Regulations of the OHS Act

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.
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.
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 Regulation,
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
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
Draft General Health and Safety Regulations, 2005
These regulations refers to general health and safety matters or requirements set for the work environment
2. Personal protective equipment and facilities
3. Intoxication
4. Display of substituted notices and signs
5. Admittance of persons
6. Prevention of transmission of HIV, Hepatitis Virus and other Blood-borne diseases
7. First aid, emergency equipment, and procedures
8. Use and storage of flammable liquids
9. Work in confined spaces
10. Work in elevated positions
11. Working in danger of engulfment
12. Stacking of articles
13. Welding, flame cutting, soldering and similar operations
14. Operating trains
15. Ladders
16. 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, , 1988
These Regulations shall apply to every employer,employee and self-employed person who carries out work whilst using driven machinery at a workplace
2. Revolving Machinery
3. Circular Saws
4. Band Saws and Band Knives
5. Wood Planing Machines
6. Wood Moulding and Mortising Machines
7. Sanding Machines
8. Grinding Machines
9. Shears, Guillotines, Presses
10. Slitting Machines
11. Mixing, Agitating and Similar Machines
12. Rolls and Calenders
13. Washing Machines, Centrifugal Extractors, Etc
14. Air Compressors
15. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Installations
16. Transportation Plants
17. Goods Hoists
18. Lifting Machines and Lifting Tackle
19. Builder’s Hoists
20. Explosive Powered Tools
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
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
Draft Amendments to the Construction Regulations, 2010
These regulations applies to all persons involved in construction work
3. Application for a permit to perform construction work.
4. Duties of client
5. Duties of Principal Contractor and Contractor
6. Supervision of construction work
7. Risk assessment
8. Fall protection
9. Structures
10. Formwork and support work
11. Excavation work
12. Demolition work
13. Tunneling
14. Scaffolding
15. Suspended platforms
16. Boatswain’s chairs
17. Material hoists
18. Bulk mixing plant
19. Explosive powered tools
20. Cranes
21. Construction vehicles and mobile plant
22. Electrical installations and machinery on construction sites
23. Use and temporary storage of flammable liquids on construction sites
24. Water environments
25. Housekeeping and general safeguarding on construction sites
26. Stacking and storage on construction sites
27. Fire precautions on construction sites
28. Construction employees’ facilities
29. Construction health and safety technical committees
30. 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
3.3 Incorporation of Health and Safety Standards in Regulations
The Minister may by notice in the Gazette incorporate in the regulations any health and safety standard or part thereof.
Based on Legislation in section 44, of the Occupational Health and Safety Act





