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MakroSafe issues health and safety alert

MakroSafe calls on employers to be extra alert regarding health and safety now that employees are back at work and production is in full swing again. As operational demand and stress levels will soon rise to high levels again, it is likely that employees will fall back into the habit of taking short-cuts or being neglectful. This can cause incidents which could be prevented; something that will reflect negatively when MakroSafe evaluates submissions for its Health & Safety Excellence awards.

The competition has been established to encourage employers to be more health and safety conscious. ”In this tough economic climate, companies tend to focus on the financial bottom line. But our data, which is supported by input from the Department of Labour, shows that over 160 000 health and safety incidents were reported last year. The total cost was estimated at R480 million while an additional R800 million was paid out by the Compensation Fund, partly for permanent disabilities and fatalities. Much of that could have been saved and used in a better way,” says Johnny Terblanche, GM, health & safety services at MakroSafe Holdings.

The MakroSafe Health & Safety Excellence awards consider various aspects of Health & Safety compliance, in different industry categories. Cut-off date for submission of entries to the awards is 1 July 2014. “From 1 July, data that has been collected over several months by qualified MakroSafe consultants, will be assessed. Awards for top-performers will be handed out later this year to the best performing company in 15 different categories. With only five months to go before the cut-off date, companies cannot afford to suddenly see an increase in incidents now that the holiday period has come to an end.”

With the competition, MakroSafe aims to speed up health and safety compliance in the country. “An effective health and safety management system is a central component of a modern organisation’s corporate social responsibilities. There is also considerable evidence of the financial benefits to be gained from effective health and safety management, including increased productivity, reduced insurance premiums and better staff retention and morale,” Terblanche continues. “Avoiding the costs associated with poor health and safety management also ensures that an organisation’s reputation and assets are protected.”

Winners of the 2014 Health & Safety Excellence awards will be announced in November 2014.

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