What is Health Certificate?
A health certificate is an official document that describes the health status of an individual. These documents must be signed by a health professional in order to be legitimate. In the context of insurance, health certificates can be used in both life insurance and health insurance.
Health and Safety Certification
Each business and subsequent employer in South Africa must be compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993. However, to be proven compliant, a Certificate of Compliance (COC) must be issued.
It is for this purpose that the sections below indicate how you can get your health and safety certificate, as many employers may be unfamiliar with the process involved, or what the true value of such a certificate is.
The OHS Act and many other great Health and Safety Solutions are available on our E-commerce platform My Safety Shop. MAKROSAFE / SAFETYWALLET / MY SAFETY SHOP are all in Partnership.
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To make use of this service, Makrosafe clients should contact their practitioners to discuss the matter at hand. Safety wallet clients should request a consultation from the website as well, or on the chat and any new clients should visit Makrosafe or Safety wallet sites and fill in a contact us form to request assistance.
What is the Certificate of Compliance?
One of the best ways in which employers can ensure that they are OHS Act compliant is by having a health and safety compliance audit conducted by Safety Wallet. Once the subscriber has joined, they can request that a Safety Wallet auditor conduct the audit, in which their level of compliance and the effectiveness of their OHS program will be determined.
Once the audit is completed and the subscriber is found competent with the requirements set out in the Occupational Health and Safety Act, they are provided with a certificate of compliance. This certificate is valid for a year and will be reissued once the subscriber has booked their next OHS compliance audit.
Why is the Certificate of Compliance important?
In having obtained a certificate of compliance, employers are much better equipped when they are inspected by the Department of Labour, the Fire Department, the Department of Higher Education and Training, and numerous others.
The certificate proves the employer’s compliance with OHSA and frees them of any penalties, fines, and even imprisonment.
Even though audits are not a legal obligation, employers have a legal obligation towards providing a work environment that is safe, healthy, and free of harm. The best way in which this can be ensured is by having a compliance audit done.
Non-compliance with OHSA may result in severe penalties where the employer, business owner, or director could face fines of up to R1 million or up to 10 years in prison.
Accident Statistics
Globally, there are more than 2.78 million fatal accidents that occur in workplaces annually. This means there is an average of around 7,700 employees who lose their lives each week as a result of either work-related injuries or illnesses.
Ensuring a safe working environment means that the employer goes beyond the bare minimum of just providing fire extinguishers and first aid kits. It involves being aware of areas where there are hazards and risks, putting safety measures in place, making sure that employees wear the correct PPE, and ensuring that employees are trained and competent to do their work.
How can employers obtain their Health and Safety Compliance Certificate?
The compliance certificate is issued after a site inspection of the work premises has been conducted by qualified auditors from external establishments such as Safety Wallet. The auditor will inspect the workplace for hazards and risks, assess the safety control measures in place, identify areas of concern, and make recommendations.
Employers can ensure that this process is made easy and hassle-free by subscribing to SafetyWallet and ensure that they are on the road to continuous compliance by making use of SafetyWallet’s all-encompassing solutions.
With SafetyWallet, subscribers are provided with an audit team of professionals who have the necessary skills and qualifications to help them identify key areas where improvements are needed, highlight strengths, and put together an action plan to ensure that effective controls are in place.
How can SafetyWallet help Employers and Contractors’ Health and Safety Compliance?
Safety Wallet works to ensure that its subscribers are supported and assisted in all matters relating to health and safety, and through a partnership with MAKROSAFE and OHS Online, subscribers can ensure that they are a part of creating a safer, healthier, and more compliant working environment.