An Assessment of a Labour Inspection and Enforcement Strategy on Occupational Health and Safety in a Selected Labour Centre in South Africa

Abstract

The article explores the impact of Labour inspection and enforcement strategy on Occupational Health and Safety in a selected Labour Centre in South Africa. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) 2017 statistics indicate that 2.3 million women and men around the world succumb to work-related accidents or diseases every year and this corresponds to over 6 000 deaths every single day. The Department of Labour (DOL) Annual Report (2007) indicates that in the selected Labour Centre, 1 717 workplaces were inspected to determine compliance with Occupational Health and Safety and only 825 were found to be compliant. Literature indicate that most accidents and fatalities at the workplace are primarily due to reluctance by employers to provide safety clothing nad equiptment, lack of proper training on OHS, lack of safetypolicy and enforcement procedures amongst others. A qualitative approach was used to conduct this study and a case study was selected as the most direct method to conduct the study and obtain insight. Interviews were conducted with DOL managers, OHS inspectors and farm employers. Questionnaires were administered to farm workers. The study revealed that there are few OHS inpectors at the Labour Centre hence inspections are very minimal at the farms, this can assist in increasing number of places to be inspected and enforcing compliance. Findings also indicate that most farm employees are not cognisant with the OHS policies enacted to protect them and OHS inspectors, beefing up their numbers and equiping them with safety clothing and detection gadgets.