Asbestos is a fibrous form of naturally occurring silicate mineral. Asbestos can present a serious health risk to employee’s occupants and even members of the public. Conjugate Engineering conducts surveys in order to identify and locate asbestos.

The use of asbestos has been banned in South Africa due to the high incidence of occupational disease resulting from the inhalation of fibres. Very strict procedures have been laid down in the Asbestos Abatement Regulation regarding the handling of asbestos and asbestos-containing material An asbestos risk assessment needs to be performed to determine the risk associated with exposures. One an assessment has been made and risks are calculated the employer must introduce a formal measurement program to establish the airborne concentration of asbestos in a particular workplace when there is a possibility that workers could be exposed to airborne asbestos in excess of half the Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) – 0.2/2 = 0,1 regulated fibre per millilitre. Representative Samples must be taken on an annual basis.

Compliance Requirements:

• Occupational Health, and Safety Act, Act No. 85 of 1993 (in accordance with the Asbestos Abatement Regulation, 2020)

Sampling Methodology:

• HSG 248 Asbestos: The Analysts’ Guide for Sampling, Analysis and Clearance Procedures
• HSG 173 (Monitoring strategies for toxic substances), NIOSH NMAM

Legal references: 

• • Occupational Health and Safety Act, Act No 85 of 1993
  • HSG 248 Asbestos: The Analysts’ Guide for Sampling, Analysis and Clearance Procedures
  • HSG 173 (Monitoring strategies for toxic substances)
  • NIOSH NMAM

Asbestos Services for Asbestos Inventory:

If any Asbestos that forms part of the structure of a workplace, building plant or premises The employer must take reasonable steps to determine the location of asbestos in the workplace, buildings, plant or premises for the purposes of managing the potential risk associated with such materials.

An inventory of the asbestos must be made, ideally with the help of health and safety representatives, or at least made available to the health and safety representatives for comment. The condition of the material and the risk associated with it must be assessed and a management plan developed. Any employee likely to be exposed must be fully informed of the risk, procedures and work practices necessary to prevent exposure.

Work Plan Development and Notifications to DoL.

If you as an employer would like to remove asbestos-containing material from your premises the following procedures need to be pursued:

The regulation entitled demolition deals with work with asbestos under specialized circumstances.
The legislator cannot provide for such non-routine situations and therefore the employer must provide his own procedures.

Asbestos plan of work must be submitted to an (Approved Inspection Authority) AIA for approval. The plan of work becomes an independent document and supplements specific requirements of the Asbestos Abatement Regulation, 2020. These plans of work may adopt different exposure limits, monitoring procedures, methods of control and any other aspect which the AIA decides is appropriate for the carrying out of the particular ‘demolition work’ that is approved by the AIA. The procedures contained in the plan of work approved by the AIA are legally enforceable. All plans of work need to be submitted to an AIA 30 days prior to the commencement of work. Once the AIA has signed the plan of work, a copy of the plan needs to be submitted to the provincial director 14 days prior to the commencement of work.

Only registered asbestos contractors may carry out demolition work. Only approved companies may dispose of asbestos in the correct manner.

Refers to the quality of air relating to health and comfort of occupants. Poor air quality can result in serious health effects such as sick building syndrome.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a term referring to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants.

IAQ can be affected by microbial contaminants (mould, bacteria), gases (including carbon monoxide, radon, volatile organic compounds), particulates, or any mass or energy stressor that can induce adverse health conditions. Indoor air is becoming an increasingly more concerning health hazard than outdoor air. Using ventilation to dilute contaminants, filtration, and source control are the primary methods for improving indoor air quality in most buildings.

The determination of IAQ involves the collection of air samples, monitoring human exposure to pollutants, the collection of samples on building surfaces and computer modelling of air flow inside buildings.

Although no South African legislation and methodology exists for the monitoring of contaminants to determine indoor air quality, the following international standards are commonly used when performing these assessments:

Compliance requirements:
Occupational Health, and Safety Act, Act No. 85 of 1993

Sampling Methodology:
ASHRAE Standard 62 – “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
ASHRAE Standard 55 – “Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy.

Legal references:
Occupational Health and Safety Act, Act No 85 of 1993
Environmental Regulations for Workplaces – Section 2
ASHRAE Standard 62 – “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
ASHRAE Standard 55 – “Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy

Ergonomics is the science of designing a user’s interaction with equipment and workplaces to fit the user.  The proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries, which can develop over time and lead to long-term disability.

The International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as follows:

Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific or discipline concerned with understanding human interactions and other system elements.  The profession applies theory, principles, data, and design methods to optimise human well-being and overall system performance.

Ergonomics’ main two goals are a) health and b) productivity.  This is relevant in the design, for example, safe furniture and easy-to-use interfaces with machinery.

