Employer and Employee perceptions on the implementation of health and safety regulations at a selected mine
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Date
2011-11
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Fort Hare
Abstract
South Africa is the largest producer of platinum. Safety in mines has and is always a concern; no matter how much is being done incidents still occur. The ability to improve the health and safety regulations is dependent on safety culture, or the norms surrounding reactions following an error, the learning that takes place, and the proactive strategies in place to prevent future errors. Effective implementation of health and safety regulations· requires an environment in which employees are empowered to make decisions about their conditions of work. Very little literature, if any, could be found on the subject particularly as it applies in platinum mining. In the light of this research, do incidents occur because health and safety regulations are not being implemented effectively or are they due to employee negligence? South African unions propose that the government should enact new health and safety regulations to compel mining companies to uphold higher safety standards and prevent avoidable mine accidents and deaths. Is this to say that current legislations -is ineffective or that there are. loopholes that must be closed. Is this a case in which employees are not well informed or are employers simply not abiding by health and safety regulations or are the health and safety regulations ineffective. The following study looked into the perception of employers and employees on the implementation of health and safety regulations at a selected platinum mine in Mpumalanga. Two instruments were distributed to the respondents. There were 153 questionnaires returned for employees as well as 22 for employers. Random sampling was utilised. The data was subjected to a number of statistical analyses including t-tests and analysis of variance on the difference in perception of the groups under study. Findings from the research indicated that even though employers and employees have a positive perception on implementation of health and safety regulations, there is still a mismatch between implementation and execution of the policies. Consequently, many suggestions are not always turned into actual action to maintain the safety and health of employees.
Description
Masters Dissertation
Keywords
Platinum mines and mining, Industrial safety, Employees
Citation
Hlatywayo,C.K.Employer and Employee perceptions on the implementation of health and safety regulations at a selected mine.Alice.University of Fort Hare.