Department of Labour Inspection South Africa: What OHS Inspectors Check, Employer Rights, Notices & Readiness Checklist
Quick Answer
A Department of Labour inspection in South Africa—now conducted by the Department of Employment and Labour—can take place without previous notice at reasonable times under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. An OHS inspector may enter a workplace, question people, require records, inspect plant, machinery and workplace conditions, examine or copy documents and take other enforcement action where necessary.
There is no single universal inspection checklist that applies identically to every workplace. What an inspector needs to see depends on the employer's activities, hazards, machinery, workforce, contractors and the regulations that actually apply.
The strongest inspection-readiness test is therefore not:
“How thick is our safety file?”
It is:
“Can we show that the hazards were identified, the correct controls were implemented, responsible people understand their duties and current evidence proves that the system is actually working?” Labour.gov.za
Department of Labour Inspection South Africa at a Glance
Inspector may examine | Employer should be able to demonstrate |
Workplace conditions | Hazards are identified and controlled |
Plant and machinery | Equipment is safe, maintained and appropriately guarded |
Risk assessments | Risks relate to the actual workplace and controls are implemented |
OHS records | Required records are current, retrievable and relevant |
Legal appointments | Applicable roles have been correctly triggered and assigned |
Training and competence | People performing safety-critical work have appropriate competence |
PPE | PPE matches residual risks and is actually used where required |
Incidents | Incidents are reported, investigated and corrective actions followed through |
Contractors | Contractor risks and responsibilities are actively controlled |
Employees and supervisors | People understand the hazards, procedures and controls relevant to their work |
A polished folder cannot compensate for an unsafe machine, an uncontrolled excavation, an untrained operator or a risk assessment that exists only on paper.
That is the central principle employers should remember throughout an inspection:
DOCUMENT → WORKPLACE → PERSON → CONTROL → EVIDENCE
All five should tell the same story.
What Is a Department of Labour Inspection in South Africa?
Many South Africans still search for the Department of Labour, but the official department is now the Department of Employment and Labour.
For occupational health and safety, inspectors enforce the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 and applicable regulations. The Department's own material explains that inspections may be planned around factors such as accident statistics, hazardous substances or dangerous machinery. Unplanned inspections may also arise from complaints or requests. Labour.gov.za
An OHS inspection therefore should not be treated as an annual paperwork exercise.
It can involve:
what is happening physically in the workplace;
what people are actually doing;
whether hazards have been assessed;
whether precautions are implemented;
whether employees understand them;
whether machinery and equipment are safe;
whether required records can be produced;
whether previous deficiencies have actually been corrected.
The Department also conducts multidisciplinary and integrated inspection campaigns where OHS may be considered alongside other employment legislation. This article focuses specifically on occupational health and safety inspection readiness.
Can a Labour Inspector Arrive Without Notice?
Yes.
Section 29 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act gives an inspector authority, for purposes of the Act, to enter qualifying premises without previous notice at all reasonable times.
An employer should therefore build a compliance system that works on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon—not one that requires three days of frantic preparation before somebody visits. Labour.gov.za
Can You Ask the Inspector for Identification?
Yes.
Section 28 provides for designated inspectors to receive a certificate confirming their designation and requires the inspector to produce it on demand when performing a function in the presence of an affected person. Labour.gov.za
This became particularly important in 2026 when the Department publicly warned employers about bogus and self-designated inspectors. The Department stated that employers have a right to demand proof of appointment before permitting a person claiming to be a labour inspector to access the workplace and employees. Labour.gov.za
Verification and cooperation are not contradictory.
The correct approach is:
VERIFY → COOPERATE → RECORD → RESPOND
Do not obstruct a genuine inspector, but do not hand sensitive company or employee information to an unidentified stranger claiming regulatory authority either.
What Powers Does an OHS Inspector Have?
Section 29 provides inspectors with substantial inspection powers.
