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After months of delays and several postponements, the M1 Grayston Bridge inquiry resumed on Tuesday 26 September – only to be postponed promptly once again. In the weeks prior to the resumption, the Department of Labour’s Teboho Thejane said, ‘Families that have been waiting to hear all the arguments so that they can put this matter to rest, to hear what has happened and if there are any people that are responsible for this. But at this point… we’re waiting to hear the arguments.’

In the week that ended on the 9^th of June, South Africans were just recovering from the devastation left by the massive storm in the Cape, when they were confronted with the news that Knysna – and pretty much all of Knysna – was burning. At the time of writing this story, seven people have died, including a farmworker, his pregnant wife and toddler son, with 10 000 people having been evacuated from their homes and taken to safety.

During the second week of May, 2017, a gas explosion occurred at the disused Eland mine shaft at Harmony Gold near Welkom. Police have retrieved the bodies of 25 illegal miners, with the surviving 11 arrested upon surfacing aboveground. 

Why is there an increase of this illegal activity? What are the conditions on unused mines that makes it easy for unauthorised people to enter? Have mining companies been derelict in their duties? Let’s take a look.  

If you say something often enough, whether or not there is any truth in that statement, it somehow becomes fact. There is also always the risk of repeating something that may have once been true, but as a result of developments and research no longer actually applies. The best thing to do is investigate anything you aren’t sure of, accessing reputable sources for confirmation. Be sure to stay in touch with (or belong to) industry organisations that will help you stay current with goings on in your sector.

Today we further unpack the differences between King IV and King III. So let’s dive in.

A quick recap

As discussed in What are the key features of King IV?, the application or adoption of the principles is assumed in King IV.

 The fundamental philosophy and concepts of King III won’t change, so companies will therefore continue following King III as it stands. King IV will also aim to be simpler, and easier to interpret and access. One of the ways to achieve this will be by clearly differentiating principles from practice recommendations. Principles will be stated as higher order objectives.

Staying healthy and safe at work is important. But sometimes, we are so preoccupied with each area’s specific safety concerns that we forget safety begins simply, and becomes more detailed as you become more focused. You need to build a solid safety foundation from which you can build your whole health and safety programme. In this way, it is much easier to assess on a regular basis whether you are still compliant with SHE legislation.

No matter your job role, follow these 10 golden rules and reduce your risks of injury and illness at work. 

Rule #1: Understand the risks 

Once you know the particular hazards of your job or workplace, you can take proactive steps to reduce your risk of work-related injury or illness. Essentially, being informed about all possible risks makes you more informed about the precautions you’ll need to take.

Once again, we are happy to announce another successful week at NOSHCON. From the variety of presentations by leading industry experts, to the range of entertainment on offer night after night, guests were never left uninspired or unattended. For those of you who were unable to attend, here’s a taste of what delegates experienced…

Last month, we published a blog on what you should – and shouldn’t – keep in your first aid kit. The post generated a lot of feedback, both positive and negative, and raised further discussion among industry professionals. Most notable was opinion on this comment: ‘It is in fact against the law to keep any headache tablets in your workplace kit.’

This is not true – or at least, not completely untrue
In terms of General Safety Regulations 3, the first aid kit is there to provide prompt first aid treatment in the case of injury, and there is a list of minimum requirements for the contents of the box. Although there is no distinct reference to over-the-counter (OTC) medication, how do we know which is mostly safe to include in our first aid kit, and which isn’t?

Since the week of the 4th of September, an unknown number of illegal miners have been trapped at the Langlaagte disused mine shaft. Johannesburg’s oldest gold mine was cordoned off after a fire halted rescue operations. It is not clear if it is one group trapped, or a number in numerous locations, but so far three illegal miners have managed to free themselves. One eyewitness reported, "Yesterday I heard a Sotho guy say they have 51 guys in there, except our guys. I don't know (sic)."