Occupational health and safety : a compliance management framework for small businesses in South Africa

Abstract

This study focused on occupational health and safety in South African small businesses. The owners/managers of small businesses have a moral, legal and financial obligation to ensure the health and safety of their employees. Both an international and South African perspective on occupational health and safety in small businesses are included in the literature study. Twelve core occupational health and safety criteria, developed specifically with regard to small businesses, were identified and used as basis for this study, in conjunction with the aspects of the theory of planned behaviour. The research design of this study included a positivistic research philosophy and a deductive research approach. A questionnaire was developed and used to determine the knowledge, attitude, behavioural intent and actual behaviour of South African small business owners/managers with regard to occupational health and safety in their businesses. In addition, barriers to occupational health and safety compliance were determined and tested to determine the perceived strength of these barriers. South African small business owners/managers completed the questionnaire for this study. It was determined that the knowledge, attitude, behavioural intent and actual behaviour of South African small business owners/managers related to occupational health and safety were not at optimum levels. Barriers to compliance should be reduced. Legal compliance issues comprise one of the main reasons why South African small businesses fail. Therefore, this study proposes a compliance management framework, based on applicable occupational health and safety legislation that encompasses moral, legal and financial contentions. The identified core occupational health and safety criteria were used as sections in the compliance management framework. This proposed compliance management framework aims to reduce the complexity of occupational health and safety legislation for South African small business owners/managers.

Ngudo heyi yo sedza kha tsireledzo na mutakalo mushumoni kha mabindu maṱuku Afrika Tshipembe. Vhalanguli/vhaṋe vha mabindu maṱuku vha na pfanelo ya vhuḓilisi, mulayo na masheleni u khwaṱhisedza tsireledzo na mutakalo kha vhashumi vhavho. Vhuvhili hazwo mbonalo ya lushaka na ya dzitshaka nga ha tsireledzo na mutakalo mushumoni kha mabindu maṱuku zwo katelwa kha ngudo dza maṅwalwa. Nḓila khulwane dza fumimbili dza tsireledzo na mutakalo mushumoni, dzo bveledzwaho nga maanḓa hu tshi itelwa mabindu maṱuku, dzo topolwa na u shumiswa sa mutheo kha ngudo heyi, zwo ṱanganyiswa na zwiteṅwa zwa thiori ya vhuḓifari ho dzudzanywaho. Nyolo ya kuitele kwa ṱhoḓisiso heyi i katela fiḽosofi ya ṱhoḓisiso ine ya khwaṱhisedza nga u sedza hu tshi shumiswa kuitele kwa ṱhoḓisiso kwa u ṋea zwiitisi. Mbudzisambekanywa yo bveledziswa na u shumiswa u ta nḓivho, vhuvha, vhuḓifari vhune ha khou lavhelelwa na vhuḓifari ha vhukuma ha vhaṋe/vhalanguli vha mabindu maṱuku Afrika Tshipembe zwi tshi ḓa kha tsireledzo na mutakalo mushumoni mabinduni avho. U ḓadzisa kha zwenezwo, zwithivheli kha u tevhedza tsireledzo na mutakalo mushumoni zwo tiwa na u lingwa u ta maanḓa o vhonwaho kha zwithivheli izwi. Vhaṋe/vhalanguli vha mabindu maṱuku Afrika Tshipembe vho fhindula mbudzisambekanywa kha ngudo heyi. Ho waniwa uri nḓivho, vhuvha, vhuḓifari vhune ha khou lavhelela na vhuḓifari ha vhukuma ha vhaṋe/vhalanguli vha mabindu maṱuku Afrika Tshipembe zwi tshi ḓa kha tsireledzo na mutakalo mushumoni zwo vha zwi si kha ḽeveḽe dza nṱhesa. Mafhungo a u tevhedza lwa mulayo tsho vha tshiṅwe tsha zwiitisi zwihulwane uri ndingani mabindu maṱuku a Afrika Tshipembe a tshi khou kundelwa. Nga zwenezwo, ngudo heyi yo dzinginya furemiweke ya ndangulo ya u tevhedza, zwo ḓi sendeka kha mulayo wo teaho wa tsireledzo na mutakalo mushumoni une wa katela therisano dza vhuḓilisi, mulayo na masheleni. Nḓila khulwane dzo topolwaho dza tsireledzo na mutakalo mushumoni dzo shumiswa sa khethekanyo kha u tevhedza furemiweke ya ndangulo. Heyi furemiweke ya ndangulo ya u tevhedza yo dzinginywaho yo livhiswa kha u fhungudza vhukonḓi ha mulayo wa tsireledzo na mutakalo mushumoni kha vhaṋe/vhalanguli vha mabindu maṱuku Afrika Tshipembe.

