Abstract

Background: The Constitution of South Africa indicates that all people have the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being. This right is reiterated in the Occupational Health and Safety Act 83 of 1993. However, small business owners and/or managers experience specific barriers to occupational health and safety (OHS) compliance. The study was conducted in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape provinces of South Africa, as these three provinces account for 82% of active businesses in South Africa.Objective: This article discusses barriers to OHS compliance as perceived by South African small business owners and/or managers.Method: A total of 350 small business owners and/or managers from the three above-mentioned provinces participated in a questionnaire survey, with one section focussing on barriers to OHS compliance. Participants rated 11 predetermined barriers to OHS compliance and could indicate and rate additional barriers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to report on these perceived barriers.Results: Results indicated that the perceived barriers to OHS compliance can be categorised as human and resource barriers.Conclusion: South African small business owners and/or managers experience barriers to compliance that prevent them from full compliance with OHS directives, which can be costly. Small business owners and/or managers need to take cognisance of applicable OHS directives as well as identified barriers to compliance. These barriers need to be addressed to allow small businesses to comply with OHS directives and to enhance the sustainability of small businesses. The question is not whether small businesses can afford OHS compliance, but if they can afford not to overcome barriers and comply.

Highlights

  • The South African National Development Plan emphasises the importance of establishing and growing small businesses

  • A homogeneous purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample for this study which limited the respondents pool according to the requirements for a small business as defined for this study This nonprobability sample was extended via the snowballing and referral technique in order to recruit qualifying respondents from the acquaintances of respondents, with the sample consisting of 350 small business owners and/or managers from three provinces in South Africa which hosted the highest number (81.8%) of active businesses

  • No particular barrier to complying with occupational health and safety (OHS) directives was rated as an extreme barrier

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Summary

Background

The Constitution of South Africa indicates that all people have the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being. This right is reiterated in the Occupational Health and Safety Act 83 of 1993. Small business owners and/or managers experience specific barriers to occupational health and safety (OHS) compliance. The study was conducted in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape provinces of South Africa, as these three provinces account for 82% of active businesses in South Africa

Objective
Conclusion
Introduction
Literature review
Ethical consideration
Not a barrier
Conclusion and implications
Data availability statement
Full Text
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