Author:sanjay-munnoo

The dangers of alcohol abuse 14th August 2023 Alcohol significantly influences your vision and hearing, reaction time, decision-making abilities, and motor skills. According to several studies, it has been estimated that more than half of all motor vehicle accident fatalities are attributable to alcohol. This reminds me of the shocking statistics released in 2018 by the Road Traffic Management Corporation, showing that more than 134,000 people had lost their lives on South African roads over a 10-year period. According to […]

Navigating challenges 7th Jun 2023 Sadly, the recent crime statistics released by the Minister of Police indicate little improvement over the past decade. During the first three months of 2023, more than 6,200 murders and 10,500 rapes occurred in South Africa. An average of 70 murders and 116 rape cases every day in this 90-day period is outrageous. Our condolences and sympathies go out to all those affected. Amongst these cases, some murders would certainly have occurred at the workplace. […]

10 Reasons to Renew 27th Feb 2023 Renewing your Saiosh membership is the right choice: you will be part of South Africa’s largest regulatory occupational health and safety (OHS) professional body. Recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), Saiosh provides information on the latest OHS developments, and I’m pleased to announce that this year there will be no increase in membership fees. But these aren’t the only reasons to renew your membership … here are 10 benefits our members […]

Greater vigilance against risks 13th Jan 2023 The global population has now passed eight billion. Demand and supply of products and resources are increasing exponentially; an associated larger workforce and new technologies will heighten occupational risks. Hopefully, the International Labour Organization’s annual health and safety (H&S) statistics will not scale up accordingly. A combined global H&S collaboration effort could eventually lead to a gradual decline in occupational accidents and diseases. Best practice should be shared with countries that have poor […]

How does climate change influence H&S? 14th Oct 2022 I’ve been sceptical about the validity of several studies performed on pollution and its environmental impact. There’s no denying the reality, however, of extreme weather changes and destruction caused by natural disasters. Besides load shedding, many municipalities have implemented water shedding in periods of drought, after flood damage, or due to ageing infrastructure. Durban experienced severe flooding during April this year, resulting in water cuts throughout the city. A lack of […]

H&S rigour during the new normal 19th Aug 2022 Disruption coupled with innovation is the norm post-pandemic. The global economy is in complete disarray as wars, recessions, inflation, fuel prices, and food shortages escalate. South Africa also faces other unique challenges, like load shedding and the deepening unemployment crisis. Temporary or inexperienced workers may take on riskier or downright dangerous work in a desperate search for income. This could lead to serious accidents, which health and safety (H&S) can offset. […]

Returning to normal? 16th May 2022 Disruption coupled with innovation has been the norm since the start of the pandemic. Now, we are experiencing a significant easing of restrictions both locally and abroad, but are things returning to normal? I travelled to Johannesburg for the first time in two years and felt comfortable with the health and safety protocols at the airport. I expected lengthy delays from screening at checkpoints, but instead I was surprised at the efficiency. Hopefully, the […]

10 reasons to renew 8th Feb 2022 Renewing your Saiosh membership is the right choice. You will be part of South Africa’s only South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) recognised voluntary and regulatory occupational health and safety (OHS) professional body, which will constantly keep you informed and updated on the latest developments in the field of OHS. Professional registration: The South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (Saiosh) has three professional health and safety designations that are registered with SAQA […]

An extraordinary year 9th Dec 2021 Our columnist reflects on the highs, lows and heartbreaking moments of 2021, and sets his sights on the light at the end of the tunnel. Sadly, there have been more than five million deaths from Covid-19 worldwide and we are now seeing a spike of people struggling with long Covid. Our hearts go out to all of those who lost someone during this pandemic. There’s also been a devastating impact on jobs, with millions […]

Past and future of safety 18th Oct 2021 We are living through the greatest change in our lifetime, and the health and safety (H&S) profession is closely aligned to this change. We have an ageing workforce with many skilled H&S professionals who are either close to retiring or retired. What this means is that we must harness and learn from the wealth of knowledge acquired by these individuals working in different industries and locations. Over the years I have been […]