NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCREDITATION OF FIRST AID TRAINERS
Title: Notice in direction in terms of section 27(2) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, read with regulation 3(4)(a) of the General Safety Regulations
Government Gazette Notice: GN 1198 in GG 40313 of 30 September 2016
Commencing date: 30 September 2016
In terms of Regulation 4 of the General Safety Regulations published under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 in GN R1031 of 30 May 1986, the employer must ensure that persons at work receive prompt first aid treatment in case of injury or emergency. Individuals are usually appointed as First aiders. These individuals must be in possession of a valid certificate of competency in first aid, issued by the SA Red Cross Society, the St John’s Ambulance, the SA First Aid League, or a person or organisation approved by the chief inspector for this purpose. This notice now confirms that all applications for approval from a person or organisation who wants to provide first aid training approved by the Chief Inspector will only be considered if it is accompanied by a valid accreditation certificate issued by the Health and Welfare SETA (HWSETA) established in terms of section 9 (1) of the Skills Development Act, 1998, and has been authorised by the Chief Inspector to carry out such accreditation.
Those trainers already registered with the Department of Labour, will after the promulgation of this notice, be granted 12 months to be accredited with HWSETA. All trainers who fail to register within the given period will be automatically be de-registered from the Department of Labour database and will no longer be recognized as legitimate trainers.
So what for my operation?
If your operation provides first aid training, it must be ensured that your operation is, firstly, registered with the Department of Labour as such. Secondly, your application for registration must be accompanied by accreditation by the HWSETA. If your operation is already registered with the Department of Labour, you have until 30 September 2017 to obtain accreditation with the HWSETA.
