Tinus Boshoff
The Occupational Health and Safety Act are supported by subordinate legislation, Regulations and Codes of Practice, which give practical guidelines on how to manage health and safety issues.
Under the Act we all have obligations that we must comply with. Twenty-one sets of regulations form an inseparable part of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
These regulations provide specifications and requirements towards the area that they govern.
Have a look at the following table, it provides a summary of the current OHS Act regulations.
Health related regulations |
Scope of application |
Regulations |
Asbestos Regulations, 2001 |
These Regulations shall apply to every employer and self-employed person who carries out work at a workplace that may expose any person to asbestos dust at that workplace |
3. Notification of asbestos work 4. Exposure to asbestos 5. Information and training 6. Duties of persons who may be exposed 7. Assessment of potential exposure 8. Air monitoring 9. Medical surveillance 10. Respirator zone 11. Control of exposure to asbestos 12. Cleanliness of premises and plant 13. Control of exposure to asbestos of persons other than employees 14. Asbestos that forms part of structure of workplace, building, plant or premises 15. Asbestos cement sheeting and related products 16. Records 17. Personal protective equipment and facilities 18. Maintenance of control measures 19. Labeling, packaging, transportation and storage 20. Disposal of asbestos 21. Demolition 22. Prohibition |
Hazardous Biological Agent Regulations, 2001 |
These regulations shall apply to every employer and self-employed person at a workplace where: a) HBA is deliberately produced, processed, used, handled, stored or transported; or
b) an incident, for which an indicative list is given in Annexure A to this Regulation occurs that does not involve a deliberate intention to work with a HBA but may result in persons being exposed to HBA in the performance of his or her work. |
3. Classification of biological agents 4. Information and training 5. Duties of persons who might be exposed to HBA 6. Risk assessment by employer or self-employed person 7. Monitoring exposure at workplace 8. Medical surveillance 9. Records 10. Control of exposure to HBA 11. Personal protective equipment and facilities 12. Maintenance of control measures, equipment and facilities 13. Prohibitions 14. Labeling, packaging, transporting and storage 15. Special measures for health and veterinary isolation facilities 16. Special measures for laboratories, animal rooms and industrial processes 17. Disposal of HBA |
Hazardous Chemical Substances Regulations, 1995 |
These regulations shall apply to an employer or a self employed person who carries out work at a workplace which may expose any person to the intake of an HCS at the workplace.
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3. Information and training 4. Duties of persons who may be exposed to hazardous chemical substances 5. Assessment of potential exposure 6. Air monitoring 7. Medical surveillance 8. Respirator zone 9. Records 9A. Handling of hazardous chemical substances 10. Control of exposure to HCS 11. Personal protective equipment and facilities 12. Maintenance of control measures 13. Prohibitions 14. Labeling, packaging, transportation and storage 15. Disposal of hazardous chemical substances |
Lead Regulations, 2001 |
These regulations shall apply to every employer and self- employed person at a workplace where lead is produced, processed, used, handled or stored in a form in which it can be inhaled, ingested or absorbed by any person in that workplace.
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3. Exposure to airborne lead 4. Information and training 5. Duties of persons who may be exposed 6. Assessment of potential exposure 7. Air monitoring 8. Medical surveillance 9. Respirator zone 10. Records 11. Control of exposure to lead 12. Personal protective equipment and facilities 13. Cleanliness of premises and plant 14. Maintenance of control measures 15. Prohibitions 16. Labeling, packaging, transportation and storage 17. Disposal of lead waste |
Noise Induced Hearing Loss Regulations, 2003 |
These regulations shall apply to an employer or self-employed person who, at any workplace under his or her control, carries out work that may expose any person at that workplace to noise at or above the noise-rating limit. |
3. Exposure to noise 4. Information and training 5. Duties of persons who may be exposed to noise 6. Assessment of potential noise exposure 7. Noise monitoring 8. Medical surveillance 9. Noise zone 10. Control of noise exposure 11. Record 12. Hearing protective equipment 13. Maintenance of control measures |
General regulations |
Scope of application |
Regulations |
Environmental Regulations for Workplaces, 1987 |
These regulations in general refers to the physical conditions of the work environment |
2. Thermal requirements 3. Lighting 4. Windows 5. Ventilation 6. Housekeeping 8. Precautions against flooding 9. Fire precautions and means of egress |
Facilities Regulations, 1990 |
These regulations in general refers to sanitary facilities, toilets, bathrooms, showers, dining facilities, drinking water, certain prohibitions as well as the conditions of these facilities that forms part of the work environment |
2. Sanitation 3. Facilities for safekeeping 4. Change-rooms 5. Dining-rooms 6. Prohibition 7. Drinking water 8. Seats 9. Condition of room and facilities
