when suchservices are required from local governmentthey will be provided, because they have beenpaid for right? Wrong!

The graphic below is an extract from theAuditor-General’s media release dated 26 June2019, which summarises how municipalities(nationally) performed in various audit areas.

So you can take your chances and rely onmunicipal services or you can build internalcapacity.

Yes I know you’ve paid your taxes andmunicipal accounts but current experienceshows that just because you discharge yourobligation as a consumer and pay your accountit seldom guarantees that the other party willfulfil its reciprocal obligation.

So build your internal capacity to ensure thatat least for those emergencies you can’t preventyou have the means to manage them untilexternal assistance arrives!

5. PeopleInternally build a risk and safety conscious

culture. Leadership ownership andaccountability from top management is crucial.

I can never write about implementation of anERP without mentioning the criticality of

security personnel. Often they are the first inthe building and the last to leave. It is for thisreason I encourage you to partner with thesecurity team and treat them with the respectthey deserve.

Outsourcing however has seen this criticalfunction being treated as a quick win to savecosts with the security personnel being abusedby both their employers and clients theyservice.

You can open most of the fire/ emergencybylaws and you'll find a guide on the format ofan ERP, in the City of JohannesburgEmergency Services By-Laws, 2003 - it'sSchedule 1.

As long as you remember to be realistic andlogical in your approach you're one step closerto an effective ERP.

ConclusionPractice it as often as possible because

repetition helps entrench the plan. Authoritiesare more eager to help you to comply thanrespond to an emergency / punish compliance.

Municipal fire safety officials are employeeswith outputs just like any other employee, sojust like a burnt building will hurt your profits,to them it looks bad to have such emergencieshappen under their jurisdiction before theirnext performance evaluation.

•

The true value and benefit of an EmergencyResponse Plan (ERP) is in its ability to, at bestassist in the prevention of emergencies or atworst, reduce human injuries and loss of assetsshould an emergency arise.

Testing of an ERP is often literally ‘trial underfire’ because during an emergency people'slives need to be saved, damage to assets reducedand reputational damage limited.

It is for this reason that one needs to dedicateenough time and resources in the compilation,evaluation and testing of the plan.

Looking at an ERP in its basic form one caneasily deduce that it is nothing more than a riskassessment, one needs to;• Identify the hazards associated with your

building/ workplace,• Quantify the risk that is associated with these

hazards,• Evaluate the potential impact that could flow

from them,• Implement controls to eliminate (at best) or

at least reduce the risk.

Persons entrusted with the ERP ought to behighly competent in risk assessments so I won’twaste time on this.

I will however stress that one of the vital stepsto an effective risk assessment is making surethat it is specific to one’s operations / activities /property.

Below are some of the aspects you need tocover in your assessment;

1. The buildingHow a building is constructed and

maintained will give away what threats thebuilding is vulnerable to.

Poor maintenance on the building and itsfacilities also increase a building’s vulnerability.If your building is a single storey it will bemuch easier to evacuate under distress thantrying to vacate from the 23rd floor with smokebelching from below.

Having a generator or UPS in itself is acontrol against certain emergencies but it canalso be the source or fuel others.

Systematically go through all the buildingfacilities to adequately identify and control therisks associated with them including basementparking, generators with fuel tanks, hazardouschemical stores, kitchen facilities, gym and daycare facilities

These are just some of the facilities that must

be assessed. Often the easiest measures ofcompliance will be availability of certaincertifications specified by the law includingCertificate of Occupancy, Certificate ofCompliance, Hazardous Installations etc.

These serve as prima facie proof ofcompliance and their absence can lead tocriminal prosecution, civil claims and will mostlikely invalidate insurance cover.

There are others based on the building type,purpose, municipality etc. It's also crucial to bewary of the conditions that may come withthese certifications.

2. Intended purpose and surroundings By the time one gets to this part based on the

building construction and available facilities, itshould be clear what can and cannot be donewithin that building.

The easiest way to guarantee an accident is touse the wrong tool for the right job.

A building that will be occupied by a singletenant only for administrative purposes willmost likely have a lower risk profile than amulti-tenant property with different uses, as isthe case with shopping centres.

Know your immediate surroundings, thiswill ensure that in case of an incident that startsfrom your neighbour you are prepared.

I have seen the advantages to an approach thatencourages building owners / occupants withinthe same area to work close together to preventand resolve potential and actual commonthreats and emergencies.

Conduct an area assessment to know the typeof businesses as well as the activities that couldresult in an emergency.

3. Historical incidentsAn area that has been historically prone to

certain incidents will most likely continue tobe, unless thorough evaluation of the saidemergencies is done and controlsimplemented.

A retail building in the main street of anycentral business district is likely to be great forbusiness but also there is an increased risk.

As a society we may have mastered all ourrights in relation to a protest, picket orindustrial actions but somehow we often seemto forget the obligation that dictates that suchprotest must not be done at the expense ofother people's rights.

Most businesses that are located in these‘strike routes’ have, at one point or another

Implementation of emergency response planning

Salatiso Mdeni is aproperty entrepreneur withEnvironment, Health andSafety (EHS) experience.He advises companies on

risk management andassists them to comply byimplementing risk based

solutions with legalemphasis, towards

statutory compliance


•

that together with ISO 9001, form a family.They are:

• ISO 9000: Quality Management Systems -Fundamentals and Vocabulary (definitions)

• ISO 9004: Quality Management - Quality ofan Organisation - Guidance to AchieveSustained Success (continuous improvement)

• ISO 19011: Guidelines for AuditingManagement SystemsThese additional standards provide guidance

and direction that assist in the effectiveimplementation of an ISO 9001 managementsystem. Their importance cannot be understatedby management responsible for implementingan ISO management system.

Quadrant 2 refers to some of the sectorspecific management system standards. Sector-specific standards are requirements developedby a particular industry to address their specificneeds. These standards are used in the main bysubject matter experts that are part of themanagement system implementation team andprovide specific knowledge and experience thatis utilised in the design of the content of ageneric management system.

Quadrant 3 refers to ISO management systemrelated example standards that provide furtherguidance on specific aspects of the managementsystem, the standard itself and various supporttechniques.

ISO 10013 provides guidelines issued by thosepersons responsible for the development andmaintenance of the documentation necessary toensure an effective quality management system,tailored to the specific needs of the organisation.The use of these guidelines will aid inestablishing a documented system as requiredby the applicable quality management systemstandard. This standard can be used todocument management systems other than thatof the ISO 9000 family, for exampleenvironmental management systems and safetymanagement systems.

The other examples are related to guidelinesfor the auditing of management systems. Thesedocuments provide guidance on auditingmanagement systems, including the principlesof auditing, managing an audit programme andconducting management system audits, as wellas guidance on the evaluation of the competenceof individuals involved in the managementsystem audit process. These activities includethe individual(s) managing the auditprogramme, auditors and audit teams.

Quadrant 4 refers to some of the ISOmanagement standards that although specific,have a broad impact on the management systemand should be known and understood by

leadership and senior management.The ISO 26000 guideline on social

responsibility provides guidance on theunderlying principles of social responsibility,moreover, recognising the importance and valueof engaging the organisation’s stakeholderspertaining to the organisation’s socialresponsibility programme. The standardfurthermore emphasises the importance ofresults and improvements in performance onthe organisation’s social responsibilityprogramme. ISO 26000 can be used with mostgeneric standards where social responsibilityshould be recognised along with stakeholderidentification and engagement.

ISO 31000 provides the organisation withguidelines for managing its risks. The purposeof the risk management framework within ISO31000 is to assist organisations integrate riskmanagement into significant activities,functions and governance structures of theorganisation, including decision-making. Thisrequires support from the organisation’s keystakeholders, particularly top management.

ISO 31000 can be used with most genericstandards where risk-based thinking needs to bepart of the management culture and thetreatment of risk managed in a planned manner.

In conclusion, the involvement of theorganisation’s leadership - as part of theimplementation of management systems - is keyto its success as they establish unity of purposeand direction of the organisation. They shouldcreate and maintain the internal environment inwhich people can become fully involved inachieving the organisation’s objectives. Applyingthe ISO standards as outlined in this article,amongst others, will assist the organisation’sleadership to ensure that:• people will understand, and be motivated

towards the organisation’s goals and objectives;• activities are evaluated, aligned and

implemented in a unified way;• miscommunication between different levels

of an organisation will be minimised;• a clear vision and purpose of the organisation’s

future is established and entrenched;• challenging goals and targets are set;• shared values, fairness and ethical role models

are established at all levels of the organisation;• trust is established and fear that paralyses

required actions is eliminated;• people are provided with the required

resources, training and freedom to act withresponsibility and accountability; and

• people are inspired, encouraged and theircontributions to the organisation arerecognised.

