No less than 16 companies and 23 individuals were recognised at the annual MAKROSAFE Health &
Safety awards ceremony which was held at the Definitive Conferencing Centre in Johannesburg, this
morning. The awards recognised companies and individuals who have gone to great lengths in the
past year to improve the health and safety of working conditions within their organisations.
South African Institute of Occupation Health & Safety President Robin Jones was delighted to see the
marks each companies and individual had scored, “I am very happy to see, and to be able to say, that
each winner achieved top marks.”
Jones said it is important that recognition is created for those who go beyond the call of duty to ensure health and safety at their workplaces. “Occupational health and safety should be ensured without being scared.
Employees feeling safe at work believe they are being recognised and respected by their employer and will be happy to work. Happy employees lead to more productivity
so ultimately it is a win-win situation for both employers and employees when workplaces are
healthy and safe.”
MAKROSAFE Managing Director Leon van der Walt expressed similar sentiments. “All we hear about
in the news is the big incidents where people get injured or even lose their lives. However, health
and safety professionals strive hard every day to reduce the possibility of incidents from happening
and to improve health and safety in the workplace. We felt it was important to acknowledge good
practice and stimulate companies and individuals to keep up the good work and even excel better.”
The importance of the upkeep of health and safety in the workplace was emphasised by Advocate
Raynard Looch. Looch is a specialist in assisting companies with health and safety related incidents.
“Many company owners tend to forget that the South African law can prosecute them in their
personal capacity when it is believed they failed to provide a safe or healthy workplace. This can
result in a criminal record if found guilty.”
All winners were determined by assessing their health and safety record between July 2013 and June
2014.
Renier Northmann of Fuchs Lubricants was one of the winners expressing his joy with the
recognition. “It is a recognition that is important to our company. Health and safety is not a one-day
event but a culture that we strive to implement continuously. This award is recognition of our effort
and confirms that our hard work pays off.”
For Anita Elbourne, who received an OHS Champion award, the award is the final recognition of a
long journey that has finally paid off. “For the past 18 months our company has gone from a Bronze
status to a Gold status. A good health and safety record is relatively easy to achieve, but very difficult
to maintain. Therefore it means a lot to me that I am recognised as MAKROSAFE OHS Champion.”
Apart from 15 industries winners and 23 individual winners, special recognition was given to a
company that managed to reduce the incidents significantly. This award, introduced for the first
time, was scooped by Kusela Security (Pty) Ltd from Kwa-Zulu Natal. “Their achievement deserves all
praise and should be an example to the industry and to the South African society at large,” Leon van
der Walt said.
“Kusela Security (PTY) Ltd reduced the number of incidents reported by 75% while the total days lost
was reduced from 135 to only 9,” Van der Walt adds.
Apart from the various winners, the event was also attended by representatives of over 50
companies.
Entry for the 2015 awards is open already and will close on 30 June 2015.
Ensuring a safe workplace
MAKROSAFE Hodlings
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