An inspector may, among other things:
Inspector Power | What It Means in Practice |
Enter qualifying premises | An OHS inspection does not necessarily require advance warning |
Question people | Employees, supervisors, managers and others may be questioned |
Require records or documents | Relevant books, records and documents may have to be produced |
Examine and copy documents | Having a record is not enough if it cannot be retrieved |
Request explanations | Entries in documents may need to be explained |
Inspect plant, machinery and conditions | Physical reality matters as much as paperwork |
Remove articles or samples for examination | Physical evidence may form part of the inspection |
Seize potential evidence | Certain records, plant, machinery or articles may be seized where the statutory conditions are met |
Require a person to appear | Employers, employees or users may be directed to appear and answer relevant questions |
The Act also requires employers, employees and users of plant or machinery to provide facilities reasonably required for inspectors to perform their functions effectively and safely. Labour.gov.za
Can an Inspector Question Employees Without the Manager Present?
Section 29 expressly allows an inspector to question a person either alone or in the presence of another person on matters to which the Act relates. Labour.gov.za
That makes employee understanding an important part of readiness.
If the induction register says an employee has been trained on a hazard but the employee has no idea what the hazard is, the paperwork and workplace reality are telling two different stories.
What Does a Labour Inspector Check During an OHS Inspection?
There is no reliable reason to assume that every South African employer will receive the same fixed 30-item, 50-item or 100-item checklist.
The relevant questions arise from the actual workplace and the law applicable to it.
A small office, engineering workshop, warehouse, restaurant and major construction project do not create identical risks or identical evidence requirements.
The inspection should therefore be approached through the following framework:
ACTIVITY → HAZARD → LEGAL REQUIREMENT → CONTROL → RESPONSIBLE PERSON → EVIDENCE → VERIFICATION
1. Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment
One of the strongest foundations of inspection readiness is the employer's ability to show that workplace hazards have actually been identified and addressed.
South Africa's amended General Safety Regulations require employers and users of machinery to evaluate risks arising from their activities and take necessary steps to make conditions safe. Labour.gov.za
A useful risk assessment should therefore connect:
HAZARD → WHO MAY BE HARMED → RISK → CONTROL → RESPONSIBILITY → ACTION → REVIEW
A generic document copied from another business provides little reassurance if it ignores the hazards physically visible in front of the inspector.
For a complete risk-assessment process, see
2. Physical Workplace Conditions
An inspector can examine the workplace itself.
Depending on the activity, attention may include:
walkways and access;
housekeeping;
floor openings and fall hazards;
machinery guarding;
electrical risks;
storage;
hazardous substances;
working-at-height controls;
excavations;
lifting equipment;
welding and cutting activities;
emergency arrangements;
welfare facilities;
PPE;
plant condition.
A beautifully indexed safety file does not cancel an exposed electrical board or an unguarded machine.
3. Machinery and Equipment
Where machinery is used, the inspector may consider both the condition of the equipment and the management system around it.
Questions can include:
Is the machine safe to operate?
Are guards or protective devices present?
Are inspections or maintenance records required?
Is the operator competent for the task?
Are defects being reported?
Are defects corrected?
Are isolation or other safe-work controls appropriate to the activity?
The correct evidence depends on the type of machinery and the regulations that apply to it.
4. OHS Legal Appointments
An inspection may expose another common problem: appointment letters that were downloaded because somebody believed every company needed the same set of appointments.
That is the wrong way to build an OHS system.
Some appointments arise from workforce thresholds. Others arise from particular machinery, activities, regulations or risks. Others may be internal management arrangements rather than appointments universally mandated by the Act.
For appointment-specific triggers, see
The important chain is:
LEGAL TRIGGER → ROLE → COMPETENCE → APPOINTMENT → FUNCTION → EVIDENCE
5. Health and Safety Representatives and Committees
Where the relevant statutory requirements are triggered, inspectors may look beyond the existence of appointment letters.
Evidence may include whether:
representatives have been properly designated;
they understand their workplace;
they are actually performing their functions;
committee structures apply;
meetings and recommendations are being recorded;
unresolved safety issues are being followed through.
A signed letter without a functioning safety system has limited value.
6. Training, Information, Instruction and Supervision
Section 8 of the OHS Act places substantial emphasis on information, instruction, training and supervision as part of the employer's general duties.
An inspector may therefore be interested in more than certificates.
A stronger evidence chain is:
HAZARD → REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE OR SKILL → TRAINING / INSTRUCTION → COMPETENCE → SUPERVISION → WORKPLACE APPLICATION
Training is important, but it is not a substitute for guarding, engineering controls, maintenance or other controls where those are required.