•

The number of management systems hasrisen dramatically in recent years, reflecting theincreasing governance demands being placed onmore and more organisations and their boards,and especially so in the wake of a myriad ofgovernance scandals and corporate collapseslocally and abroad. Indeed, as organisationalstakeholders become more informed ofbusiness best practices and codes of governancesuch as King IV which require organisations toreport upon their 6-capitals, it comes as nosurprise that improving the organisation’sperformance across a wide range of areasbecomes a critical imperative for theorganisation’s overall sustainability. Thechallenge many organisations have today is thatmost of them have more than one managementsystem. These are often duplicated, redundantor inadequate which ultimately affects theorganisation’s performance and resilience.

In the same way there are many differenttypes of ISO (International StandardsOrganisation) management system standardsand related guidelines that have been developedto suit different business sectors. Thesestandards apply to product or service quality,operational efficiency, environmentalperformance, health and safety in the workplaceand many more. The benefits of applying thesestandards within an organisation include:• more efficient use of resources and improved

financial performance;• improved risk management practices;• increased protection of people and the

environment;• increased capability to deliver consistent and

improved services and products, therebyincreasing value to customers and vestedstakeholders, and

• greater stakeholder assurance that theorganisation is being properly governed.To demystify how all these standards, relate to

one another, it is important that organisationalleadership - namely the board and its executive -- understand the inter-connectedness of thesestandards, moreover that they also support theprinciples of many codes of governance adoptedacross the world. In the illustration below, thefour (4) quadrants set out some of the ISOdocuments and their relevance to theorganisation’s management systems.

Indeed, the overall standard that covers theactual governing of the organisation and itscollective management systems, will be coveredby the imminent ISO 37000, which is expectedto provide guidelines for governing theorganisation as a whole. It is anticipated thatISO 37000 will provide the key principles,relevant practices and a governance frameworkto assist the organisation’s leadership to directand control the activities required in thebusiness. In this regard, ISO 37000 is alsoexpected to provide clear guidelines pertainingto the accountability of the board, includingmanagement’s responsibilities such that they areadequately equipped to fulfil their purpose andfiduciary duties.

Quadrant 1 in the illustration refers to genericISO management system standards examplesthat give requirements (or guidance) to assistorganisations to manage their policies andprocesses in order to achieve specific objectives.

Example standards shown in this quadrant arethose which organisations can adopt and onceimplemented, they will make use of an ISO-approved certification body to verify, audit andcertify the organisation’s compliance with theapplied standard. Each one of the managementsystem standards shown in this quadrant -namely ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 27001 -have their own family of standards, but themanagement system standard is the only one ineach family that is certifiable.

As an example to understand what a “family”(sometimes known as a series) is, in the contextof ISO standards, we can use ISO 9001 as anexample. There are three (3) other standards

Demystifying ISO Management systems, standards and related guidelines

By Stephen Simmonds(Independent Lead

Consultant - IntegratedManagement Systems:CGF Research Institute)and peer reviewed byTerrance M. Booysen

(Director: CGF ResearchInstitute)


•

2. Don’t make it a farce - Reality televisionnever disappoints and is always exactly whatyou expect it to be. It is filled with drama,tantrums, volatile personalities, suspense andplot twists. An ISO Management system auditshould never turn into such.3. Be guided by values - During our audit, onnumerous occasions, the lead auditor rushed toconclusions that were quite ludicrous. Auditorsshould be impartial, professional and respectful.An auditor must never assume that the auditeeis lying and boldly make such proclamations.4. This is not a talk show - Many companiesare usually so busy throughout the year thathaving an audit could cut out some productive

time from their schedules. Auditors should beconscious of this and not waste auditees’ timewaffling away in an attempt to dig for non-conformances.5. Be fair and just - Many years of experiencehave taught me that people hardly argue if anon-conformance is as clear as daylight. Anauditor should never try to twist andmanipulate information or records provided tothem towards driving for an agenda such asraising frivolous non-conformances. This sets adangerous precedence and serves only todestroy the value of the ISO managementsystem to an organisation.

Be an agent of change - the time for reflection is now

Clinton Venter is an on-siteoperational manager with

over 9 year’s experience inthe mining and alloyssector. He started his

career as a SafetyPractitioner and now hasextensive experience in

health and safety matterswith a passion driven

around a people-centredapproach, while focusing

on technologicaladvancements to improveoperational requirements

safely. He holds aFoundation Degree in

Occupational Health andSafety Management and aNational Surface BlastingCertificate. Clinton is busycompleting his Masters

Degree in Safety and RiskManagement through a UK

University.

The past few months have been a rathersobering experience, with the mining house Iam working at. They are struggling withfinancial problems as a result of the ever risingcosts of electricity, aging infrastructure, the fallof commodity prices and the economiccontraction to name a few.

This has given me a lot of idle time, which Imust say is not always a good thing. However, Ihave chosen to use this time constructively bykeeping myself up to date with what is going onin the industry that I have dedicated my careerto. I have also taken the time to do someintrospection on my leadership style,questioning if I have done enough or what Icould have done differently, while also reachingout to individuals for some honest and opensound-boarding with many personal learningexperiences gained in the process.

The face of the mining industry as a whole isbeing reshaped at an alarming rate and thatwhich we know today will no longer berelevant tomorrow.

It would seem that the 4th IndustrialRevolution has hit most unexpectedly or all toosudden. It’s as if we were all too wrapped up inour own worlds without realising that theindustry has shifted gears and the global trendhas turned. The innovative advancements intechnology through artificial intelligence andthe automation of mining plants andmachinery are going to have an impact on lowand mid-skilled jobs, and this in itself will placea bigger responsibility on organisations to up-skill and re-skill their employees wherepossible. A people-centred approach will needto be at the forefront of how this transition ishandled.

The phrase "Climate Change" is somethingwe have all heard of before, yet the globalmovement to reduce carbonised emissions hasbeen finally stepped up in a drive to implementgreener-technologies, led by a shift away fromthe use of coal and diesel-powered machines,all in an effort to ensure that the rehabilitationand sustainability of the planet we live in todayis handled with urgency. All this is to ensurethat future generations to come can also live inthe beauty of what this amazing world has tooffer.

It is evident that there will be a massiveimpact on operational models, and howbusiness is done will be altered altogether.

I would like to use this opportunity tochallenge everyone to be an “Agent of Change”and NO, I don’t mean Agent Smith who spenthis time chasing Mr Anderson in the Matrixtrilogy, but rather a true ambassador of change.

Take the time to reflect not only on your ownactions but on the actions of the organisation orindustry you work in as well.

Set out to make a difference in the way youtreat your fellow man and woman, showempathy, take other people’s thoughts orsuggestions into consideration, and LISTEN.

Use any free time you have to take in thebeauty of nature, where possible reduce wasteand conserve water. Embrace the changes intechnology and try find workable solutions thatare simplified to ensure that the organisationyou work for is Efficient, Compassionate, Saferand Cleaner.

It is up to us to lead from the front because ifwe leave it to the person next to us, or thegeneration to come, it will all be too late.

The time is now!

•

It does not need a second invitation formanagers to quickly fill up the seats during theopening meeting of an ISO Managementsystem surveillance or recertification audit.Naturally, the word audit itself generates ananxious environment in every organisation.

It does not matter how prepared people are,because if you look hard enough, you quicklyrecognise how tense everybody is as they entera boardroom for the audit opening meetingwith the auditors already seated.

In most circumstances, a quick ‘goodmorning’ is nervously shouted towards theauditors direction with barely any eye contactexchanged. Employees of an organisation thatare experiencing an ISO audit for the first timeusually try to sit furthest away at the table fromthe auditors.

On one such morning, you could cut thetension in the room with a knife. It was barely8:30 am. The sun was hot, the air very humidand the air conditioning system in theboardroom had packed up and not yet beenreplaced. As the boardroom filled up with eachdepartmental manager it got physically moreuncomfortable, like passengers packed in theeconomy class of a low budget airline.

