What should an employer check before a contractor starts work? Use this practical South African contractor safety checklist covering scope, competence, site induction, risk controls, permits, equipment, emergency arrangements and pre-work authorisation.

What is the difference between an unsafe act and an unsafe condition? See 50 practical South African workplace examples, learn what employees and employers should do when a hazard is identified, and download the free employer reporting checklist.

A workplace emergency rarely gives employees time to search for a procedure, find the right person or decide who should call for help. When a fire starts, someone collapses, smoke blocks a passage, hazardous material is released or an evacuation alarm sounds, the effectiveness of the response depends on decisions made before the incident. For South African employers, emergency preparedness should therefore be treated as part of the workplace safety system — not as a document

A hard hat does not make a workplace safe. A pair of gloves does not make a task controlled. And issuing PPE Rules to employees does not automatically mean the employer has managed the underlying risk. Personal Protective Equipment — PPE — is an important workplace control, but South African occupational health and safety law places a broader duty on employers: identify the hazards, assess what can go wrong, eliminate or mitigate those hazards where reasonably practicable, an