Abstract
BackgroundDespite the available research findings, recommendations and the South African Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) (Act 85 of 1993), there are still challenges with regard to the implementation of selected sections and regulations of the OHSA. This is evidenced by the occupational injuries and illness claims registered with the compensation fund (South Africa, Department of Labour 1993).ObjectivesTo determine the extent to which the OHSA was implemented at an academic hospital in Johannesburg, from the senior professional nurses and nursing managers’ perspective, and to describe recommendations in order to facilitate the implementation of the Act.MethodsA contextual, quantitative, exploratory and descriptive survey was conducted. A purposive sampling method was used to select the participants that met the inclusion criteria. A structured Likert-scale questionnaire was used to collect data (Brink 2011). Stata version 12 was used to analyse the data. Cronbach’s alpha, with a cut-off point of 0.7 was used to test for internal consistency. Ethical considerations were strictly adhered to. Results are presented in the form of graphs, frequency distributions and tables.ResultsThe study revealed that overall there is 93.3% non-implementation of the selected sections and regulations of the OHSA. These results have serious implications on the health and safety of employees in the workplace.ConclusionThe study recommends that the replication of the study should be conducted in order to determine the extent of implementation of the selected sections and regulations of the OHSA in other government institutions.
Highlights
Introduction and rationaleAccording to the International Labour Organization (2003), occupational health and safety is defined as a discipline with a broad scope involving many specialised fields such as the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the prevention amongst workers of adverse effects on health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of workers in an occupational environment adapted to their physical and mental needs; and the adaptation of work
The study recommends that the replication of the study should be conducted in order to determine the extent of implementation of the selected sections and regulations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) in other government institutions
Sub-theme 1.1: Provision of emergency escape exists with clearly visible signage The study revealed that 49% (n = 62) of the participants indicated that emergency exit escape routes were not or rarely free from obstacles
Summary
Introduction and rationaleAccording to the International Labour Organization (2003), occupational health and safety is defined as a discipline with a broad scope involving many specialised fields such as the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the prevention amongst workers of adverse effects on health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of workers in an occupational environment adapted to their physical and mental needs; and the adaptation of work. It is estimated that every year two million needlestick injuries occur in health-care workers worldwide (World Health Organization 2002) This is supported by Wicker et al (2008), who indicated that 350 million people suffer from chronic HBV infection worldwide; 125 million people are infected with HCV and 33 million with HIV, making viral hepatitis and HIV two of the world’s greatest infectious disease in the workplace. Despite the available research findings, recommendations and the South African Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) (Act 85 of 1993), there are still challenges with regard to the implementation of selected sections and regulations of the OHSA. This is evidenced by the occupational injuries and illness claims registered with the compensation fund (South Africa, Department of Labour 1993)
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