Time seemed to move so slowly on that dayas we awaited for the audit to start. At the headof the table, the two auditors sat and stared ateach face that entered the boardroom.Occasionally, they gazed at the auditprogramme, checked the time and whisperedin each other’s ear.

As an experienced ISO ManagementRepresentative that had undergone numerousaudits from various certification bodies, I waswell prepared, quite relaxed and as calm as Icould be. Something however told me that thiswould be no ordinary audit.

With the door finally shut, everybody seatedand the entire top management present, theISO audit opening meeting finally gotunderway. The lead auditor was a gentleman inhis mid fifties. He had this Boris Johnson lookand posture about him. The man had unkempthair, a slightly arched back, broad shoulders andwas overweight. He wore a busy long sleevedshirt rolled up to the elbows, oversized pantsand shoes that screamed 1990!.

As the attendance register went around, thelead auditor took the floor and began hisopening address. From previous experience,usually ISO Systems auditors allow thecompany CEO to give the opening remarks. It

is common courtesy. Auditors are guests in anorganisation and ideally should allow thosewho lead it to welcome everybody includingthe auditors themselves before passing on thebaton to the auditors.

This was not to be the case with this leadauditor. Immediately, he started off explainingthe purpose of the audit, the approach inconducting the audit, confidentiality etc.

Only after he was through with hispresentation did he invite the CEO to ‘say afew words IF he wanted to’. This auditor hadsome nerve!

For three days, the lead auditor and hisassistant huffed and puffed. Using what I havecome to term as a ‘text book approach whenconducting an audit’, the lead auditor loudlyread out each and every clause in the ISOstandard and demanded to see ‘evidence’immediately on whether or not we compliedwith requirements of the standard.

This audit was absolutely exhausting andundoubtedly the most bewildering ISO auditthat I have undergone and experiencedthroughout my career. Every documentsubmitted and every record provided to thelead auditor was treated with suspicion. Theauditor would cross check the documentcontrol number, revision number and revisiondate not trusting that the auditee couldcorrectly read out documents and records thatthey worked with every day.

The longer the audit wore on, the more tiredand lethargic my team grew. This particularauditor tried to counter everything and at everychance snarled at us that “this is a non-conformance“. I quickly realised as theManagement Representative, that I would haveto keep the team calm and composed to ensurethat we proceeded to undergo this audit and seeit to its completion.

At the end of this harrowing experience, theauditor sat at the head of the boardroom tablewhere he had once officiated the audit openingmeeting and proudly announced the minornon-conformances he had raised.

For ISO certified auditors out there, here area few tips that you may want to pay attention tobefore conducting your next audit;1. Don’t be an Arse! - No-one has the time tostoke an auditors ego. Auditing a client isneither the time nor place for an ISO systemsauditor to exercise their perceived “authority”.Get on with it without being overly aggressivetowards auditees.

Five tips for ISO Systems Auditors

Wellington Mudenha is anexperienced and qualifiedprofessional in the field of

Safety, Health,Environmental and QualityManagement. He has awealth of experience in

SHEQ legal compliance aswell as SHEQ ISO

management systemsdevelopment,

implementation,maintenance and audit.Wellington is a SHEQtrainer / facilitator and

SETA registered assessor.


•

The frustration from the sector in terms ofemployment requirements is recognised andmost definitely not ignored, and as a council,we are always looking for ways to develop theconstruction industry and employmentopportunities. Employment is vital; safe and qualifiedemployees are crucial

The employment of qualified professionals inthe sector is of the utmost importance to theSACPCMP.

The safety of both the public (in terms ofconstruction quality) and other employeesworking on sites is directly related to thecompetency of those working in theconstruction industry.

There is a degree of professionalism in theindustry that needs to be adhered to, and theregistration and annual renewal processes wefollow account for this.

To clarify - we do not charge for PrivySealcertificates. The registration includes anapplication fee, the costs related toexaminations/interviews/assessments (these aredependent on the category of application andare necessary to ensure competence) and anannual fee.

The registration process and fees are notunlike those related to other professions such asdoctors, engineers, or architects wherecompetency is necessary, and needs to beregularly ensured.

If a doctor fails to renew his licence, wouldyou use him as your doctor?

What we find is that people do not pay theirannual fees (they are invoiced and providedthree months to pay with an option to pay pro-rata). People ignore these invoices or leavethem for years without paying, which thenincur penalty fees.

It is not an ideal situation, but as a regulatoryauthority, we cannot issue certificates wherepeople have not completed their registrationprocesses adequately or kept their annual feesand CPD (continuing professionaldevelopment) up to date. At the moment, weare in the process of updating our systems tosupport applications and registered personseven more, through a smooth automationprocess. We also regularly present workshops toassist with the registration processes (such aslogbook completion). We look to provideopportunities where people can maintain theirCPD hours. And we have kept fee increases aslow as possible.

We are working hard to support the sectorand we encourage our professionals to meet ushalfway, ensure their fees and credentials arekeep up to date, and attend to their registrationrenewals in a timeous manner.

Invoicing, fees and deregistration The following should be noted:1. The SACPCMP invoices in December each

year.2. Registered persons have until the end of

March to pay these fees, following whichthey are give an additional month as a graceperiod.

3. If by May, fees are not paid, the relevantpersons will be put on suspension for at leastsix months before deregistration is evenconsidered. The Council, which is aware ofthe strain faced by the economy and jobsector, has looked to increase this period soas to avoid deregistration at all costs.

During the time of suspension, the Councilmay, under Sections 12, 20 and 22 of the Act,charge administration fees pertaining to non-payment of annual fees.

It should be noted that the annual fees arewhat sustains the Council’s operations, whichreceives no grants nor subventions from theGovernment.For any queries, contact:Natasha van der Berg: SACPCMP StakeholderRelations and CommunicationsCell: 079 892 4017 or Email:[email protected]

Frustrations with SACPCMP 2020 fee increases

Information supplied by

Butcher Matutle, Registrar

(SACPCMP)

•

When I was employed in the early 90s as anapprentice electrician for a mine I wentthrough an induction process just like anyoneelse. Safety was emphasised as a priority, but notnecessarily for me as the only thing I wanted todo was complete my apprenticeship and earn aliving.

I completed my apprenticeship and joinedthe country's main power utility as a technician.Once again, I went through the rigorouscompany safety induction process. In thebeginning I adhered to the safety rules,regulations, procedures and processes but overa period of time I developed some unsafe habitsand started to disregard the processes and rules.It was easy for me as I was a field worker andmost of the time there was no one to monitormy activities.

I understood the importance of safety, but Igot away with it so much that complacencycrept in and it became normal for me to takeshort cuts even though I knew the dangers ofelectricity, and the dire consequences thatmight befall me and the ripple effects.

A simple assignment that I had done so manytimes, an assignment that would hardly take mefive minutes to execute was the same thatchanged my life and my family structureforever. I eventually lost the game of Russianroulette that I had been playing over the years.

On that particular morning, I had to change afuse from a pole mounted 11000 voltstransformer. I did not have to climb onto thestructure as I had a Linkstick which is aninsulated rod that can be extended to a heightof at least 11 meters. I struggled a bit to removethe faulty fuse and that irked me so I lostpatience. Through wear and tear and theincorrect hook at the tip of the Linkstick, Icould not remove the fuse holder.

There were other ways that I could have fixedthe fault. I could have driven to the workshopto fetch the correct tool, or called for assistanceon my two-way radio, but I did not. Instead, Iclimbed onto the structure to check what Icould do. I knew that the conductors were alive- however I did no risk assessment, I had noappropriate PPE, correct tools or equipment -but it was my nature to work in thatirresponsible way. I placed the stepladderalongside the pole structure and climbed. I didnot use my safety harness as I deemed itunnecessary - after all, I only wanted to check.As I continued to climb, the stepladder waswobbling because of the uneven surface around

its base, but I thought I was in control. Atapproximately seven meters, I lost control andas I was close to the live conductors, my lefthand made contact with 11000 volts ofelectricity, I lost consciousness and fell fromthat height.

I was "fortunate" as I fell on my left side. Ishattered my left femur and sustained veryserious injuries on both of my hands which ledto three fingers being amputated on my righthand. I was taken to hospital and was in a comafor at least 21 days where I stayed for fourmonths.

This episode of my life was as a result of thechoices I made. I cannot blame the companythat did everything to create a saferenvironment for me.