7. Personal Protective Equipment
PPE should not exist as a disconnected shopping list.
It should make sense when compared with the hazards and controls identified for the work.
An inspector may therefore find it relevant whether:
the correct PPE is available;
it matches the exposure or task;
employees know how to use it;
its use is enforced where required;
damaged PPE is replaced;
other more effective controls have first been considered where reasonably practicable.
The Department's 2026 enforcement activity repeatedly identified failures involving PPE and risk assessment. Labour.gov.za
8. Incidents, Investigations and Corrective Action
Incident management should show more than a completed form.
A credible evidence chain is:
INCIDENT → REPORT → INVESTIGATION → CAUSE → CORRECTIVE ACTION → RESPONSIBLE PERSON → DUE DATE → VERIFICATION
Section 31 also allows an inspector to investigate certain workplace incidents to determine whether a formal inquiry is necessary. Labour.gov.za
Repeated incidents or repeated findings with no completed corrective action can suggest that the employer's management system is recording problems without controlling them.
9. Contractors
Where contractors or mandataries work on the employer's premises, inspectors may encounter an additional layer of responsibility, coordination and evidence.
The employer should know:
who is doing the work;
what work they are doing;
what hazards are introduced;
what competence or authorisations are relevant;
what site controls apply;
who is supervising the work;
how responsibilities are coordinated.
For contractor-specific verification, see
10. Your Health and Safety File or OHS Evidence System
An inspector may request documents, but that does not mean every employer requires an identical pre-packaged safety file.
Your evidence system should be built around what genuinely applies to the workplace.
For a complete framework, see
The strongest evidence system answers:
What requirement applies?
What control exists?
Who owns it?
Where is the record?
Is it current?
Is it actually implemented?
What Are South African OHS Inspectors Finding in 2026?
Recent Department enforcement activity provides a much better picture of inspection risk than a generic internet checklist.
Recent 2026 Enforcement Snapshot
Inspection Activity | Findings |
Overberg — February 2026 | Department teams conducted 99 workplace inspections across several sectors. The Department reported OHS non-compliance at 73%, including failures involving risk assessments, asbestos information, trained first aiders, employee facilities, PPE, installation certification, equipment servicing and hazard-specific training. Labour.gov.za |
Wholesale & Retail — January 2026 | 44 of 66 workplaces inspected were found non-compliant with labour legislation. The Department specifically highlighted failures involving workplace risk assessment and PPE. Labour.gov.za |
Thaba Nchu — June 2026 | Inspectors identified employees without appropriate PPE and machinery and production-process risks. Labour.gov.za |
Gauteng Construction — August 2026 | The Department reported 12 contravention notices and four prohibition notices, including findings involving scaffolding, edge protection, excavations, medical fitness, appointments, fall protection, risk assessments and training. Labour.gov.za |
Johannesburg — August 2026 | Prohibition notices were reported for conditions including blocked walkways and exposed electrical distribution boards. Labour.gov.za |
The lesson is important.
Inspectors are not checking only whether a company possesses a document called “Safety File.”
They are finding problems in the relationship between:
RISK → PHYSICAL CONDITION → PEOPLE → CONTROL → EVIDENCE
The “Show Me” Test: How an Inspector Can Test Your OHS System
A useful employer exercise is to imagine the inspector responding to every claim with two words:
Show me.
Employer Says | Inspector-Readiness Question |
“We assessed the risk.” | Show the assessment and where the controls appear in the workplace. |
“The employee was trained.” | Show the evidence and ask the employee to explain the safe method. |
“The machine is maintained.” | Show the appropriate maintenance or inspection evidence. |
“The PPE is issued.” | Show that it is suitable and being used. |
“The manager is responsible.” | Show the applicable assignment and how the responsibility is exercised. |
“We inspect the workplace.” | Show findings, corrective actions and close-out. |
“The incident was investigated.” | Show the cause, action and verification. |
“The contractor is compliant.” | Show what the employer actually verified. |
“The procedure is communicated.” | Show that affected employees understand it. |
“The hazard has been corrected.” | Show the physical correction. |
This is why the best inspection preparation happens in the workplace, not only in the filing cabinet.
Department Inspection vs Internal Workplace Inspection vs Client Audit
These activities are related, but they are not the same thing.
