Construction OHS Policy

1. Policy Statement

Guidance: A health and safety policy is required by Section 7 of the OHS Act. This statement outlines the company's overall commitment to safety in construction environments.

[Company Name] is unequivocally committed to establishing and maintaining the highest practicable standards of health and safety for all persons involved in or affected by our construction activities. We believe that all work-related injuries, illnesses, and incidents are preventable. Health and safety are integral to all our planning, operations, and decision-making processes.

2. Our Commitments

Guidance: This section details the specific actions the company will take to fulfill its policy statement, linking them to legal requirements where applicable.

• Legal Compliance: We will comply with, and where reasonably practicable exceed, the requirements of the South African Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 and its regulations, especially the Construction Regulations, 2014.
• Risk Management: We will systematically identify all construction-related hazards, assess the associated risks, and implement effective control measures based on the hierarchy of controls to prevent incidents, as required by CR 9.
• Competency and Training: We will ensure that all employees and contractors are competent for their designated tasks through appropriate information, instruction, training, and supervision.
• Consultation and Participation: We will promote active consultation and participation of employees and their representatives in OHS matters through established Health and Safety Committees, as per Section 19 of the OHS Act.
• Resource Allocation: We will provide adequate resources (financial, human, and material) to implement this policy and achieve our OHS objectives on all construction projects.
• Subcontractor Management: We will ensure that all subcontractors appointed by us adhere to our OHS standards and comply with all relevant legal requirements, as per our Section 37(2) agreements.
• Emergency Preparedness: We will establish and maintain effective emergency response plans for all construction sites in line with CR 29.
• Continual Improvement: We will regularly review our OHS performance, management systems, and this policy to identify opportunities for continual improvement.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Guidance: Clearly defining roles is key to a functional safety system. The OHS Act assigns specific duties to the CEO, managers, and employees.

• Top Management (CEO): Holds ultimate accountability for the implementation of this policy (OHS Act, Section 16.1) and ensures the provision of all necessary resources.
• Project/Site Management: Responsible for the day-to-day implementation and enforcement of OHS requirements on their specific construction sites, including the development and maintenance of the project-specific H&S Plan (CR 7).
• All Employees and Contractors: Have a duty to comply with this policy, site-specific H&S Plans, and to take reasonable care for their own safety and that of others (OHS Act, Section 14). They must report any hazards or incidents immediately.

4. Policy Review

This Construction OHS Policy will be reviewed at least every two years, or as necessitated by changes in legislation, company operations, or incident trends, to ensure its ongoing suitability and effectiveness.