Lolu cwaningo lugxile kwezempilo nokuphepha emsebenzini emabhizinisini amancane aseNingizimu Afrika. Abanikazi / abaphathi bamabhizinisi amancane banesibopho sokuziphatha, sezomthetho kanye nezezezimali sokuqinisekisa impilo nokuphepha kwabasebenzi babo. Kokubili umbono wamazwe omhlaba nowaseNingizimu Afrika ngempilo nokuphepha emsebenzini emabhizinisini amancane kufakiwe esifundweni semibhalo. Izimiso eziyishumi nambili eziyisisekelo zezempilo nokuphepha emsebenzini, ezithuthukisiwe ngokukhethekile maqondana namabhizinisi amancane, zahlonzwa futhi zasetshenziswa njengesisekelo salolu cwaningo, ngokuhlangana nezici zomqondo wokuziphatha okuhleliwe. Ukwakheka kocwaningo kwalesi sifundo kubandakanye isimo esiyisisekelo solwazi, iqiniso nokuba khona (ifilosofi) kokucwaninga okuhle kanye nendlela yocwaningo yokuthuthukisa umbono ngokuya komqondo osukhona. Kwenziwa uhlu lwemibuzo futhi lwasetshenziswa ukuthola ulwazi, isimo sengqondo, inhloso yokuziphatha nokuziphatha kwangempela kwabaninimabhizinisi / abaphathi bamabhizinisi amancane aseNingizimu Afrika maqondana nempilo nokuphepha emsebenzini emabhizinisini abo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izithiyo ekuthobeleni ezempilo nokuphepha emsebenzini zanqunywa futhi zahlolwa ukuthola amandla abonwayo alezi zithiyo. Abanikazi bamabhizinisi amancane / abaphathi baseNingizimu Afrika bagcwalise uhlu lwemibuzo kulolu cwaningo. Kwanqunywa ukuthi ulwazi, isimo sengqondo, inhloso yokuziphatha nokuziphatha kwangempela kwabaninimabhizinisi / abaphathi bamabhizinisi amancane aseNingizimu Afrika ahlobene nempilo nokuphepha emsebenzini bekungekho ezingeni elifanele. Izithiyo ekuthobeleni kufanele zinciphiswe. Izinkinga zokuthobela komthetho ziqukethe esinye sezizathu ezisemqoka zokuthi kungani amabhizinisi amancane aseNingizimu Afrika ehluleka. Ngakho-ke, lolu cwaningo luphakamisa uhlaka lokuthobela kokuphathwa, olususelwa kumthetho osebenzayo wezempilo nokuphepha emsebenzini obandakanya imibango yokuziphatha, yezomthetho neyezezimali. Izimiso ezisemqoka ezikhonjiwe kwezempilo nokuphepha emsebenzini zisetshenziswe njengezigaba zohlaka lokuthobela kokuphathwa. Lolu hlaka oluhlongozwayo lokuthobela kokuphathwa luhlose ukunciphisa ubunzima bemithetho yezempilo nokuphepha emsebenzini yabaninimabhizinisi / abaphathi bamabhizinisi amancane aseNingizimu Afrika.

Boithuto bona bo ne bo shebane le polokeho le bophelo bo botle dikgwebong tse nyane Afrika Borwa. Beng ba/baokamedi ba dikgwebo tse nyane ba na le boikarabello ba boitshwaro, molao le ditjhelete ba ho netefatsa polokeho le bophelo bo botle ba basebeletsi ba bona. Boithuto ba dingolwa bo kenyelleditswe bobedi tjhebo ya matjhaba le ya Afrika Borwa mabapi le polokeho le bophelo bo botle mosebetsing ho dikgwebo tse nyane. Ho hlwailwe le ho sebediswa ditlhophiso tse leshome le metso e mmedi tsa motheo tsa polokeho le bophelo bo botle mosebetsing, tse thehilweng ka ho qolleha bakeng sa dikgwebo tse nyane jwalo ka motheo wa boithuto bona, hammoho le dikarolo tsa thiori ya boitshwaro bo rerilweng. Moralo wa patlisiso wa boithuto bona o ne o akarelletsa filosofi ya dipatlisiso tse senang leeme le katamelo ya dipatlisiso e etsang diteko ho fumana na thiori e itseng ke nnete kapa tjhe maemong a itseng. Ho ile ha hlahiswa le ho sebediswa letoto la dipotso ho fumana tsebo, maikutlo le maikemisetso a boitshwaro le boitshwaro ba nnete ba beng ba/baokamedi ba dikgwebo tse nyane ba maAfrika Borwa mabapi le polokeho le bophelo bo botle dikgwebong tsa bona. Ho feta moo, dithibedi tsa tatello ya melawana ya polokeho le bophelo bo botle mosebetsing di ile tsa fumanwa le ho etswa diteko ho bona matla ao ho dumelwang hore dithebedi tsena di na le ona. Beng ba/baokamedi ba dikgwebo tse nyane ba maAfrika Borwa ba ile ba tlatsa letoto la dipotso bakeng sa boithuto bona. Ho ile ha fumanwa hore tsebo, maikutlo le maikemisetso a boitshwaro le boitshwaro ba nnete ba beng ba/baokamedi ba dikgwebo tse nyane ba maAfrika Borwa mabapi le polokeho le bophelo bo botle mosebetsing ha di maemong a matle. Dithibedi tsa tatelo di lokela ho fokotswa. Mathata a tatelo ya semolao ke a mang a mabaka a sehlooho ao ka ona dikgwebo tse nyane tsa Afrika Borwa di hlolehang. Kahoo, boithuto bona bo sisinya boteng ba moralo wa tsamaiso ya tatelo, o thehilweng hodima melao e amehang ya polokeho le bophelo bo botle mosebetsing o kenyelletsang mehopolo ya boitshwaro, molao le ditjhelete. Ditlhophiso tse hlwailweng tsa motheo tsa polokeho le bophelo bo botle mosebetsing di sebedisitswe jwalo ka dikarolo moralong wa tsamaiso ya tatelo. Moralo ona o sisintsweng wa tsamaiso ya tatelo o ikemiseditse ho nolofatsa molao wa polokeho le bophelo bo botle mosebetsing bakeng sa beng ba/baokamedi ba dikgwebo tse nyane ba maAfrika Borwa.