Activity | Main Purpose |
Department OHS inspection | Regulatory enforcement and verification against applicable OHS legislation |
Internal workplace inspection | Employer-led identification of hazards, defects and corrective actions |
Client / principal-contractor audit | Verification against contractual, project or site requirements |
Management review | Testing whether the company's broader OHS system remains effective |
An internal checklist can help an employer prepare, but it does not reproduce or limit the powers of a Department inspector.
What Documents Should Be Ready for an OHS Inspection?
There is no honest universal answer that says every company must produce exactly the same folder.
Instead, prepare evidence under logical groups.
Core Employer Evidence
Depending on applicability, this may include:
current risk assessments;
policies and procedures;
applicable appointments;
health and safety representative records;
committee records;
inspection records;
incident records;
training and competence evidence;
PPE evidence;
maintenance and equipment records;
emergency information;
contractor controls;
corrective-action records;
specialist assessments required by particular hazards or regulations.
Hazard-Specific Evidence
Different hazards may trigger additional evidence.
Examples could involve:
hazardous chemicals;
noise;
physical agents;
ergonomics;
machinery;
electrical systems;
lifting equipment;
pressure equipment;
construction work;
working at height;
confined spaces;
welding and hot work.
Do not build the inspection file backwards by asking:
“What template can I download?”
Build it forwards by asking:
“What risk, activity or legal trigger exists here, and what evidence should prove that we control it?”
What Happens If You Fail a Department of Labour OHS Inspection?
Not every finding produces the same enforcement outcome.
The seriousness of the condition, the provision involved and the inspector's statutory powers matter.
Department guidance describes several forms of action, including prohibition notices, contravention notices and directions. Labour.gov.za
Prohibition
Section 30 permits an inspector, in specified dangerous circumstances, to prohibit an employer from continuing or commencing an act, or prohibit the use of plant or machinery where the inspector considers the circumstances threatening or likely to threaten health or safety. Labour.gov.za
This distinction matters.
A prohibition does not necessarily mean that the inspector closes an entire company.
It may prohibit a particular:
activity;
machine;
process;
condition;
exposure.
However, where the unsafe activity is operationally critical, the practical business consequences can still be significant.
Contravention or Corrective Direction
Where legal requirements are not met, the inspector may require corrective steps within the applicable process and timeframe.
The correct employer response is not to hide the paperwork.
It is to establish:
FINDING → LEGAL / SAFETY ISSUE → CORRECTIVE ACTION → RESPONSIBLE PERSON → DEADLINE → VERIFICATION
Prosecution and Offences
The OHS Act also creates offences relating to various contraventions, failure to comply with certain notices or directions, obstruction of inspectors and knowingly providing false or misleading information. Labour.gov.za
Never fabricate, alter or backdate evidence in an attempt to make a poor system appear compliant.
A genuine gap can be corrected.
False evidence can create an entirely different problem.
Can an Employer Appeal an Inspector's Decision?
Yes.
Section 35 provides for a person aggrieved by an inspector's decision under the Act to appeal in writing to the chief inspector within 60 days after the decision was made known, setting out the grounds of appeal.
However, the Act also states that an appeal involving certain prohibition decisions does not suspend the prohibition while the appeal is being dealt with. Labour.gov.za
In practical terms:
appealing a prohibition is not permission to ignore it.
What Should You Do When an OHS Inspector Arrives?
A calm, controlled response is far better than panic.
1. Verify Identity
Politely verify that the person is a genuine designated inspector.
2. Alert the Appropriate Internal People
Notify the manager, OHS responsible person and other relevant people according to your company procedure.
3. Cooperate
Do not unnecessarily delay, frustrate or obstruct the inspection.
4. Keep a Request Log
Record which documents or information the inspector asks for.
5. Produce Current Evidence
Provide genuine, relevant records rather than flooding the inspector with hundreds of unrelated documents.
6. Do Not Coach Employees
Employees should answer questions truthfully based on what they know and do.
7. Record Findings Carefully
If concerns are identified, understand the exact problem and the area affected.
8. Treat Immediate Danger as Immediate
Do not wait for a formal management meeting to address a condition that presents an obvious serious danger.
9. Control Every Corrective Action
Assign an owner, due date and verification requirement.
10. Prove Closure
Do not mark a finding “closed” merely because somebody sent an email.