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General Administrative Regulations, 2003 |
These regulations in general refers to sanitary facilities, toilets, bathrooms, showers, dining facilities, drinking water, certain prohibitions as well as the conditions of these facilities that forms part of the work environment |
2. Access to premises 3. Exemption 4. Copy of the Act 5. Health and safety committee 6. Negotiations and consultations before designation of health and safety representatives 7. Designation of health and safety representatives 9. Recording and investigation of incidents 10. Witness at inquiry 11. Returns |
General Safety Regulations, 1986 |
These regulations refers to general health and safety matters or requirements set for the work environment |
2. Personal protective equipment and facilities 2A. Intoxication 2B. Display of substituted notices and signs 2C. Admittance of persons 3. First aid, emergency equipment, and procedures 4. Use and storage of flammable liquids 5. Work in confined spaces 6. Work in elevated positions 7. Working in danger of engulfment 8. Stacking of articles 9. Welding, flame cutting, soldering and similar operations 10. Operating trains 13A. Ladders 13B. Ramps |
Electrical regulations |
Scope of application |
Regulations |
Electrical Installation Regulations, 2009 |
These Regulations shall apply to every user or lesser of an electrical installation as well as Approved inspection authorities. |
2. Responsibility for electrical installations 3. Approved inspection authorities for electrical installations 4. Functions of approved inspection authorities for electrical installations 5. Design and construction 6. Electrical contractor 7. Certificate of compliance 8. Commencement and permission to connect installation work 9. Issuing of certificate of compliance 10. Disputes 11. Application for registration as a registered person 12. Withdrawal of registration and approval 13. Substitution of lost, damaged or destroyed certificate 14. Fees payable |
Electrical Machinery Regulations, 1988 |
These Regulations shall apply to every employer, employee and self-employed person who carries out work whilst using electrical machinery at a workplace. |
2. Safety equipment 3. Work on disconnected electrical machinery 4. Notices 5. Switch and transformer premises 6. Electrical control gear 7. Switchboards 8. Electrical machinery in hazardous locations 9. Portable electric tools 10. Portable electric lights 11. Electric fences 12. Inspection Authorities 13. Earthing 14. Supports 15. Clearances of power lines 16. Protective Supports 17. Insulators and Fittings 18. Conductors 19. Overhead service connections and overhead service conductors 20. Crossings 21. Bare conductors on premises 22. Schemes to be submitted to the Postmaster General |
Machinery regulations |
Scope of application |
Regulations |
Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 |
These Regulations shall apply to every employer, employee and self-employed person who carries out work whilst using driven machinery at a workplace |
2. Scope of Application 3.Revolving Machinery 4. Circular Saws 5. Band Saws and Band Knives 6. Wood Planing Machines 7. Wood Moulding and Mortising Machines 8. Sanding Machines 9. Grinding Machines 10. Shears, Guillotines, Presses 11. Slitting Machines 12. Mixing, Agitating and Similar Machines 13. Rolls and Calenders 14. Washing Machines, Centrifugal Extractors, Etc 15. Air Compressors 16. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Installations 17. Transportation Plants 18. Lifting machines, hand powered lifting devices and lifting tackle 19. Approval and registration of lifting machinery entity 20. Approval and registration of training providers |
General Machinery Regulations, 1988 |
These Regulations shall apply to every employer, employee and self-employed person who carries out work whilst using machinery at a workplace. |
2. Supervision of machinery 3. Safeguarding of machinery 4. Operation of machinery 5. Working on moving or electrically alive machinery 6. Devices to start and stop machinery 7. Reporting of incidents in connection with machinery 8. Notifiable substances 9. Information regarding regulations |
Lift, Escalator and Passenger Conveyor Regulations, 1994 |
These Regulations shall apply to every employer and self-employed who installs, uses and have lifts, escalators and passenger conveyors in their workplace. |
2. Permission to install and use 3. Design and Construction 4. Particulars of lifts, escalators or passenger conveyors 5. Inspections and Tests 6. Maintenance 7. Record keeping
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Pressure Equipment Regulations, 2009 |
These regulations shall apply to the design, manufacture, operation, repair, modification, maintenance, inspection and testing of pressure equipment with a design pressure equal to or greater than 50 kPa, in terms of the relevant health and safety standard incorporated into these Regulations. |
3. General Requirements 4. Duties of manufactures 5. Duties of importers and sellers 6. Duties of users 7. Approved and duties of approved inspections authorities. 8. Registration of steam generator 9. Pressure equipment marking 10. Pressure safety accessories 11. Inspection and test 12. Risk based inspection 13. Repairs and modifications 14. Records 15. Access 16. Door interlocks 17. Gas reticulation equipment and systems 18. Transportable gas containers 19. Fire extinguishers |
