ARTICLE HEALTH AND SAFETY The Employer and the Union agree that they mutually desire to maintain standards of safety and health in the Home, in order to prevent injury and illness and abide by the Occupational Health and Safety Act as amended from time to time. A joint management and employees health and safety committee shall be constituted with representation of at least half by employees from the various bargaining units and of employees who are not represented by unions and who do not exercise managerial functions, which shall identify potential dangers, recommend means of improving the health and safety programs and obtaining information from the Employer or other persons respecting the identification of hazards and standards elsewhere. The committee normally meet at least once a month. Scheduled time spent in such meetings is to be considered time worked for which shall be paid by the Employer at his or her regular or overtime rate. Minutes shall be taken of all meetings and copies shall be sent to the Committee members. Minutes of the meetings shall be posted on the workplace health safety bulletin board. The Employer shall provide the time from work with pay and all related tuition costs and expenses necessary to certify the worker representative. Where an inspector makes an inspection of a workplace under the powers conferred upon him or her under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the employer shall afford a certified committee member representing workers the opportunity to accompany the inspector during his or her physical inspection of a workplace, or any part or parts thereof. Where a worker certified member is not site and available, the Employer shall afford a worker health and safety representative if any, or a worker selected by a Union, because of knowledge, experience and training, to represent it, the opportunityto accompany the inspector during his or her physical inspection of a workplace, or any part or parts thereof. Two (2) representatives of the Joint Health and Safety Committee, one (1) from management and one (1) from the employees, shall make monthly inspectionsof the work place and shall report to the health and safety committee the results of their inspection. The members of the Committee who represent the workers shall designate a member representing workers to inspect the workplace. Where possible that member shall be a certified member. The employer shall provide the member with such information and assistance as the member may require for the purpose of carrying out an inspection of the workplace. Scheduled time spent in all such activities shall be considered as time worked. The Joint Health and Safety Committee and the representativesthereof shall have access to the annual summary of data from the relating to the number of work accident fatalities, the number of lost workday cases, the number of lost workdays, the number of cases that required medical aid without lost workdays, the incidence of occupational injuries, and such other data as the may decide to disclose. It is understood and agreed that no information will be provided to the Committee which is confidential. This information shall be a standing item recorded in the minutes of each meeting. The Union will use its best efforts to obtain the full co-operation of its membership in the compliance of all safety rules and practices. The Employer will use its best efforts to make all affected direct care employees aware of residents who have serious infectious diseases.-The nature of the disease need not be disclosed. Employees will be made aware of special procedures required of them to deal with these circumstances. The parties agree that all employees are aware of the requirement to practice universal precautions in all circumstances. The parties further agree that suitable subjects for discussion at the joint Labour Management Committee will include aggressive residents. The Employer will review with the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee written policies to address the management of violent behaviour. Such policies will include but not be limited to:
Health and Safety Requirements The Contractor and his sub-Contractors ensure at all times compliance with safety regulations imposed by any Act of Parliament, ordinance or any regulation or by-law of any local or statutory authority. The Contractor acts in accordance with the health and safety requirements stated in the Works Information. In carrying out its obligations to the Employer in terms of this contract; in providing the Works; in using Plant, Materials and Equipment; and while at the Site for any reason, the Contractor complies and procures and ensures the compliance by its employees, agents, Sub-Contractors and mandataries with: the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 (as amended) and all regulations in force from time to time in terms of that Act (“the OHSA”); and the Eskom “Health, Safety and Environmental specifications for Contractors” document attached to the Works Information (as amended from time to time) and such other Eskom Safety Regulations as are applicable to the Works and are provided in writing to the Contractor (collectively “the Eskom Regulations”). The Eskom Regulations may be amended from time to time by the Employer and all amendments will be provided in writing to the Contractor. The Contractor complies with the provisions of the latest written version of the Eskom Regulations with which it has been provided; and the health and safety plan prepared by the Contractor in accordance with the SHEQ Requirements (The OHSA and the Eskom Regulations are collectively referred to as the “SHEQ Requirements”.) The Contractor, at all times, considers itself to be the “Employer” for the purposes of the OHSA and shall not consider itself under the supervision or management of the Employer with regard to compliance with the SHEQ Requirements, the Contractor shall furthermore not consider itself to be a subordinate or under the supervision of the Employer in respect of these matters. The Contractor is at all times responsible for the supervision of its employees, agents, Sub- Contractors and mandataries and takes full responsibility and accountability for ensuring they are competent, aware of the SHEQ Requirements and execute the Works in accordance with the SHEQ Requirements. The Contractor acknowledges that it is fully aware of the requirements of all the above and undertakes to employ only people who have been duly authorized in terms thereof and who have received sufficient training to ensure that they can comply therewith. The Contractor ensures that all statutory appointments and appointments required by any Eskom Regulations are made and that all appointees fully understand their responsibilities and is trained and competent to execute their duties. The Contractor supervises the execution of their duties by all such appointees. The Contractor shall appoint a person who will liaise with the Eskom Safety Officer responsible for the premises relevant to this contract. The person so appointed shall, on request: supply the Eskom Safety Officer with copies of minutes of all Health And Safety Committee meetings, whenever he is required to do so; supply the Eskom Safety Officer with copies of all appointments in respect of employees employed on this contract, in terms of the Act and Regulations and shall advise the Eskom Safety Officer of any changes thereto. The Employer, or any person appointed by the Employer, may, at any stage during the duration of this contract: conduct health and safety audits regarding all aspects of compliance with the SHEQ Requirements, at any off-site place of work, or the site establishment of the Contractor; refuse any employee, Subcontractor or agent of the Contractor access to the premises if such person has been found to commit an unsafe act or any unsafe working practice or is found not to be qualified or authorised in terms of the SHEQ Requirements; Issue the Contractor with a stop order should the Employer become aware of any unsafe working procedure or condition or any non-compliance with any provision of the SHEQ Requirements. The Contractor immediately reports any disabling injury as well as any threat to health or safety of which it becomes aware at the Works or on the Site to the Employer’s Representative. The Contractor undertakes not to do, or not to allow anything to be done which will contravene any of the provisions of the Act, Regulations or Safety and Operating Procedures. The Contractor appoints a person, qualified in accordance with the SHEQ Requirements, as the liaison with the Eskom Safety Officer for all matters related to health and safety, this person shall be contactable 24 hours a day. The Contractor confirms that it has been provided with sufficient written information regarding the health and safety arrangements and procedures applicable to the Works to ensure compliance by it and all employees, agents, Sub-Contractors or mandataries with the SHEQ Requirements while providing the Works in terms of this contract. As such, the Contractor confirms that this contract and the relevant Eskom Regulations referred to in this contract constitute written arrangements and procedures between the Contractor and the Employer regarding health and safety for the purposes of section 37(2) of the OHSA. The Contractor agrees that the Employer is relieved of any and all of its responsibilities and liabilities in terms of Section 37(1) of OHSA in respect of any acts or omissions of the Contractor, and the Contractor’s employees, agents or Sub-Contractors, to the extent permitted by the OHSA. The Contractor hereby indemnifies the Employer and holds the Employer harmless in respect of any and all loss, costs, claims, demands, liabilities, damage, penalties or expense that may be made against the Employer and/or suffered or incurred by the Employer (as the case may be) as a result of, any failure of the Contractor, its employees, agents, Sub-Contractors and/or mandataries to comply with their obligations in terms of clause 16, and/or the failure of the Employer to procure the compliance by the Contractor , its employees, agents, SubContractors and/or mandataries with their responsibilities and/or obligations in terms of or arising from the OHSA. In carrying out his obligation as the mandatory to the Employer for this contract in terms of the National Environmental Management Act No.107 of 1998, the Contractor ensures that he complies with the Act when Providing the Services or using plant, materials or equipment. The following hierarchy of controls has to be observed on any activity that is above ground level: When considering work at height, a risk assessment must be conducted, form part of the health and safety plan to be applied on site and must include: The identification of the risks and hazards to which persons may be exposed to. An analysis and evaluation of the risks and hazards identified based on a documented method. A documented plan and applicable safe work procedures to mitigate, reduce or control the risks and hazards that have been identified. Have a monitoring and a review plan in place. When working at height, risk assessments shall take into account factors such as, the necessity for the work to be done in an elevated position as opposed to on the ground and precaution measures to be taken to mitigate incidents. Any lesson occurred from working at heights must be reported and shared among the team.
