Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)RegulationsPhysical Agents Regulations, 202410. Heat stress |
| (1) | The employer or self-employed person must ensure that heat stress is eliminated at the source, where reasonably practicable. |
| (2) | Where the provision of subregulation (1) is not reasonably practicable and exposure is at or above the action level for heat stress as stipulated in Table 1, the employer or self-employed person must, as a minimum— |
| (a) | identify the reason why the action level was reached; and |
| (b) | review control measures to prevent the OEL from being reached. |
| (3) | Where the provision of subregulation (1) is not reasonably practicable and the employee’s exposure is at or above the OEL for heat stress as stipulated in Table 1, the employer or self-employed person must, as a minimum— |
| (a) | implement alternative working methods to reduce exposure to heat stress; |
| (b) | install plant and machinery designed to reduce the risk of heat stress, where applicable; |
| (c) | implement maintenance programmes for plant and machinery, the workplace and workplace systems; |
| (d) | review the design and layout of workplaces, workstations and rest facilities; |
| (e) | review the— |
| (i) | physical agent exposure risk assessment; |
| (ii) | physical agent exposure monitoring programme; |
| (iii) | medical screening; |
| (iv) | medical surveillance programme; and |
| (v) | control measures; |
| (f) | limit the duration and magnitude of exposure to heat stress; |
| (g) | subject the exposed employees to a heat acclimatisation programme; |
| (h) | provide prompt first aid treatment, specific to the adverse health effects from heat stress; |
| (i) | provide sufficient amounts of potable water for consumption at the place of work as determined by the physical agent exposure risk assessment; and |
| (k) | provide appropriate personal protective clothing and equipment, taking into account the clothing adjustment value as indicated in Table 9. |
| (3) | The physical agent exposure monitoring programme must be conducted in accordance with SANS 7243. |