Health effects of poor ergonomics in the workplace can result in the development of musculoskeletal disorders:

• Carpel Tunnel Syndrome – this can be avoided by using better-aligned keyboards and other office tools.
• Tendonitis – finding a better fit in office equipment can help alleviate this painful disorder.
• Fatigue – something as simple as putting a glare filter on a computer screen can ease eye strain and help alleviate fatigue.

Legislation that applies to all workplaces requires an Ergonomics Risk Assessment per the Ergonomics Regulation of 2019.

According to Human Vibration: Measurement, Analysis & Assessment, 2002 vibration is defined as the oscillatory motion of a particle, body or surface from some reference position and is described by at least two quantities, one relating to the frequency, or frequency content, and the other to the amplitude of the motion.

Vibration can be classified as hand-arm or whole-body vibration. Hand-arm vibration refers to vibration entering the body at the hand and normally results from the use of vibrating tools such as a jackhammer. Whole body vibration occurs when the body is supported on a surface and is normally associated with the operation of heavy equipment, driving of vehicles, etc.

More serious vibration effects from severe or prolonged exposure to high energy vibration can cause bodily harm from which recovery is incomplete. The best-known effect is Raynaud’s disease or vibration-induced white finger, which during periodic attacks this causes numbness in the fingers and some loss of manual dexterity. This condition is aggravated by cold conditions.

Whole body vibration can cause both fatigue and irritation to motion sickness and tissue damage. The most frequently reported adverse health effects of whole-body vibration are lower back pain, early degeneration of the lumbar spinal system, and herniated lumbar discs.

Historical reactive chemical incidents demonstrate that chemical facilities could use chemically reactive materials and systems without knowing the relevant hazards posed.

Some operators are aware of relevant hazards, but fail to put in place adequate safeguards. Although controls for individual materials may be in place, the potential for major incidents exists if materials are inadvertently combined.

We focus on the handling of reactive materials and the prevention of reactive interactions, as well as data and safeguards needed to control these hazards. The importance of chemical compatibility and the use of chemical compatibility charts as a process safety tool are discussed.

Legislation that applies:

• • • Hazardous Chemical Agents
    • SANS 10228: The identification and classification of dangerous goods for transport by road and rail modes
    • SANS 10229-1: Transport of dangerous goods – Packaging and large packaging for road and rail transport Part 1: Packaging

A risk assessment is simply a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people (a hazard), so that you can weigh up (risk calculation and rating) whether you have taken enough precautions (controls) or should do more to prevent harm. Workers and the community at large have a right to be protected from harm caused by a failure to take reasonable control measures.

Accidents and ill health can ruin lives and affect your business if production is lost, machinery is damaged, insurance costs increase or you have to go to court. You are legally required to assess the risks in your workplace so you must put plans in place to control risks.

Note: Risk Assessments need to be reviewed at least every two years!

Some Legislation that applies:
OHS Act No. 85 of 1993 – Sections 8
Asbestos Abatement Regulation of 2020
Hazardous Chemical Agent Regulation, 2021
Lead Regulation of 2002 – Section 6
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Regulation of 2003 – Section 6
Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No.29 of 1996)

No employee shall work in conditions that are too cold or too hot this may cause discomfort and eventually physical problems. Surveys are conducted to ensure compliance with these requirements.

According to legislation governed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993, no employer shall require or permit an employee to work in an environment that is too cold or too hot according to time-weighted standards. This regulation is applicable to all industries where hot work is performed such as foundries, bakeries, underground mines, boiler rooms as well as industries where outdoor work is performed such as scrap yards, construction sites and railway service yards.

Cold work legislation is applicable to employees working outdoors during winter (especially during evenings) as well as areas where refrigeration is used. Thermal stress measurements should be taken during specific periods of the year: December – February and June – August for heat and cold stress respectively.

Compliance Requirements:
Occupational Health, and Safety Act, Act No. 85 of 1993

Sampling Methodology:
TWA WBGT index – ISO 7243 Estimation of the Heat Stress on Working Man, based on the WBGT-index

Legal References:
Occupational Health and Safety Act, Act no 85 of 1993
Environmental Regulations for Work Places
TWA WBGT index – ISO 7243 Estimation of the Heat Stress on Working Man, based on the WBGT-index

At present, two references two National Standards for the quality of potable water exist in South Africa. The first is the Water Services Act (Act 108 of 1997) in which clause 4 (in terms of section 9(1)(b) of Water Services Act), refers to a compulsory national standard.

The regulations relating to compulsory national standards for the quality of potable water are described in Clause 5 of the “Regulations Relating to Compulsory National Standards and Measures to Conserve Water” was gazetted on 8 June 2001 (Government Gazette 22355, 2001).

The second is the Strategic Framework for Water Services (RSA, 2003a), in which Clause 6.3.2 thereof makes reference to drinking-water quality. Both references are presented and discussed briefly below.

The standard that we use for water sampling is the SANS 0241 – National Drinking Water Standard (Physical, organoleptic and chemical requirements)