Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs

In line with Section 63 of the Factories Act of 1973, factories and other locations making use of plant machinery must keep a general register. The general register must contain the various certificates, documentation and information prescribed by the Factories Act.

Operators who do not adhere to this standard are liable for a fine. Operators must keep the official report on the same premises as the equipment in question and it must be made available to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) personnel for inspection at any time.

The service handles situations where any accident occurs in a factory or other places or process or operation to which the provision of the Factories Act apply; whereby;

• Loss of life is caused to a person employed in that factory
• Any person is disabled for more than three days from earning full wage at the work at which he was employed; or which is the one of the classes of dangerous occurrences specified in the Act, written notice of the accident in the prescribed form and accompanied by prescribed particulars shall be forthwith be sent to the chief inspector.

Subsequent to the reporting of the accident an investigation shall be conducted immediately. The investigation will entail Interviews, Acquisition of victim and witness statements, observation, review of documents and sampling. Failure to comply with statutory requirement may lead to legal proceedings against the offender

This provides for compensation of workers for injuries suffered or occupational diseases contracted in the course of employment, or for death resulting from such injuries or diseases and for matters incidental and connected to the foregoing.

• When a worker gets injured or contracts a work related disease he or she must report the injury or the disease to his or her employer immediately or within 10 days of incurring such.
• Where a worker has given such notice the employer should have him or her examined by a medical practitioner named by the employer.
• The employer should report the injury to the Department of Labour within 17 days by completing the prescribed form (BL form 43/10)
• Application for workers compensation has to be made to the nearest Labour office within 12 months from the date the injury was incurred.

This deals with the issuance of certificates of registration for premises before they could be in operation. An offender is liable to fines, imprisonment or both. Factories as defined in the Factories Act including government factories which meet the outlined criteria qualify for this service.

Factory registration is proof that the occupier has permission to conduct the operation(s) at the location specified on the certificate.

Registration is required for premises where persons are regularly employed in any of the following activities, or similar activities for purposes of trade or gain:

• Manufacturing, altering, repairing, ornamenting, finishing, cleaning, washing, breaking up, demolition or adapting of any article for sale
• Printing by letterpress or bookbinding
• Generation of electricity
• Supply of water using mechanical power
• Sewage works using mechanical power

Premises where activities similar to the above are undertaken by the local or central government also require registration.

Steam receivers must be examined by personnel authorized by the Department of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) at least once (1) within every twenty six (26) months period. This process is intended to minimize the risk of explosions or other malfunctions possible for pressure vessels. Operators who do not adhere to this standard are liable for a fine. Operators must keep the official report, logging each inspection, on the same premises as the equipment in question and it must be made available DOHS personnel for inspection at any time.

Steam receivers must be examined by personnel authorised by the Department of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) at least once within every 26 months period. This process is intended to minimise the risk of explosions or other malfunctions possible for pressure vessels.  As steam boilers and air receivers operate under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, this inspection is therefore deemed important.

Operators must keep the official report, logging each inspection, on the same premises as the equipment in question and it must be made available to DOHS personnel for inspection at any time.