COVID-19: GUIDELINE FOR A MANDATORY CODE OF PRACTICE PUBLISHED
Notice Title: Guideline for a Mandatory Code of Practice on the Mitigation and Management of COVID-19 outbreak
Government Gazette Notice: GN 280 in GG 43335 of 18 May 2020
Effective date: 25 May 2020
The Chief Inspector of Mines published a Guideline for the compilation of a Mandatory Code of Practice (“COP”) for the Mitigation and Management of COVID-19 (“the Guideline”) on 18 May 2020. The Guideline was published under section 49(6) of the Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (“MHSA”) after consultation with the Mine Health and Safety Council. The purpose of the Guideline is to assist employers, as far as reasonably practicable, to establish and maintain a COVID-19 prevention, mitigation and management programme at mines. For a copy of the COP click here.
The Guideline applies to all mines and employees that might be exposed to COVID-19 in the performance of their duties. The aim of the Guideline is to ensure that mine employees returning to work and any other person/s at mines, are protected from transmission of COVID-19 at the workplace, and where reasonably practicable, in the community, whilst providing guidance to all stakeholders regarding their roles and responsibilities in the management of COVID-19 outbreak.
The Guideline sets out the following key elements to be addressed in the Mandatory COP:
- Risk assessment and review;
- Start-up and on-going procedure for mines;
- COVID-19 Management Programme;
- Monitoring and reporting; and
- Compensation for occupationally acquired COVID-19.
How to ensure compliance at my operation?
All mining operations are required to prepare and implement a new Mandatory COP in compliance with this guideline by 25 May 2020. Failure to do so constitutes a criminal offence in terms of the MHSA.
How can Shangoni assist with compliance?
Our SHE team can assist your operation with the development of the Mandatory COP for the Mitigation and Management of COVID-19 and to ensure that such is aligned with operational practices. Furthermore, we can assist with:
- COVID-19 Risk Assessments (workplace and employee risk screening);
- COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures;
- COVID-19 Toolkits;
- COVID-19 Compliance Audits; and
- Setting of effective mitigation strategies.
For more information or assistance please contact Gert van der Waal at 0844552525/ Gert@shangoni.co.za or Corrie Potgieter at 012 807 1014/ Corrie@shangoni.co.za.
