Department of Labour on the verge of employing 500 workers

The Department of Employment and Labour is looking to appoint 500 Occupational Health and Safety inspectors in a move that is set to drastically change workplaces in the South African labour market.

The fourth industrial revolution has thrust many industries into a period of change and the health and safety profession is no different. The high workplace accident rates has forced the department to work towards reducing these rates in order to focus on the changes brought about by the fourth industrial revolution.

“In the next 10 years health and hygiene will never be the same. We are clear what we are about to do. When we look back this will be a major turning point. We will be leveraging on the use of technologies to fulfill our objectives,” said the Department’s Chief Inspector, Tibor Szana.

[also read] – The entrepreneurship journey of Koketso Sylvia Milosevic

Szana was speaking at the Department of Employment and Labour’s Occupational Health and Safety Conference held last week. The theme of the conference was “strategic co-operation to promote decent work and achieve ‘Vision Zero’ in occupational injuries and diseases”.

The safety of workers was another big talking point at the conference. “Workers have a right to work in environment that is not harmful. Decent work cannot be achieved without sound, safe and healthy environment, and when that gets compromised productivity levels suffers,” said Aggy Moiloa, Department of Employment and Labour Inspector-General.

Moiloa furthermore concluded by noting that the safety of workers should be a priority for employers rather than an afterthought.