Labour Minister active in Paulpietersburg

Labour Minister Mildred Nesilisiwe Oliphant and a team of labour inspectors led the early morning charge on 26 workplaces in Paulpietersburg on Friday 13 May with the object of exposing errant employers. Addressing workers at Paulpietersburg Timbers, the Minister urged workers and employers to take health and safety issues in the workplace seriously.

Oliphant said: " Employers should also fulfil their obligations to ensure that worker`s lives and their safety are not threatened in the workplace. The provision of relevant training and adequate protective wear must be made available".

"I urge you workers to take safety in your own hands. You also need to ensure that health and safety representatives continue to monitor all aspects of workplace safety. Where no action by the latter takes place, we urge the workers to immediately contact our labour inspectors".

The Minister said that among the the glaring transgressions seen during,  what was termed as the raids, included exposed electrical wiring, exposure to high levels of noise and dust, no guards on machines, no proof of safety induction training being carried out, no risk assesment plans and no safety representatives being appointed.

It was interesting to note that Oliphant held a labour law imbizo with the communities on Saturday, 18 May.

Pieter Rautenbach