What is a safety file?

A ‘ Safety File’ is a record of information focusing on the management of health and safety on construction sites for contractors and sub-contractors. It protects the employer from criminal liability and proves compliance to the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations.

What does the South African LAW say about a Health and  Safety File?

Every contractor and sub-contractor is required by the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 and the Construction Regulations 2014, to have a Health and Safety File that must be available at all times. The Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 and Construction Regulations 2014 state the following:

Construction Regulation 5(1)(s) – The client must ensure that health and safety file contemplated in regulation 7(1)(b) is kept and maintained by the principal  contractor;
Construction Regulation 7(1)(b) –A principal  contractor must open and keep on site a health and safety file which must include all documentation required in terms of the Act and these Regulations, which must be made available on request to an inspector, the client, the client’s agent or a contractor.
The Health and Safety File must be maintained by the site safety personnel and audited by a competent person.

Our Health and Safety  Files

• We supply  files to comply with new CONSTRUCTION REGULATIONS 2014.
• Our   file will be compiled according to the contractors scope of work and the clients health and safety specifications.
• The  file contains all legal documentation, including legal appointments, registers, toolbox talks, etc.
• Our consultants will assist implementation  on site  and explain how to maintain it.
• We will draft a site specific Health and Safety Plan, we will ensure that the Client approves the plan and will assist the contractor if any changes are required.

• We deliver  solutions  for :

• Construction
• Mining
• Engineering
• Telecommunication
• Transport
• and all other industries

What do we include in your Health and Safety File?

Every  Safety File is ‘site specific’. It will be compiled in accordance with the client’s and the site’s safety specifications. The overall information requirements remain the same, and the site specific documents will be added. When we setup your file, it will consist of the following Documents:

• Contractor appointment letter. (Construction Regulation 5(5)(k) or 7(1)(v)
• 37(2) Agreement between client and contractor
• Notification of Construction Work- we will submit the document to DOL
• Copy of the OHS Act and Regulations.
• Construction Work Permit.
• Company Occupational Health and Safety Policy
• Letter of Good Standing ,Public Liability Insurance, Tax Clearance  and other documents.
• Material Safety Data Sheets for hazardous materials used (if required)
• Risk Assessments- baseline and task specific
• Safe work procedures (Site Specific)
• Fall Protection plan-IWH Registered person will compile the FPP.
• Legal appointment with proof of training – all which is applicable to your scope of work.
• Incident reporting  and investigation procedures and documents.
• Incident reports (General Administrative Regulation 9 (3) – Annexure 1)
• Emergency preparedness documents
• First aid documents- dressing records and registers.
• Induction records- company induction as well as client induction .
• Medical surveillance records- annexure 3 medicals.
• Safety communication (e.g. Toolbox talks)
• Health and Safety Plan- task and site specific
• Company Policies and Procedures – e.g HIV Policy,Substance Abuse Policy  and Waste Management Plan
• Registers (task and site specific, e.g. Confined space, PPE issue, hand tools etc.)
• Minutes of safety meetings
• Audit  reports- internal and client audits
• Inspection registers
• Searching for answers and guessing which of the safety regulations are relevant to your business can keep you busy for a very long time. There are templates that you need, but there are so many and you don’t know which ones are correct. You are not sure what safety topics to use in your Tool Box Talks and how often you should do them. You simply don’t have the time and you have more important things to attend to.We will worry about your  file while you worry about your business- we have all the knowledge and experience .
• Read more on our Blog