Specific regulations |
Scope of application |
Regulations |
Regulations concerning the Certificate of Competency, 1990 |
Certificate of Competency: A certificate of competency as a mechanical or electrical engineer. Certificate will be issued by Chief Inspector with the recommendations of the Commission of Examiners |
2. Issue of Certificates 3. Suspension or cancellation of Certificates 4. Substitution of lost, damaged or destroyed Certificates 5. Commission of Examiners 6. Qualifying examination 7. Acceptance as candidate |
Construction Regulations, 2014 |
These regulations apply to all persons involved in construction work. Regulations 3 and 5 are not applicable where the construction work carried out is in relation to a single storey dwelling for a client who intends to reside in such dwelling upon completion thereof. |
3. Application for Construction Work Permit 4. Application for a permit to perform construction work. 5. Duties of client 6. Duties of Designer 7. Duties of Principal Contractor and Contractor 8. Management and Supervision of Construction Work 9. Risk Assessment for Construction Work 10. Fall Protection 11. Structures 12. Temporary works 13. Excavation 14. Demolition work 15. Tunneling 16. Scaffolding 17. Suspended platforms 18. Rope Access Work 19. Material hoists 20. Bulk mixing plant 21. Explosive Actuated Fastening Device 22. Cranes 23. Construction vehicles and mobile plant 24. Electrical installations and machinery on construction sites 25. Use and temporary storage of flammable liquids on construction sites 26. Water environments 27. Housekeeping and general safeguarding on construction sites 28. Stacking and storage on construction sites 29. Fire precautions on construction sites 30. Construction employees’ facilities 31. Construction health and safety technical committees 32. Approved Inspection Authorities |
Diving Regulations, 2001 |
These regulations basically shall apply to all diving operations and all persons engaged in diving operations in the Republic of South Africa or the territorial waters thereof. |
3. Training of divers 4. Designated medical practitioners, medical examinations and medical certificates of fitness 5. Diving supervisor 6. Operations manual 7. Control of diving operations 8. Decompression 9. Compression chambers and bells 10. Plant and equipment 11. Council for Diving 12. Rules, syllabi and examinations 13. Registration as learner diver 14. Registration as a diver 15. Registration as a diving supervisor 16. Applications 17. Withdrawal of certificate of registration 18. Fees payable |
Explosives Regulations, 2003 |
These regulations shall apply to any employer, self-employed person or user who operates an explosives workplace for the purpose of manufacturing, testing, storing or using explosives. |
3. Classification of explosives for manufacturing 4. Licensing of explosives workplaces 5. Non-detonatable and non-sensitised explosives 6. Danger area 7. Danger buildings 8. Safeguarding of explosives workplace 9. Design, construction and manufacture 10. Importation of explosives 11. Safety distances 12. Supervision of explosives workplace 13. Safe handling of explosives 14. Emergencies 15. Incidents 16. Closure of explosives workplaces 17. National Explosives Council 18. Approved inspection authorities 19. Standards of training |
Major Hazard Installation Regulations, 1993 |
These regulations shall apply to employers, self employed persons and users, who have on their premises, either permanently or temporarily, a major hazard installation or a quantity of a substance which may pose a risk that could affect the health and safety of employees and the public. |
3. Notification of Installation 4. Temporary Installations 5. Risk assessment 6. On-site Emergency Plan 7. Reporting of risk and emergency occurrences 8. General Duties of Suppliers 9. General duties of local government 10. Closure |
Regulations on Hazardous Work by Children in SA, 2010 |
These regulations is there to prohibit or place conditions upon the work that may be required, expected or permitted to be performed by child workers, and which is not prohibited in terms of any law. |
3. Risk assessment 4. Respiratory hazards 5. Work in elevated position 6. Lifting of heavy weights 7. Work in cold environment 8. Work in hot environment 9. Work in noisy environment 10. Power tools and cutting or grinding equipment 11. Report to department of social development |
Draft Ergonomics Regulations, 2017 |
These Regulations will focus on a programme approach to manage physical and cognitive ergonomics in the workplace.
These regulations shall apply to:
(a) an employer or a self-employed person who carries out work at a workplace which may expose any person to physical or cognitive ergonomic risk factors in that workplace; and
(b) a person, who designs, manufactures, erects, installs or supplies machinery, equipment or articles for use at work |
3. Information and Training 4. Duties of those who may be at Risk of Exposure to Ergonomic Risk Factors 5. Duties of Designers, Manufacturers and Suppliers 6. Ergonomic Risk Assessment 7. Risk Control 8. Medical Surveillance 9. Maintenance of Controls 10. Record 11. Ergonomics' Health and Safety Technical Committee 12. Offensives and Penalties
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