After the accident I became depressed whichled to two suicidal attempts and heavy drinking- I did not enjoy any of this at all. I was merelytrying to run away from myself and as a resultof my attitude, I went through a divorce as well.This became the most devastating period of mylife.

Over the years I managed to recover aftergoing through rehabilitation, and eventually Iwent back to work. I started to share my storywith my colleagues and later to anyone whocared to listen.

I learned the meaning of safety. I learned thatsafety means looking beyond our actions,looking beyond our in-actions, looking beyondthe choices we make and acting with integrityat all times. My accident, like any other wasavoidable. Had I made the correct choices, hadI believed in safety rules and regulations andhad I acted with integrity at all times, it wouldnot have happened.

Do what is right, not what is easy andconvenient and you won't have any regrets. Wecontinually live with different challenges andpressures - be it at work, on the road, at homeand everywhere else. We are constantly facedwith pressures to perform at work due totargets we need to meet and pressures to arrivequicker at our destinations, However, thesepressures are not licences to disregard andoverlook safety rules and regulations. Thisnegative attitude may lead to many unwantedaccidents which are costly to individuals,families as well as the companies we work for.

Let's continue to do what is right not what iseasy, convenient and faster and there won't beany regrets.

Safe choices every time everyone.

How not adhering to safe choices affected my life

David Selepe, OSHPractitioner and

motivational speaker

ARE YOU MEETING ALL OCCUPATIONAL AND

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES?

Occutech is an inspection authority for the workand business environment surrounds approved by

the Department of Employment and Labour

• Indoor air quality assessment

• Risk assessors

• Occupational hygiene

• Environmental consultants

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE! http://www.occutech.co.za

Email: [email protected]: (031) 206-1244 Fax: (031) 205-2561

Occutech is able to recognise,

evaluate and recommend

cost-effective controls of

occupational and

environmental hazards


•

There are a lot of other negative issues thattag along when you are in a work relateddebilitating injury. The pain is only one part.Losing a limb is only one part. It can becomeembarrassing and emotionally hurtful becausemany people look at you with sympathy andfeel sorry for you. There’s a big psychologicaland emotional part. And then, there’s the effecton the immediate family and the extendedfamilies.

There are so many personal experiences thatyou will have to go through and it will be adifficult journey.

I wouldn’t want my worst enemy to lose alimb in a work accident.

Lessons learnedWhat can I tell others about a work accident?

There’s so much more I can talk about. 1. The health and safety professional

To the HSE professionals out there; you arenot a policeman. Make sure that you have thenecessary expertise and that you are alwaysequipped with information. Be professional,understanding, communicate effectively and beas knowledgeable as possible in relation to theindustry where you are working. Make sure toalways give good sound advice.

•

Many people tell their stories about workrelated injuries, but I would like to give you abrief understanding of the real impact andother dynamics that it has on the injuredperson, his/her family and even the extendedfamily.

I am a disabled person with a left-handamputation and I have grown to be proudlydisabled.

My story

It all started on Thursday 4th July 2002 at14h45.

I was carrying out repair work and fitting asteel plate on a ship docked in the Durban drydock. I had to work beneath the ship and underthe steel plate.

While working, the chain block on theinternal frames of the ship snapped. I was in acrouched position, my left hand was liftedabove my head and I was holding a wedge.Suddenly the chain block snapped above thesteel plate which I was fitting. Instantly the platewhipped out and crushed my left hand in mid-air. Because I was wearing leather weldersgloves at the time, I couldn’t see the damageand I didn’t think it was serious. I felt myshoulder and arm getting very hot so I cameout from underneath the ship and I pulled theglove off. I was horrified to see the damage tomy left hand.

The leather glove which I was wearing, wasactually pushed into the arteries of my hand.So, when I pulled the leather glove off myhand, all the pressure was released and all theblood gushed out of the injury. I rememberlooking at pieces of the muscle from my handfalling to the ground. Fortunately, my olderbrother was working with me on that shift. Heand another worker tied the bottom of mybicep with a rope to stop the blood fromgushing out. I was then rushed to theemergency outpatient section at Entabenihospital.

I spent 6 weeks in hospital and underwentsurgery on 7 occasions. In my mind I thoughtthat modern surgery techniques would save myleft hand. But that wasn’t possible. The surgeonexplained to me that the main arteries in thepalm on my left hand and wrist had beencrushed and could not be repaired.

Afterwards and how my life changed So after my time spent in hospital, I came out

disabled. I had to change the way I looked at

things, I had to adapt myself to all types ofsituations. I had to change a lot in order to copewith my disability.

In hindsight what could I have done at theaccident scene differently? Based on my limitedknowledge at the time of the accident, I don’tthink there was much I could have donedifferently, simply because I was not educatedenough in health and safety processes,procedures and legislation.

The physical, emotional and financialimpact on my life

Psychologically and emotionally it was verydraining on me and my family. When a personloses a limb it has a negative domino effect.Physically, it was the most painful experience Ihave ever had in my life because my wristbones were crushed and fingers broken. On theday of the accident, when I went into theemergency outpatient theatre at EntabeniHospital, the nurses had to give me 4 morphineinjections to ease the pain. That was the onlytime the pain left, but the next morning when Iwoke, the pain was back.

The emotional impact was equally severe.After my discharge from hospital, when I wentback into society, I remember feeling soawkward and inadequate because somethingwas missing from me. People seem to look atyou sympathetically when you are disabled.

The other challenge was the financial impact.I was living in a house with my family beforethe accident and after the injury I could notafford the rent. There was no money coming inand I was still under rehabilitation. Peoplealways think that Workmen’s Compensationwill pay you a R500 000 or even R1 millionlump sum for losing a limb. That’s not the casein our country. The manner in whichgovernment have structured the Workmen’sCompensation pay-out is quite ruthless. I wasonly awarded a disability pension which worksaccording to injury percentage to the body. Mycase was rated by Workman’s Compensation asa 33% injury, and I was paid a monthlydisability pension of R2,350. Before theaccident I was earning about R3,000 net a week.The financial impact destroyed me. Workmen’sCompensation was also very slow in processingpayment and I was only paid after 10 months. Ihad to move out of the house I was renting andgo and live with my father, back in the sameroom where I was raised.

The devastating impact of my injury on duty

Calmin Henneberry

HSECP Appointments - President andVice President

Due to the organisation venturing into morephilanthropic endeavours we have appointed aPresident and Vice President who we believewill serve our organisation to their fullest anduplift it to higher levels

Our new President of HSE ConnectionPoint NPC is Mr. Fadley Valley and our newVice President Mr. De Munck Menderoi.

We know they will represent the organisationwell and will contribute much to the HSEfraternity and serve our members with respectand dignity.

Our highlights of 2019• We registered as a Voluntary Association with

SACPCMP• Signed a MOU with SACPCMP• A total of 365 members in 2019• A total of 7 Corporate Members in 2019• We established our Jobs group• We assisted 14 members to find employment

Established our SACPCMP Candidatesupport group

• A total of 12 members completed theirCandidature and passed their exams for 2019

• We held our first successful AGM• We held our first Women's breakfast• We held our first Family fun day• Had our first Men's Breakfast • Continued our contribution to National

Safety Magazine - now known as AfricanOS&H

• We signed our partnership with ImmersiveFactory for our Virtual Reality SafetyTraining

• We were approved by Merseta for acandidate bursary programme and areawaiting the funding

• Our CEO was appointed to theConstruction Technical Committee underthe Department of Employment and Labour

• We had 4 training Courses CPD accreditedand approved by the SACPCMP

• Negotiated a 40% discount on Diploma andshort courses with Sheilds RSA for ourmembers

News from CEO of HSECP

HSE CONNECTION POINT

Remember that safety is like a product, andit’s a product that you carry with you whetheryou like it or not. And when you carry thisproduct around and you offend people, itbecomes your achilles’ heal. The people whoyou offend, will not like your product or buyinto your HSE programme. So, the positivesafety culture that you are trying to instill inyour organisation will be negatively affected. 2. The worker

To the workers out there who are doing thework, you can actually educate yourself inhealth and safety. You can educate yourself inOHS legislation, safe work processors andprocedures. All the information and educationyou acquire will help you.

When I was a boiler maker, I didn’t know thatI could ask companies for calibration certificatesfor lifting equipment. Had I known and justhad that piece of knowledge, I don’t think Iwould be disabled today. If you don’t see thecalibration certificates for the chain blocks, thendon’t use them. Furthermore, you don’t have torely on a safety professional to have all theknowledge. You can gather that knowledge andinformation yourself.

