Dersley Park resident runs own occupational health and safety mobile clinic
The dawn of democracy saw many black women in rural areas break free from the norm of staying home, raising children and waiting for cheques from their spouses working away from home.
Carol Ragopane (57), a Dersley Park resident, is one such women and today runs her own occupational health and safety mobile clinic.
Having grown up in a small informal settlement in Bushbuckridge, Carol decided it was time to change her family’s financial situation.
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She studied nursing in 1999 and soon found her true passion was in occupational health and safety.
She began studying this in 2003 and says what she enjoys most about it is the opportunities this field offers.
“At first you would assume occupational health only covers the medical industry, but it is applicable to all industries,” she says.
After working in the medical industry for a number of years, Carol decided to take a leap of faith and resigned in 2013.
“I worked for private companies for some time while I was trying to establish myself and get on my feet.
“Then, finally, after much work, I started my own mobile clinic, last year.”
“It hasn’t been an easy journey, leaving the comfort of working for a government institution,” she says.
Whenever the going gets tough, however, Carol says she remembers why she chose to embark on this journey.
“It’s about safety,” she says.
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Having worked for many hospitals and clinics, Carol is aware of the safety hazards which can occur here.
She says chemicals used to disinfect floors can be very harmful to those inhaling them.
Patients and staff members get sick so often because of these chemicals and although one would expect a hospital to have more awareness of these safety issues, they don’t, says Carol.
She says her mobile clinic targets construction sites and industrial areas because there is a huge gap in this market and countless safety hazards at sites such as these.
“Occupational health doesn’t only deal with health issues but also focuses on safety.
“Many companies don’t train their workers how to use machinery in a safe way, for example” she says.
She believes many workplace accidents and injuries can be avoided if companies invested more in occupational health and safety so as to make their staff aware of the many hazards in the workplace.
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