Lesson 1 of 4

Why safety matters and who is responsible

Most workplace injuries do not happen because someone wanted to get hurt. They happen on a busy day, when a floor is wet, a shortcut looks quicker, or nobody thought to say something. Safety is the habit of noticing these things and dealing with them before someone is hurt.

Why safety matters

An injury hurts the person first. It can mean pain, time off work and lost income, and it affects the family at home too. It also hurts the workplace. Work stops, goods can be damaged, other staff are shaken, and a team that is one person short works harder and faster, which can make the next accident more likely.

In a warehouse, a transport yard or a shop, the dangers are often ordinary: moving vehicles, stacked goods, wet floors, tools, heat and tired people. Ordinary dangers are easy to stop noticing. That is why safety needs to be a habit and not just a poster on the wall.

Safety is shared Three boxes side by side. The employer provides a safer workplace, explains the rules and gives training. You follow the rules and look after yourself and others. Everyone together reports problems early and speaks up when unsure. The employer Provides a safer workplace Explains the safety rules Gives training You Follow the safety rules Look after yourself Look out for others Everyone together Report problems early Speak up when unsure Help new workers Safety only works when all three do their part.
Safety is not one person's job. The employer, you and your team each have a part.

Who is responsible?

In South Africa, the law places duties on employers and on employees for health and safety at work. The main law is the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993. In plain words, an employer must work to keep the workplace as safe as is reasonably practicable, and a worker must take reasonable care of their own safety and of other people who could be affected by what they do.

This course does not list what the law requires. Rules differ from one workplace to another, and the details depend on the type of work. Always follow your own employer's safety rules. If you are not sure about a rule, ask your manager or your safety representative.

Many workplaces have a safety representative, a person who helps raise safety matters. Ask your manager who yours is.

What this means for you every day

  • Know the rules for your job. If nobody has explained them, ask.
  • Do not take shortcuts that go around a safety rule, even when you are in a hurry.
  • Do not do a task you are not trained for. Say so and ask for help.
  • Speak up. If something looks unsafe, tell someone. Caring about safety is part of the job.
Example

A storeroom floor is wet after a leaking tap. Three workers walk around it and say nothing. The fourth puts a warning sign next to it and tells the supervisor, who arranges for it to be fixed and dried. The first three did nothing wrong on purpose, but only the fourth made the place safer for the next person.

Key points
  • Injuries hurt people, families and the business.
  • The law places health and safety duties on employers and on employees. Rules differ by workplace.
  • Follow your employer's safety rules, and ask your manager or safety representative when unsure.
  • Speaking up is part of the job.