Safety is everybody’s business.

Fabian Buckley

HSE CONNECTION POINT

Fabian Buckley,President HSE ConnectionPoint has been working inthe HSE industry for over16 years as a corporate

safety, health andenvironmental manager.

Fabian has a NeboshInternational Diploma as

well as many otherqualifications, and is aregistered Construction

Health and Safety Managerand an assessor and

moderator registered withSACPCMP. He also sits on

the Technical AdvisoryCouncil appointed by the

Chief Inspector of theDepartment of Labour.


••

The links between health and work have beennoted since the ancient Greek and Romanperiods. The Italian ‘father’ of occupationalmedicine, Bernardino Ramazzini was the firstto formally link work and pathology, in the 17thCentury. The first pictures we could probablyassociate with ergonomics is the drawing ofLeonardo da Vinci’s ‘Vitruvian Man’ completedin 1490. The link is the masterful recording ofthe human body, in various positions. The issueof ergonomics takes the human body as thecentral point and combines every aspect that itwould be required to operate in, including theenvironmental issues. The word ‘ergonomics’ ismade up of two Greek words, ‘ergon’, (to workor do labour), and ‘nomos’ (natural laws). Theterm itself was coined by Polish scholar,Wojciech Jastrzebowski, in a book written in1857.

Ergonomics is one of the fields that beststraddles many areas of work - engineering,medicine, the environment. Ergonomicsdeveloped into aspects of psychology andengineering, with specialists observing andinvestigating accidents to identify the causes.Following an aeroplane accident, it was foundthat the pilot’s interface with the cockpitcontrols was so poor they misread the altimeterand the plane crashed. Today we are familiarwith the terms ‘ergonomically designed’ and weexpect more from those we buy from, morecomfort, and safer use.

But what about the workspace? Is it all aboutposition and the link between health and work?We have the Ergonomic Regulationspromulgated in December 2019, requiring theidentification of risks and then mitigating them.What should be looked for? Who can do what?What are employees exposed to? To keep itsimple, any work that is repetitive, involveslifting materials, working below knees or aboveshoulder levels are the first warning signs. Addpoor lighting, ventilation, high noise andvibration, and the warning bells should beringing out of control. The difficulty withlinking the results of ergonomic risks and workto the worker, who will experience some sort ofmusculoskeletal disorder (MSD) is the slowonset, or the delayed onset following exposure.It’s always the straw that breaks the camel’sback! Repeated exposures eventually weardown the body, but to link the exposure to whatis experienced is very difficult. It’s not the sameas a cut, where the bleeding is immediate. Todaythere are more complications. Being in the

midst of the 4th Industrial Revolution, we aremore aware than ever about psychologicalstressors and technology, but not so aware of theeffects on the human and the surroundingenvironment.

The Department of Employment and Labour(DEL) has taken it back to basics, using theOccupational Health and Safety Act (No. 85 of1993) through health and safety (H&S)representatives, and the core parameters ofconsultation to identify and manage ergonomicrisks at work. Training is also required so thatworkers are informed about such risks.Employees have a duty to comply, report andcooperate with their employers in this regard.The H&S committee needs to be included inthe process.

Medical surveillance is an important aspect – aphysical examination at various stages ofemployment is required, with records beingkept for 40 years.

Section 10 of the Occupational Health andSafety Act (No. 85 of 1993) is also considered,as designers, manufacturers, importers andsuppliers are required to limit risk and exposure.This would include the designers of buildingsand structures in the construction sector, notonly in general industry. The hierarchy ofcontrol is essentially applied in the approach tomanaging ergonomic risks in the workplace.

Ergonomics is a specialised field of expertise,and an ergonomic risk assessment cannot bedone by just anyone. The Ergonomics Societyof South Africa (ESSA) are the body responsiblefor maintaining lists and registering those whopractice ergonomics specifically. The definitionof competence essentially requires that you usesomeone with a formal qualification such as adiploma or degree in the field, and I am surethat further information will be forthcoming inthat regard. There are a number of us who areable to assist and have many years of greatexperience.

Professor John Smallwood and I havepublished a range of papers studying the effectsof ergonomics, even looking at workers in theirworkplaces using the ‘where does it hurt’model, across a range of environments andindustries. No industry is exempt from theeffects of poor design and the resulting range ofMSDs experienced by so many that in the mainare really simple to address. Where there is awill, there is a way.https://www.ergonomics.jp/e_index/e_outline/e_ergono-history.html

The ergonomics issues - Are there any?

Dr Claire Deacon PhD(Construction

Management) - claire deacon andassociates (cd&a)

PR.CHSA (SACPCMP)

NEW APPOINTEESACHASM has undergone some changes

over the past few months. We have had to say good-bye to some of our

directors and welcome some new faces into thefold. The latest person to join the ACHASMteam is Rowland Adams.

Rowland is based in the Western Cape and isan enthusiastic and versatile SHEQ Leaderwith more than 23 years of experience.Rowland has a background in construction(building and civils), surface mining, transport,chemical/pharmaceutical manufacturing, foodmanufacturing and heavy industryenvironments. He also has proven leadership,analytical and strategic planning skills with asound knowledge of SHEQ ManagementSystems and a keen eye for simplicity andinnovation. His strong business sense and aflair for finding creative solutions means that heis well placed to assist ACHASM withconstruction health and safety issues.

We’d like to welcome him to the team andtrust that we will have a long and fruitfulrelationship together.

CPD INITIATIVESAs we start a new year ACHASM is set to roll

News from ACHASM

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY ACHASM CONSTRUCTION SAFETY ACHASM

Yasmeen (Jackie) Fort, ACHASM Registrar

out a number of initiatives for its members.CPD earning webinars will soon be available,enabling members to earn CPD from thecomfort of their own office or home.

CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOPS We are also hosting a series of construction

related Saturday morning workshops forCHSOs.

Based on the more technical and hands-onknowledge areas within the construction field,we aim to use these workshops to give ourCHSOs a more practical insight to thetechnical aspects of the construction industry.

CHAPTER MEETINGSOur Chapter meetings have also been given a

new look for the new year. Rather than the‘business as usual’ meeting type, we’ve decidedit is of more benefit to our members to gathertogether to learn about specific topics. Topicsalready showcased include the new PERIscaffolding system, chain-saw safety andconstruction legal liability. Moving forward wehope to roll-out an annual plan to allowmembers to identify the topics that mostinterest them and plan their attendanceaccordingly.


• •

A warm welcome to 2020. I hope you had arelaxing and refreshing festive season.

As the incoming SAIOH President for2020, let me begin by welcoming all membersof this glorious and noble professionalorganisation. I would like to pass my sinceregratitude to my wise yet humble predecessor,Mrs Celia Keet. I watched her steering theship in 2019, with some trepidation, but hereI am, wearing the Presidential Medallion andlooking forward to serving you.

I thank my mentors and the previousPresidents who have all helped to makeSAIOH the strong organisation that it istoday.

During the past few years, we have builtSAIOH into a globally-recognised entity,governed by a strong quality managementsystem (QMS), and an exciting strategicbusiness plan.

In terms of growth in the past two years,SAIOH went from 621 certified members(259 Assistants, 4 Student Assistants, 166Technologists and 192 Hygienists) in 2018, to984 certified members in 2019 (366Assistants, 187 Student Assistants, 220Technologists and 211 Hygienists). This ismore than a 50% growth, and the number ofnew entrants into the profession is especiallyencouraging.

As we enter the new year, we appreciate thatwe have new challenges ahead of us. I ampositive that we will continue to have a strongcontingent of volunteer Council memberswho will work hard to deliver on theirportfolio responsibilities, both for SAIOHand in their normal daily roles.

We know that SAIOH and its members willcontinue in their protection of workers bydelivering quality occupational hygieneservices.

We remind members that in early 2020, weshould be prepared for the introduction of themuch-debated ergonomics regulations,recently passed into law.

There are two key events in 2020 that youshould not miss, namely the IOHA ScientificConference in South Korea (16 - 22 Oct2020) and the SAIOH 2020 AnnualConference in Cape Town (3 - 6 Nov 2020).We look forward to seeing you there.

