This is the version of this Government Notice as it was from 20 June 1986 to 8 September 1988. Read the latest available version.
Taxonomies
- Subject areas > Environment, Climate and Wildlife
- Subject areas > Health and Food Safety
- Subject areas > Labour and Employment
Related documents
South Africa
Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993
General Safety Regulations, 1986
Government Notice R1031 of 1986
- Published in Government Gazette 10252 on 30 May 1986
- Commenced on 30 May 1986
- [This is the version of this document as it was from 20 June 1986 to 8 September 1988.]
- [Amended by General Safety Regulations: Amendment (Government Notice R433 of 1986) on 20 June 1986]
1. Definitions
In these regulations “the Act” means the Machinery and Occupational Safety Act, 1983 (Act 6 of 1983), and any expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Act shall have the meaning so assigned and, unless the context indicates otherwise—“building work” means building work as defined in the General Administrative Regulations published under Government Notice R. 2206 of 5 October 1984;“confined space” means an enclosed, restricted or limited space in which, because of its construction, location or contents, or any work activity carried on therein, a hazardous substance may accumulate or an oxygen-deficient atmosphere may occur, and includes any chamber, tunnel, pipe, pit, sewer, container, valve, pump, sump, or similar construction, equipment, machinery or object in which a dangerous liquid or a dangerous concentration of gas, vapour, dust or fumes may be present;“fire-resistance” means the minimum period for which a building element or component will comply with the requirements for stability, integrity and insulation when tested in accordance with SABS 0177: Part II;“flammable liquid” means any liquid which produces a vapour that forms an explosive mixture with air, and includes any liquid with a closed-cup flash-point of less than 55 °C;“high-risk substance” means a substance listed in the Schedule to the General Administrative Regulations published under Government Notice R. 2206 of 5 October 1984, as amended from time to time;“SABS 0177: Part II” means the South African Bureau of Standards’ code of practice entitled Fire Resistance Test For Building Elements, SABS 0177: Part II—1981.2. Personal safety equipment and facilities
3. Emergency equipment, medicine and first aid
4. Use and storage of flammable liquids
5. Work in confined spaces
6. Work in elevated positions
No employer shall require or permit any person to work in an elevated position, and no person shall work in an elevated position, unless such work is performed safely from a ladder or scaffolding, or from a position where such person has been made as safe as if he were working from scaffolding.7. Working in danger of engulfment
No employer shall require or permit any person to, and no person shall, enter any place from or into which solid or particulate material is being discharged where a danger exists of a person being engulfed by such solid or particulate material, unless—8. Stacking of articles
9. Welding, flame cutting, soldering and similar operations
10. Operating trains
11. Supervision of building work
12. Roof work
Every employer shall provide, and cause to be used, suitable roof-ladders or duck-boards or crawling-boards for persons required to work on any roof that has an unsafe pitch or surface, or that is covered or is to be covered with material through which a person could fall: Provided that suitable safety belts attached to the structure or any similar effective equipment may be used in place of roof-ladders, duck-boards or crawling-boards on pitched roofs covered with non-fragile material.13. Demolition and excavation
Every employer who performs building work shall, with respect to any such work in connection with the demolition of a structure or the making of an excavation—14. Offences and penalties
Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of regulation 2(1), 2(2) [read with 2(3)], 2(4), 2(5), 2(6), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8(1), 8(2), 8(3), 8(4), 9, 10(1), 10(2), 10(3), 10(4), 11(1), 12 or 13 shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding R1 000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months and, in the case of a continuous offence, to an additional fine of R5 for each day on which the offence continues or to additional imprisonment of one day for each day on which the offence continues: Provided that the period of such additional imprisonment shall in no case exceed 90 days.15. Withdrawal of regulations
The following regulations are hereby repealed:16. Short title
These regulations shall be called the General Safety Regulations.History of this document
18 July 2003 amendment not yet applied
Amended by
General Safety Regulations: Amendment
25 June 2003 amendment not yet applied
Amended by
General Safety Regulations: Amendment
20 November 1992 amendment not yet applied
Amended by
General Safety Regulations: Amendment
07 August 1992 amendment not yet applied
Amended by
General Safety Regulations: Amendment
09 September 1988
20 June 1986 this version
Amended by
General Safety Regulations: Amendment