GAUTENG CENTRALISES ITS BUILDING SAFETY FUNCTION
Friday, 07 September, 2018
The Gauteng Provincial Government has announced the establishment of a high level provincial Occupational Health and Safety Steering Committee (OHSSC) to centralise the safety function for all buildings accommodating government employees. The committee will chaired by Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) MEC Jacob Mamabolo and will be constituted of heads of department (HOD’s).
The establishment of the committee is in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Act which places safety as a key responsibility of all the Accounting Officers (HOD’s) as employers.
The centralisation of the function is intended to ensure co-ordination and oversight for full enforcement of safety regulations in all the departments. The immediate task of the committee is to stabilise the building safety environment in the province following the fire accident at the Bank of Lisbon building in the Johannesburg CBD.
The centralisation of this function doesn’t take away the legislative responsibility of Accounting Officers in respect of occupational safety. It seeks to ensure that this function is stabilised, and functions in the most efficient and effective manner. It is at this point that a determination will be made on its gradual decentralisation.
The function of this committee comes into effect today, Friday 07, September, 2018. The priority assignment will to oversee the evacuation of officials from none compliant buildings and to relocate them to suitable buildings.
This will address the current practice where there is no central co-ordination to oversee compliance. It will change the current practice where occupation safety is not centrally supported but left to Accounting Officers, considering that it is apparent that the practice is not working efficiently and effectively.
Update:
FIRE AT THE BANK OF LISBON BUILDING EXTINGUISHED
Friday, 07 September, 2018
The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) expresses its appreciation and wishes to sincerely thank the intergovernmental emergency teams who participated in the successful operation of extinguishing the fire that engulfed the Bank of Lisbon Building in the Johannesburg CBD. Government further extends sincere condolences to the families of the three Fire Fighters who lost their lives during the operation. Government is again sending a speedy recovery to eight Fire Fighters who are still hospitalised due to smoke inhalations and minor burns.
The operational team comprised of Fire Fighters from the City of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni and were later reinforced by the South African National Defence Force and the Airports Company.
The Bank of Lisbon building is owned by the Gauteng province and accommodates the departments of Human Settlements, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs as well as Health.
While the cause of the fire which broke out on the the 23rd floor of the building is subject to an investigations, the provincial government has since established a high level Occupational Health and Safety Steering Committee (OHSSC) to centralise the safety function for all buildings accommodating government employees. The committee which is chaired by Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) MEC Jacob Mamabolo and constituted of heads of department (HOD’s) held its first meeting today. Accounting Officers of affected departments will meet with staff to discuss recommendations made by the OHSSC and the way forward.
The centralisation of the function is intended to ensure co-ordination and oversight for full enforcement of safety regulations in all GPG departments. The immediate task of the committee is to stabilise the building safety environment in the province following the fire accident at the Bank of Lisbon building. The centralisation of this function doesn’t take away the legislative responsibility of Accounting Officers in respect of occupational safety. It seeks to ensure that this function is stabilised, and functions in the most efficient and effective manner. It is at this point that a determination will be made on its gradual decentralisation.
The priority assignment for the committee will be to oversee the relocation of officials from none compliant buildings to more suitable office accommodation. The establishment of this high level committee will help centralise the co-ordination to oversee occupational health and safety compliance across all GPG department and will also ensure that Accounting Officers are supported as they prioritise the safety of officials.
Statements issued by Gauteng Provincial Government, 7 September 2018
