Compliance with regulations describes the goals that organisations aspire to achieve in ensuring that they do not only carry awareness of relevant laws, policies and regulations, but that the necessary steps are taken to comply with these. Health and safety compliance is both imperative and a prevalent business concern.
This can be attributed to the number of regulations that require vigilance from organisations to ensure a clear understanding of regulatory compliance and consistent maintenance thereof. One of the misconceptions that many organisations fall prey to is that health and safety compliance does not apply to them. However, the opposite is true, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which applies to all employers in South Africa, regardless of the nature of business, size, or industry of the organisation.
Occupational health and safety strategies may differ across industries, but it is still a legal requirement for organisations to ensure that a legal safety plan and framework are in place. Health and safety compliance serves the crucial purpose of ensuring that employees work in an environment that is healthy and safe.
It involves the implementation of the highest level of physical, mental and social well-being of employees. Furthermore, health and safety compliance also revolves around the prevention of adverse health issues, illnesses and injuries from occurring as a result of either working conditions or hazards and risks present in the work environment.
It also provides employees with the skill and ability to safeguard their own health and safety and those people around them. When workplace health and safety is implemented effectively, incidents can be reduced and even prevented. It could also help to increase productivity, employee morale and overall job satisfaction. 
Why must employers address health and safety compliance?
Health and safety compliance is known to benefit both the employer and employees. When an organisation emphasises health and safety compliance, the following can be achieved:
- Decreased employee turnover and absenteeism
- Improved employee morale
- Increased productivity and job satisfaction
- Fewer injuries and less compensation
- Reduced costs towards healthcare, insurance, fines and litigation
- Improved corporate image, culture and reputation.
The link between health and safety compliance and returns on investments
Many organisations are unsure about how exactly health and safety compliance and OHS strategies can work towards improving the overall bottom line of the organisation. The secret lies in realised savings and substantial cost reduction of OHS failures, with additional positive impacts on the productivity of employees and the overall corporate image.
Factors such as these are not visible in the ledger book of the organisation; nevertheless, they are a crucial, observable benefit. When the employer ensures an adequate and effective OHS plan is in place, with corresponding health and safety compliance in all levels of the organisation, it could mean the difference between winning or losing contract bids.
A subscription to SafetyWallet’s unique programme has shown a substantial improvement in the returns on investments of numerous organisations. There is no alternative when it comes to safety, and no excuse why organisations cannot effectively address OHS best practices with a significant investment such as the SafetyWallet subscription.
Must-haves in health and safety compliance
There are several considerations where health and safety compliance are concerned, with one of the most crucial being that the health and safety of employees remain at the forefront of business decisions. Compliance with health and safety, environmental and quality management systems is another imperative function that both employees and the employer must fulfil.
Even though numerous challenges are faced in the implementation of such measures, the rewards to be reaped are well worth it. Some of the must-haves that employers must consider regarding health and safety compliance include but are not limited to:
- Easy and consistent access to the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
- Correct personal protective equipment and training on the correct use, care and disposal thereof.
- Maintenance of machinery to reduce machine-related incidents and accidents.
- Effective measures in place to prevent any accidental or unauthorised access to machinery and equipment.
- Ensure that employees who operate machinery and equipment are qualified and competent to do so.
- Adequate training aimed at each job function of basics such as first aid and fire-fighting procedures, amongst several others.
- The appointment of health and safety personnel to ensure that compliance is observed and enforced in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
- The correct injury on duty procedures and reports should an injury on duty occur.
- The relevant health and safety policies must be in place, covering the organisation’s goals and principles towards health and safety.
