ILO report urges SA to improve OHS standards

“The report recommends that the country leverages on existing tripartite structures, professional bodies and practitioners, and investigate the medical costs to the Compensation Fund.

An International Labour Organization (ILO) report has made a raft of recommendations to South Africa if it is to improve its Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards.

The report was on Friday launched by Employment and Labour Deputy Minister Boitumelo Moloi.

"The report recommends that the country leverages on existing tripartite structures, professional bodies and practitioners, and investigate the medical costs to the Compensation Fund.

"The report urges the government to capitalize on the opportunities brought by COVID-19 to advocate and instil OHS culture across all sectors and all departments. It adds that collaboration mechanisms should be developed with institutions of learning to address the development of human resources for occupational health and safety."

The Deputy Minister said the report notes that while South Africa has a comprehensive legal framework, the legislation was "fairly complex and fragmented".

"We are agreeing and accepting as a government that we need to do things differently. We should get out of the convention. If we can think outside of the box and begin to do things differently, maybe we'll find each other sooner rather than later," said Moloi.

The draft OHS strategy has been developed and will undergo a process before finalisation.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)