I am further excited about the

opportunities, benefits and initiatives SAIOHplanned for this year, some of which includeare listed below:• In partnership with Nanozen and Hans

Thore Smedbold, SAIOH will offer twosponsorships, to two members to attendthe IOHA 2020 Scientific Conference inSouth Korea. These members will beselected via specific competitions, the rulesof which will be communicated early thisyear.

• The SAIOH 2020 annual conference(Cape Town), which already promises tohave excellent international speakers andprofessional development courses (PDCs).

• The SAIOH annual awards will beexpanded to include the Branch orDiscussion Group of the year.

• A proposal to take occupational hygieneand issues of health and safety into primaryand high schools in the coming years, toincrease awareness, is in development. Ouryouth are introduced to accounting,science, mathematics and business atprimary school level, but not tooccupational health and safety, yet weexpect CEOs to make OHS a priority intheir business strategic plans. We thankDeon Jansen van Vuuren for his vision andleadership on this initiative.

On my wish list is to increase reciprocity ofoccupational hygiene activities on the Africancontinent, the involvement of governmentsin SAIOH activities, the involvement of theSAIOH veterans in a new TechnicalCommittee, as well as to enhance regionalstructures, and the involvement of youngblood in branch activities, such as meetingsand workshops.

As a final word, I would like to sincerelythank Celia Keet, Deon Jansen Van Vuuren,Lee Doolan and Sean Chester who, even afterbeing faced with serious challenges such aspersonal or family illness, continued to servemembers of SAIOH. I pray that the AlmightyGod will reward your hard labour - to youand your generations to come.

OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE - SAIOH

Message from SAIOH A Message from the SAIOH President of 2020, Mr Norman Khoza

Report by:Norman Khoza, SAIOHPresident (2020)email: [email protected] Celia Keet, SAIOHImmediate Past Presidentemail:[email protected] Potgieter, SAIOHMarketing and Liaisonemail:[email protected] Hills, SAIOH SkillsForum and Ethicsemail: [email protected] Kate Smart, SAIOH ChiefAdmin Officeremail: [email protected]

Norman Khoza, SAIOHPresident (2020)

January/February 2020 AFRICAN OS&H www.safety1st.co.za 31

•

sees three Council members exiting,it opens the doorway for fresh, newthoughts and energy. Congratulationsto Naadiya Nadasen, Moses Mokoneand Deon Swanepoel on theirelection to Council. We are confidentthat you have the dedication andpassion to grow SAIOH into an evengreater profession during your two-year term.

NAME AWARDSonette du Preez Article of the Year Award: 2018Deon Swanepoel Occupational Hygienist of the Year: 2018Thabo Machaba Personality of the Year: 2018Oscar Rikhotso Student of the Year - Tertiary Institution: 2018Michell Chamberlain Student of the Year - Vocational Education and

Training: 2018Christiaan E Schutte Top Achiever of the Year - Assistant: 2018Greg C Little Top Achiever of the Year - Technologist: 2018Evert P du Toit Top Achiever of the Year - Hygienist: 2018

No only did SAIOH recognise theFellows and award winners, butspecial recognition was also given toSAIOH Past Presidents of the last 10years, without whom SAIOH wouldnot be the internationally recognised

professional body that it is today.Their hard work and dedication areinvaluable, and this was just a smalltoken of our appreciation.

SAIOH Past Presidents• Celia Keet (2019)• Julie Hills (2018)• Kenneth Hlungwane (2017)• Jaco Pieterse (2016)• Cas Badenhorst (2015) • Peter-John Jacobs (2014)• Johann Beukes (2012 - 2013)• Melinda Venter (2010 - 2011)• Seni Myeni (2008 - 2009)• Deon Jansen van Vuuren (2005 -2007)

AGM

As is the custom at each SAIOHconference, SAIOH conducted itsAnnual General Meeting (AGM)which was well-attended. This year,the AGM included the required votefor three new Council members thatneeded to be elected onto the SAIOHNational Council for the term2020/2022. Although bittersweet, as it

Deon Jansen van Vuuren (on behalf of SAIOH Fellow,Johann Beukes) and Norman Khoza

SAIOH Fellow, Prof Fritz Eloff, and Norman Khoza(photos: Rebecca Dick, SAIOH)

Report by:Kate Smart, SAIOH Chief Administration Officer , email: [email protected] Potgieter, SAIOH Marketing and Liaison, email: [email protected]

Naadiya NadasenPhoto: Naadiya Nadasen

Moses Mokone Photo: Moses Mokone

Deon SwanepoelPhoto: Deon Swanepoel

SAIOH recent past presidents (photo: Rebecca Dick, SAIOH)

SAIOH Fellow, Julie Hills, and SAIOH Vice President,Norman Khoza


•

of the Hygienist of the Year award• HASS Industrial - exhibitor• Nanozen and Hans Thore

Smedbold - sponsorship of specificcompetitions where the twowinners will attend the IOHAConference in South Korea (Oct2020)

• Health and Welfare SectorEducation and Training Authority -exhibitor

• Mine Health and Safety Council -exhibitor

• Nanozen - sponsor of delegate bags• Noise Clipper - exhibitor• North-West University - exhibitor• Schauenburg - exhibitor• Shea Safety - exhibitor and sponsor

of the keynote speaker gifts• Sedulitas - exhibitor• SKC Safety, Health and

Environment SA - exhibitor• Uvex Safety South Africa -

exhibitor and sponsor of delegategifts

The prestigious gala dinner/annualaward evening held on 17 October2019 was an extra special event, as wehad the rare privilege of recognisingthree outstanding members ofSAIOH, by awarding themFellowship status. The Fellow Awardis the highest and most prestigiousaward made by SAIOH, inrecognition of a lifetime ofexceptional professional conduct andsignificant contributions to the fieldof occupational hygiene. The honouris awarded to registered occupationalhygienists who have been withSAIOH for a minimum of 20 yearsand who have made distinctcontributions to the advancement ofthe profession. Wholeheartedcongratulations to Mrs Julie Hills,Prof Fritz Eloff and Mr JohannBeukes.

As usual, several deserving,outstanding members received theannual coveted SAIOH Awards. A bigcongratulations to the 2018 AnnualAward winners on theirachievements!

Occupational health and workerscompensation: changing legal framework

6. Prof. Johan du Plessis - North-West University (NWU): Newdiseases in a changing workplace

Professional DevelopmentCoursesPDC 1: Laboratory sample analysisworkshop - Ms Cecilia Pretorius, CSIRMining ClusterPDC 2: Respirator and hearing protectionfitment testing - Mr Jaco Combrinck,3MPDC 3: Control designs and controlmanagement - Mr Hans ThoreSmedbold, Proactima, NorwayPDC 4: Data analytics and statisticalanalysis - Prof Derk Bouwer,University of the Witwatersrand PDC 5: Real-time sampling - DrEmmanuele Cauda, NationalInstitute for Occupational Safety andHealth (NIOSH), USA

Let us not forget the incredibleexhibitors and sponsors withoutwhom the Conference would nothave been possible. To them, we say abig thank you!

Exhibitors and Sponsors• AMS Haden - exhibitor• Anglo Operations - sponsor• Apex Environmental - exhibitor• Aquatico - exhibitor• Aspirata Auditing, Testing and

Certification - exhibitor• BBE Laboratory (Pty) Ltd -

exhibitor• Biograde - exhibitor and sponsor of

awards and speaker gifts• Envirocon - exhibitor and sponsor

This year’s annual conference washeld at the beautiful African PrideMount Grace Country House & Spain Magaliesburg in October 2019,under the theme “OccupationalHygiene and the 4th IndustrialRevolution”. The conference was ahuge success, not only meeting theexpectations set by the previousconferences but exceeding it.

The Conference was attended bymore than 165 delegates and gracedby several international guestspeakers. The high attendancenumbers may be attributed to theexcellent programme developed bythe Conference ScientificCommittee. The programmeincluded, amongst others, fiveProfessional Development Courses,six keynote presentations and acombined professional certificationcommittee (PCC) workshop andmining forum.

Keynote presentations1. Prof. Babusina Paul - University of

Johannesburg (UJ): 4th IndustrialRevolution

2. Dr Emmanuele Cauda - NationalInstitute for Occupational Safetyand Health (NIOSH): Real timemonitoring (USA)

3. Ms Constance Kekana -Department of Mineral Resources:Mining and legal framework in theFourth Industrial Revolution

4. Ms Bulelwa Huna - Departmentof Employment and Labour(DEL): Occupational health and safetyin the informal economy

5. Dr Barry Kistnasamy -Compensation Commissioner forOccupational Diseases (CCOD):

SAIOH hosts a successful 2019 Annual Conference and AGM

African Pride Mount Grace Country House & Spa in Magaliesburg (Source: Hotel’s marketing material)



•

New ISO guidelines are currentlybeing developed.

