Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)RegulationsHealth and Safety of Children at Work RegulationsSchedule 1: Guidelines on risk assessments and plans of safe work procedures regarding permitted work by child workers2. Risk assessment required |
| 1) | Regulation 3 provides that every employer who employs, or provides work to, a child worker or permits any child worker to work at any place under their control or with any machinery under their control must in respect of such work undertake a risk assessment process which must include at least the following - |
| a) | identifying the risks and hazards to which any child worker may be exposed; |
| b) | analysing and evaluating the risks and hazards that are identified; |
| c) | preparing and implementing - |
| i) | a documented plan of safe work procedures to remove, mitigate, reduce or control the risks and hazards that have been identified; and |
| ii) | a monitoring plan; and |
| iii) | a review plan. |
| 2) | A risk assessment is a way for an employer to: |
| a) | evaluate the worksite in a systematic way to identify potential hazards and safety issues so the employer is able to take steps to prevent the hazard causing or contributing an exposure, injury, or illness; |
| b) | identify how many child workers might be affected by the hazard and under what circumstances this may occur; and |
| c) | assess the likelihood and severity of any health consequences that may arise from the exposure to the hazard. |
| 3) | A risk assessment must be appropriate to the employer's workplace and the hazards and risks associated with the processes and activities that take place in the workplace. A risk assessment must cover the full range of work that child workers may be engaged in at the workplace, and work where child workers may be present. |
| 4) | A risk assessment enables the employer to plan and implement measures to control or remove the hazard and thereby reduce the risk. |