Occupational health and safety compliance, also referred to as OHS compliance, refers to one standard that meets all the legal requirements as stipulated in the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) 85 of 1993, which applies to all organisations in South Africa, not least those based in Randburg.
By ensuring OHS compliance, the risks employers face associated with legal liability can be minimised; they can protect their employees and themselves. OHS compliance also minimises the risk of any incidents that may occur or any legal liability the employer may face from time to time, resulting from contractors, visitors and suppliers that may enter the employer’s premises to perform work, deliver goods or for any other reason.
It is imperative that employers remember that OHS compliance is a legal obligation. Failure to ensure that the standards as they are stipulated in OHSA are met, is an offense which is punishable by law. In addition, it has the potential to lead to substantial losses in productivity, lawsuit court cases and the loss of lives.
To offset this, SafetyWallet’s 15 elements can help employers in cultivating a workplace where health and safety behaviour is positively influenced, consistently and continuously. 
Health and safety compliance audits
SafetyWallet offers its subscribers a health and safety compliance audit. We refer to a ‘parent-child’ concept, making it easier to understand.
The relationship is structured like a tree, with relationships linking to an overriding question relating to Section 8(1) of OHSA: whether the employer provides a healthy and safe working environment overall; thus the ‘parent’ question. Each question contained in the OHS compliance audit can therefore be considered a child or grandchild to the parent question.
The health and safety programme implemented by the employer must have different areas that must be inspected and audited to ensure that the parent question’s answer is always ‘Yes’.
15 elements of OHS compliance
Risk assessment
The risk assessment tab on the OHS compliance audit will ask questions relating to the risk assessment element. This will include any new questions with specific aspects of the risk assessment of the employer. The questions contained in this element are regarded parent questions to other elements; the questions will therefore relate back to those asked on this element. Covered under this tab are general risk assessment details, hazardous chemical substances, lead, asbestos and several others.
Contractor and supplier management
This involves contractor and supplier management and covers the health and safety of contractors, suppliers and visitors onsite. It also involves general administration requirements and a breakdown of the permit to work (PTW), linking to those found in OHS.
Organisation and structure
This element includes policies, assigning of health and safety appointments, use of health and safety committees, the duties and responsibilities of health and safety reps, safety procedures and general health and safety duties of interested parties.
General requirements and communication
This concerns general requirements and communication with the Department of Labour (DoL) consisting of COIDA registration and return of earnings (RoE) requirements of the organisation and any interactions with the DoL. In addition, this element includes the reporting of all occupational injuries, Section 24 incidents and occupational diseases.
Emergency preparedness
This element involves the provision of emergency evacuation, fire services access, emergency evacuation plans, fire equipment and systems, fire precautions, evacuation drills and first aid treatment.
Buildings and infrastructure
This element concerns buildings and infrastructure, such as structures occupied by the organisation. This covers electrical aspects that make up buildings, including physical aspects such as facilities and numerous others. Housekeeping, air quality, ergonomics, noise and temperature are also factors covered under this element.
Machinery and equipment
This covers a broad spectrum of aspects, including electrical, driven and general machinery found in and around the workplace. It includes machine supervision, machinery in hazardous places, machine types, use of lifting machines and equipment and the use of pressure equipment.
Chemicals and biologicals
This covers employees exposed to hazardous chemicals, lead, asbestos and hazardous biological agents, the duties and responsibilities of employees, the control of exposure and the correct use and disposal of such substances.
Health and safety training
This element involves mandatory and crucial training aspects in health and safety, and the requirements pertaining to induction training and training in case of certain situations.
Personal protective equipment
This covers the provision and correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the various working environments, as well as the safe control and disposal thereof.
Surveys and medical surveillance
This involves surveys of hazardous chemicals, lead, asbestos and hazardous biological agents. It also covers environmental temperature surveys, illumination, ventilation and noise.
Health and safety inspections
These inspections are of general aspects of workplaces, including facilities, buildings, the use of machinery, specific health and safety inspections, inspection checklists, pressure equipment, lift and passenger conveyors, and the various aspects of required inspections on worksites.
Working at heights
This element covers working at heights and the general requirements thereof. It also covers height work involving rope access, suspended platforms, material hoists and several others.
Construction site work
This pertains specifically to construction work and includes the client’s duties, those of designers, principal contractors, the management of sites, electrical installations, onsite housekeeping, excavation and demolition work.
Management systems
The management systems element is yet to be reviewed and will be covered as soon as the ISO 45001 standard has been incorporated. 