Known as ISO 45003 -Psychological Health and Safety inWorkplaces - these guidelines will beup for review in 2020 and will be duefor launch in 2021.

For the first time we will havestandards for mental health at workwhich is excellent.

Extensive work is being done onthis guideline across many countriesand regions of the world.

OBESITY IN THE WORKPLACEObesity is a big issue in the

workplace. Waist circumference andbody size of employees seem to be onthe increase leading to several healthissues such as cardiovascular diseasesand stress. This impacts negatively onproductivity and therefore profit.

What is obesity? Obesity is generally caused by

eating too much and moving toolittle. If you consume high amountsof energy - particularly fats and sugars- but do not burn off the energythrough exercise and physical activity,much of the surplus energy will bestored by the body as fat.

Automation increases sedentarybehaviour which robs employees’opportunities of physical activities.Due to intercoms, elevators, a printeron our desk or even a waste bin byour side, these new work patterns arereferred to as “solitary arm chairconfinements”, or “arm chairsentences” which are fast turningemployees into couch potatoes.

The concept of energy balancerefers to energy intake over energyexpenditure. In other words, it isimportant to do enough physicalactivities to burn the caloriesconsumed.

Hunger is the body's physiologicaldemand for food but appetite is not,and this is where the problem lies.Appetite is the quest for specific kindsof food even if you are full, andcoupled with a sedentary lifestyleincreases the possibility of obesity.

We need to look at this within ourworkspace, including policies oneating behaviour, dietary patterns andsedentary life styles. We need to re-evaluate our organisation's health andwellness policies.

Any portion of food that is biggerthan your fist size is an overdose.Learn how to eat the correct portions,eat less junk food and look at thenutrient qualities of pre-packed foodsbefore purchasing.

Remember, the balance of foodintake and physical activities is in yourbest interest.

Information sharing

NEW ISO 45003 GUIDELINES

ISO 45001 EXPLAINED• Specifies requirements for an OH-

MS, gives guidance for its use • Enables organisations to provide

safe and healthy workplaces • Intended outcomes of an OH-MS

through ISO45001 include: a) continual improvement of

OH&S performance; b) fulfilment of legal requirements

and other requirements; c) achievement of OH&S

objectives. • Applicable to the OH&S risks

under the organisation's control, ina given operational context and theneeds and expectations of itsworkers and other interestedparties.

• Does not state specific criteria forOH&S performance, nor is itprescriptive about the design of anOH&S management system.

• Allows integration of other aspectsof health and safety, such as workerwellness.

• Does not address issues such asproduct safety, property damage orenvironmental impacts, beyond therisks to workers and other relevantinterested parties.

THE CULTURE OF SILENCEAROUND MENTAL HEALTHPROBLEMS

A recent study showed that only11% of employees discussed a mentalproblem with their line manager, andhalf said that they would neverdiscuss mental health with their linemanagers.

Mental health is still an elephant inthe room in most workplaces. It isunderstandable that due todiscrimination or the stigmaassociated with it, employees arereluctant to raise the subject.Managers often do not want todiscuss the subject as they either fearmaking matters worse or are worriedabout legal consequence.

By not discussing this problemopenly, the afflicted worker may misstoo many days at work by not beingproperly supported resulting in lack ofproductivity.

Unfortunately there are cases wherethe worker has such severe mentalhealth problems, that they are not ableto hold down a job and they spendmore days away from work than atwork.

Until we all agree to break thisculture of silence on mental healthand related illnesses, we may not beable to simplify mental healthmanagement at work andpresenteeism will be on the increasewhich is neither in the interest of theemployer or employee.

WHAT IS OSHAFRICA?OSHAfrica was formed in

September 2017 and is the Africanplatform for connecting professionalsand bringing them together underone umbrella for collaborative work.

OSHAfrica members continue topromote safety and health in theirdifferent countries, and helpempower the African continent toachieve the ultimate goal of zeroaccidents, zero incidents and zerofatalities.

The information in these pages ofthe magazine is extracted fromdiscussions and sharing ofinformation on the group’s Telegramplatform which is an active sharing ofinformation.

•

I take this opportunity to thank everyone forbeing a part of OSHAfrica and for all the greatwork we were able to achieve during 2019through our collective efforts.

We encountered mountains and wesurmounted them together through the powerof a functional team. We made our mistakes, wehad our doubts which made us stronger as ateam and served as learning curves.

I am looking forward to working with youagain this year and we have a lot to achieve.Below are some of our goals:

OSH Legislation and PoliciesDevelopment CommitteeNational OSH Policies

1. We must complete the review of thenational OSH policies of the 54 member statesof Africa. We have established a technicalpartnership with the African UnionDevelopment Agency AU-DA across Africa.

The work must be completed this year andsigned off in March, 2021.

For all of you who belong to the OSHLegislation and Policies DevelopmentCommittee, your Committee Head, TitilolaHameed will update you on this.

OSHAfrica and AU-DA had a meeting withthe ILO on this recently and everyone is happyand enthusiastic. We must give it our best shot.

We need everyone's expertise here and if youare not on any committee yet or you want tojoin this committee, please contact TitilolaHameed.

Education and Competency ImprovementCommittee

Pan African Virtual E-UniversityThe Pan Africa Virtual and E-university was

recently launched. We will be hosting our courses here and make

them accessible to Africans across the world.Members of the Education and Competency

Improvement Committee will play a huge rolein this.

All hands must be on deck as we navigatealong this seemingly familiar route. Do not just

have your name written down in thecommittee, you need to commit your time andbe active within this sub group.

Your committee head will brief you furtheron this.

The Research, Data and PublicationCommittee

The Research, Data and PublicationCommittee has a huge task ahead. We need tocomplete about two or three research works thisyear which must reach publication stage. Yourcommittee head needs your support, so allmembers of this committee must cometogether and work.

Commitment from Committee members OSHAfrica runs and functions through

committees, they are the engine room where allthe work is being done.

If you do not actively belong to one, youwon’t know what is going on. We are gettingreports that a number of our members submittheir names for committees but are neveravailable to do any work. To be successful, weneed you to commit your time to thecommittees you have chosen and take a frontrole.

This is our appeal to everyone and for thosewho are yet to join a committee, please link upas quickly as possible.

If you are not a registered member ofOSHAfrica, we cannot admit you into thecommittees. Registered members mustcomplete their registration through theOSHAfrica's website www.oshafrica.africa.

Telegram discussion groupIf you are not in our Telegram discussion

group, you have really missed out on a lot. Wenow have over 200 members in that groupsharing useful information daily.

All you need to do is download Telegram Appon your mobile phone and sign up, when done,you can find me and prompt me so I can addyou to the group. You will find me on number+234 802 491 8800.

Message from the President

Ehi Iden PresidentOSHAfrica


•

The official scroll for hostingOSHAfrica 2022 was handed over toKenya at the OSHAfrica 2019 closingceremony of the inauguralconference held on 20 September2019.

Mr Sanjay Ghandi accepted thebaton from Dr Thuthula Balfour onbehalf of Kenya.

Once back in Kenya, Mr SanjayGhandi officially handed over thescroll to their S&H regulator. theDirectorate of Occupational Safetyand Health Services (DOSHS) onOctober 14, 2019.

The Deputy Director Mr AndrewMuruka (in the attached picture)received the scroll on behalf of theDirector. Mr Ghandi briefed theDOSHS senior leadership team whowere in attendance.

First planning meetingThe organising committee of

OSHAFrica 2022 had their firstplanning meeting on November 272019 to chart the way forward.

Dr Thuthula Balfour, ProgrammeCommittee Head of OSHAfrica2019 was in attendance to give apresentation and share the lessonslearned from the inauguralconference held in South Africa.

Meeting the Kenyan governmentled by Dr Musa Nyandusi to plan forOshafrica 2022 in Kenya. PennyMunkawa from ILO also attended.Great meeting, great support!