Verify that the correction exists in the workplace.
The 15-Minute OHS Inspection Readiness Test
An employer should be able to answer these questions without holding an emergency meeting first.
Readiness Question | Yes | No | Unsure |
Can we immediately identify our significant workplace hazards? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Can we produce the relevant risk assessments? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Can we show that the controls from those assessments were implemented? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Are applicable OHS appointments current? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Do appointed people understand their functions? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Can we produce relevant employee training and competence evidence? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Would employees be able to explain the key hazards of their work? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Is required PPE available and actually being used? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Are machinery guards and safety devices physically in place? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Are walkways, work areas and emergency routes unobstructed? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Can we retrieve applicable inspection and maintenance records? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Can we retrieve incident and investigation records? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Are corrective actions being closed and verified? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Do we know which contractors are currently on site and what work they are doing? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
Can management produce key OHS evidence within minutes rather than days? | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
A large number of “Unsure” answers is itself useful information.
It tells management where the evidence and control system is too dependent on one person, one laptop or one folder.
What Should Different Industries Expect?
The law does not disappear because a workplace is considered “low risk,” but the practical inspection focus will differ.
Offices and Retail
Potential areas may include:
housekeeping;
access and walkways;
electrical conditions;
emergency arrangements;
first-aid requirements where applicable;
employee facilities;
general workplace hazards.
Warehousing and Logistics
Potential focus may expand to:
vehicles and pedestrians;
racking;
loading areas;
material handling;
lifting equipment;
machinery;
housekeeping;
traffic management;
PPE.
Manufacturing and Engineering
Potential areas may include:
machinery guarding;
maintenance;
isolation;
welding and cutting;
hazardous substances;
noise and physical agents;
lifting operations;
competence;
PPE;
supervision.
Construction
Construction work creates additional sector-specific duties.
The Department's August 2026 Gauteng construction inspection, for example, reported findings involving unstable scaffolding, inadequate edge protection, excavations, fall protection, risk assessments, appointments, medical fitness and training. Labour.gov.za
Hospitality and Food Environments
Inspection concerns may include:
slips and falls;
hot surfaces;
knives and machinery;
storage;
electrical hazards;
employee facilities;
manual handling;
chemical use;
emergency arrangements.
The important principle is the same:
Your inspection-readiness system should look like your workplace.
Why a Safety File Alone Will Not Save an Unsafe Workplace
One of the biggest mistakes employers make is assuming that a compliance file is a substitute for actual control.
Consider these examples:
The file says machine guarding is inspected.The guard is missing.
The file contains a PPE register.Employees are not wearing the required PPE.
The file contains an induction form.The employee cannot explain the hazard.
The risk assessment says the walkway must remain clear.The walkway is blocked.
The corrective-action register says “closed.”The dangerous condition still exists.
That is why inspection readiness requires two parallel audits:
DOCUMENT AUDIT
and
PHYSICAL WORKPLACE AUDIT
Then compare the two.
Common OHS Inspection Readiness Mistakes
Buying a Generic Safety File and Assuming the Job Is Finished
Templates can help organise evidence.
They cannot decide which legal requirements genuinely apply to your workplace.
Backdating Appointment Letters or Registers
Do not create false evidence to cover a historical gap.
Correct the gap properly and control it going forward.
Treating Every Problem as a Training Problem
Training cannot repair an unsafe electrical board, install a machine guard or redesign an unsafe access route.
Having Risk Assessments That Do Not Match Operations
If the business changed machinery, processes, chemicals, layout, contractors or tasks, the risk system may also need review.
Closing Findings Without Verification
“Done” is not the same as “verified”.
Keeping Everything With One Employee
If your OHS officer is on leave and nobody else can retrieve essential evidence, the system is fragile.
Allowing the File to Become a Document Cemetery
Old versions, expired certificates, unsigned forms, unrelated appointments and duplicate documents make it harder to establish what is actually current.
A Stronger OHS Inspection-Readiness System
Instead of preparing for an inspector by collecting random documents, build a permanent management cycle:
IDENTIFY → CONTROL → ASSIGN → IMPLEMENT → RECORD → INSPECT → CORRECT → VERIFY → REVIEW
Identify
Understand the real hazards and legal triggers.
