Tag: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

With South Africa being on a national lockdown and the world facing a global pandemic due to the coronavirus, employers need to take special precautions to ensure the safety of their employees. Contingency plans together with the right contingency manager can help to mitigate the impact of these disruptions.

Responsible leadership has taken on an even deeper meaning, as our workforces and our customers find themselves in an unfamiliar, fast-moving global environment. COVID-19 has changed the way we live and work already, with far-reaching impact.

Nationally, on 1 May 2020, South Africa will move from its current position at level 5 to level 4. This means that all essential services will be able to continue operating together with the following additional sectors: food retail stores will be permitted to sell full line of products, agriculture, forestry, mining, financial and professional services, postal and telecommunications services, information technology services and formal waste recycling services.

The Department of Employment and Labour has recently provided much needed guidance in respect of questions which employers have been grappling with since President Ramaphosa's declaration of a National State of Disaster on Sunday 15 March 2020.

Failure to adhere to best practices in occupational health and safety can have adverse financial implications for companies. We have in recent times, seen lawsuits approaching R100 million lodged on behalf of workers who were not properly protected from the hazards inherent in their workplace.