PLANNING STARTS FOR OSHAFRICA 2020

•

Activities

ALGERIA HSE ASSOCIATION LAUNCHEDThe Algerian HSE Association, called ARIPE (Association sur les Risques

Indsutriels Professionnels et Environnementaux), was created in July 2019.

PATIENT SAFETY INITIATIVE

The African Patient Safety Initiativein Cape Town during October 2019had a high attendance of Africanprofessionals.

OSHAfrica was promoted with anumber of new countries showinginterest to join, with 2 Ethiopiansbeing first on the list.

Southern Africa is making greatstrides in the fields of occupationalhealth and safety. This was evidencedby the OHS Strategy Developmentfor the Centre of Excellence held inKitwe, Zambia. during November2019.

In attendance were Norman Khoza,Chimwemwe and Goitsemang fromAUDA - NEPAD.

This Centre is poised to be aregional benchmark and model ofexcellence for the continent.

Well done to Zambia!!

ZAMBIA MAKES STRIDES IN OSH

WHO Geneva held a meeting formental health issues in the workplaceduring November 2019.Session on Informal WomenWorkers

Mirai Chatterjee from SelfEmployed Women Association(SEWA) spoke on the well-beingexperiences of informal womenworkers in India where coverage ofhealthcare is a big issue. They cannotget loans nor health insurance fromthe government, so they becameorganised and created their owncooperative to assist with those issuessuch as financing. This is a modelworth studying.

During The Session on Return toWork delegates learned aboutIndividual Placement Support (IPS)

Congratulations to Ehi Iden whowas honoured by the Medical Unit ofChevron Nigeria Ltd with a PatientSafety Excellence Award during theirannual Patient Safety Week.

PATIENT SAFETYEXCELLENCE AWARD

WHO GENEVA MEETING FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AT WORK

which is a new concept. The concept of "Train-And-Place"

and "Place-And-Train" also stood outwith experience from Norwayhighlighted.

Nick Glozier of the University ofSydney, Australia presented ondisclosing mental health illnesses in

OSHAfrica Members Spo from South Africa and Lamiafrom Tunisia with Ehi from Nigeria at the workplacemental health meeting at WHO in Geneva.

the workplace and about theproblems of stigma anddiscrimination. He said that there isno evidence that medication helpspeople return to work faster. He gaveexamples which were drawn fromthe existing Anti DiscriminationLegislation and DisabilityDiscrimination Act. A studyundertaken in Australia showed thatthose who made total disclosure hadan improved mental health outcomewhen compared with a control groupthat did not disclose.

The mental health meeting endstoday but I am in another one dayforum for tomorrow that focuses onhealthy workplace where I have beentold to present a paper on RegionalPartnerships.


carcinogenic exposures at work.Other companies have also showninterest in supporting the campaign.

“It is exciting to know that within ashort period, No Time to Lose israising awareness of occupationalcancer and the prevention ofcarcinogens in Africa and beyond.The prospects of preventing thismenace are bright for the nearfuture.”

The IOSH Head of GlobalEngagement and Partnership, AlanStevens explained that the body isdoing everything within its powers topromote this campaign.

“IOSH has been able to reachmillions of working people globallythrough practical guidance and toolsto help organisations manage the risksof exposure to workplacecarcarcinogens.

“Our organisation and the LagosState Safety Commission arecampaigning to stop thousands ofuntimely deaths due to work- relatedcancer.

“Most employers and workers are

•

NO TIME TO LOSE CAMPAIGNRun by IOSH, the No Time to

Lose campaign which aims to tacklework-related cancer was launched on22nd January at the IOSH West AfricaConference in partnership with theLagos State Safety Commission. It isnow supported by 380 organisationsworldwide.

In Africa, cancer caused by workclaims the lives of an estimated 46,494people a year.

The current statistics from theInternational Labour Organization et al, show that, as a proportion ofGDP, the average cost of work-relatedinjuries and ill-health in Nigeria is4.38%. That’s higher than the globalaverage of 3.94%, reinforcing thatthere has never been a moreimportant time to launch No Timeto Lose.

The launch focused on two mainoccupational cancer challenges inNigeria – asbestos and diesel engineexhaust emissions. At the event, freepractical resources to help businessesmanage exposure and keep workerssafe and healthy were provided todelegates.

Important leaders at the eventincluded high-level representatives ofthe Federal Republic of Nigeria,IOSH Chief Executive BevMessinger, IOSH Vice-PresidentKayode Fowode, IOSH Head ofStrategic Engagement Alan Stevens,IOSH West Africa Consultant FunmiAdegbola, the Director-General ofLagos State Safety Commission,Lanre Mojola, as well as the NigerianInsurers Association and CharteredInstitute of Personnel Management ofNigeria.

No Time to Lose was presentedby IOSH Vice-President KayodeFowode to an audience of around800. Kayode said “The campaign isgaining impressive momentum inNigeria where we now have sevenorganisations with a combinedworkforce of over 1000 employeeswho have signed-up as officialcampaign supporters, of which threeorganisations have taken the next stepby signing-up to the campaign pledge– a six-point action plan to manage

not aware of the impact of cancer-causing exposures. And many don’tknow what to do to reduce the risk.

“The No Time to Lose campaignis working to get the causes ofoccupational cancer more widelyunderstood and help businesses takeaction”, said Stevens.

According to the Director Generalof the Lagos State SafetyCommission, Mr Lanre Mojola, thecampaign is a well thought outinitiative to reduce workplace ill-health which many are not aware of.

“The commission as part of beingproactive has partnered with IOSHGlobal and its national body toincrease advocacy in this regard.

“The agency already has an actionplan to be carried out under the 4Esprogramme of the agency which areEvaluation of risk, Education,Engagement and Enforcement.

“Lagos State Government and hersafety agency is proud to be associatedwith IOSH in the drive to ensurestandards in the safety profession”said Mojola.

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The Institution of OccupationalSafety And Health(IOSH), stressedits commitment to support Nigeria’stransformative strategy to raise safetyand health standards and improvecompetencies amongst professionalsacross the continent.

This commitment was made at themaiden IOSH West AfricaConference held at Nigeria’s LagosOriental Hotel which was themed,“Shaping the future of OccupationalSafety and Health in West Africa”.

In his opening remarks, ProfessorAndrew Sharman, IOSH GlobalPresident told the delegates in aprerecording, that the institution isdelighted to be building on theimportant memorandum ofcollaboration signed to support thedevelopment of strong workplacesafety cultures promoted bybusinesses and government agencies.

“To sustain growth, productivityand profitability, investors andbusiness owners worldwide arelearning that they need to look afterpeople at work and in their supplychains.

“Countries with strong safety andhealth at work are prospering asinvestors place faith in their future”said Sharman.

In his goodwill message, theexecutive Governor of Lagos State,Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu, expressedhis appreciation to the charteredprofessional body for its commitmentto help raise the standard of safety andhealth.

The governor who was representedby the Director in charge ofOccupational Health Services, at theState Ministry of Health, Dr KuburatLayeni, emphasised that thegovernment is worried about the highrate of work-related injuries many ofwhich are not accounted for. She said“Nigeria does not have accuratestatistics in this regard.

“I must stress that Workplacerelated accidents have become a majorconcern for employees and employersbut this could be prevented ifregulators and stakeholders define

clearly their roles in an attempt toreduce the staggering statistics.”

IOSH Chief executive, BevMessinger, explained that the body’sglobal vision is for a safe and healthyworld of work.

“It’s an ambition that IOSH and its47000 members cannot achieve aloneand as such is positioned to forgepartnerships, develop strongframeworks and effect positive changefor organisations working around theworld” said Messinger.

Speaking on the impact of the

conference, the IOSH NigeriaConsultant and Chief Executive ofCombined Training Services (CTS),Mrs Funmi Adegbola, expressed herjoy at the success of the maiden eventwhere the speakers had been carefullyselected to do justice to the issues thataffected safety and healthprofessionals and all participants.

The one day conference came to anend with participants making acommitment to take back all theyhave learnt to their respectiveorganisations.

IOSH MAIDEN WEST AFRICAN CONFERENCE


Two past Director Generals, Fouad Oki and Lanre Mojola with with the current DG of Lagos State Safety CommissionHakeem Dickson

IOSH Head of Strategic Engagement Alan Stevens, ChiefExecutive Bev Messinger and Vice-President Kayode Fowode

Delegates learning about the IOSH No Time to Losecampaign

Sam Kadiri with Bev MessingerAlan Stevens with some of the delegates

••

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