Control
Select appropriate measures based on the risk.
Assign
Give competent people clear responsibilities where appropriate.
Implement
Make the control exist physically and operationally.
Record
Retain the evidence that genuinely matters.
Inspect
Check whether the control is still working.
Correct
Fix defects and deficiencies.
Verify
Confirm the correction exists.
Review
Update the system when conditions change.
That is much stronger than waiting for the Department's vehicle to appear at the gate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Department of Labour inspect my workplace without notice?
Under section 29 of the OHS Act, an inspector may enter qualifying premises without previous notice at reasonable times for purposes of the Act. Labour.gov.za
Is it still called the Department of Labour?
The current official name is the Department of Employment and Labour, although “Department of Labour inspection South Africa” remains common public and search-engine terminology.
Can I ask a labour inspector for identification?
Yes. A designated OHS inspector must have the prescribed certificate, and section 28 requires it to be produced on demand when the inspector performs functions in the presence of an affected person. The Department also issued a specific warning about bogus inspectors in July 2026. Labour.gov.za
What documents can an OHS inspector ask for?
Section 29 permits an inspector to require relevant books, records or other documents, examine them, make copies or extracts and request explanations. The particular records relevant to an employer depend on the workplace and applicable requirements. Labour.gov.za
Does every South African business need the same safety file?
No. There is no single generic OHS-file index that creates an identical set of documents for every ordinary employer. Evidence should be built around the legal, workforce, hazard, machinery, contractor and activity triggers applicable to the workplace.
Can an inspector shut down my business?
Section 30 permits prohibitions relating to specified dangerous acts, plant, machinery or exposure circumstances. Depending on the activity affected, this can have serious operational consequences, but it should not be simplified into a claim that every finding automatically closes an entire business. Labour.gov.za
Can an inspector speak directly to my employees?
Yes. Section 29 allows an inspector to question a relevant person either alone or in the presence of somebody else. Labour.gov.za
What if my OHS records are digital?
The important practical issue is whether applicable records are controlled, current, accessible and capable of being produced when required. Do not rely on a digital system that only one absent employee knows how to access.
How often does the Department inspect workplaces?
There is no universal inspection interval that applies identically to every South African employer. Department guidance explains that inspections may be planned using factors such as accident statistics, hazardous substances or machinery, while unplanned inspections may arise from complaints and requests. Labour.gov.za
What should I do after receiving an OHS notice?
Read the notice carefully, identify the precise issue, control immediate danger, assign corrective action, meet applicable deadlines and retain evidence showing what was corrected. Where the legal or factual position is disputed, section 35 provides an appeal mechanism, but certain prohibitions remain operative while an appeal is pending. Labour.gov.za
Authoritative Sources & Regulatory References
Authoritative Source | What It Supports |
Establishes inspector designation, powers of entry and questioning, document-production powers, prohibitions, investigations, appeals and offences relevant to OHS inspections. | |
Explains planned and unplanned inspections, inspector powers and Department guidance on prohibition, contravention and direction notices. | |
Supports current general-safety requirements relating to risk evaluation, workplace conditions and other safety controls relevant to inspection readiness. | |
Supports administrative OHS requirements including applicable record, committee and incident-management duties. | |
Provides current inspection evidence involving risk assessments, first aid, PPE, employee facilities, installations, equipment servicing and hazard-specific training. | |
Confirms the Department's warning about inspector impersonation and employers' ability to demand proof of appointment. | |
Provides current examples of contravention and prohibition notices involving scaffolding, falls, excavations, appointments, risk assessments and training. |
Read More
Read More | Why Read It |
Build the evidence-control system needed to organise applicable OHS records and prove that workplace controls are current. | |
Build the hazard-identification and risk-assessment process that should drive many of the controls an inspector may test. | |
Use employer-led workplace inspections to identify physical hazards and corrective actions before they become repeat findings. |
Final Word
A Department of Labour inspection should not be treated as a surprise examination for which an employer memorises answers the night before.
The strongest South African workplaces are inspection-ready because their OHS systems work before an inspector arrives.
They can show:
the hazard,
the control,
the responsible person,
the workplace implementation,
the evidence,
the corrective action,
and
the verification.
That is the difference between merely possessing OHS paperwork and being able to demonstrate that health and safety is actually being managed.
