Complaints have been streaming in from members of the United National Transport Union (UNTU)) about the total lack of or inadequate implementation of measures to combat the spreading of COVID-19 at the operational levels of Transnet and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA).
John Pereira, Acting General Secretary of UNTU, says operational employees nationwide felt that their safety was neglected by their employers who only looked after the interest of staff in office buildings where management were also exposed.
Although both PRASA and Transnet continued with operations, UNTU were informed that national treasury had relaxed procurement measures and increased petty cash to ensure that SOE’s could buy protective gear like facial masks, hand sanitizer and gloves wherever they could find some.
There is a shortage of these items nationwide since COVID-19 was reported in South Africa and spread like a wildfire through-out the country.
According to Pereira employees only have Section 8 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993) that prescribes the ”General duties of employers to their employees”.
“Section 8 (1) clearly stipulates that the employer is obligated to provide and maintain a workplace that is safe and without risk to the health of their employees.”
On 17 March the Department of Employment and Labour issued guidelines for employers to deal with COVID-19 in accordance with the Act.
The Department advised employers to “go back to basics” by conducting hazard identification and risk assessment to determine the level of risk exposure and communicate to all workers.
These guidelines place a need for employers to implement the following:-
• Engineering controls – isolating employees from work-related hazards, installing high-efficiency air filters, increasing ventilation rates in the work environment and installing physical barriers such as face shields to provide ventilation.
• Administrative controls – these controls require action by the employee and employer. Examples of administrative controls include: encouraging sick workers to stay at home; minimizing contact amongst workers, clients and customers by replacing face-to-face meetings with virtual communications e.g. conference calls, Skype, etc.; minimising the number of workers on site at any given time e.g. rotation or shift work; discontinuing non-essential local and international travel; regularly check travel advice from the Department of Health at www.health.gov.za ; developing emergency communications plans, including a task team for answering workers’ concerns and internet-based communications, if feasible, providing workers with up-to-date education and training on COVID-19 risk factors and protective behaviours (e.g. cough etiquette and care of PPE); training workers who need to use protective clothing and equipment on how to put it on, use/wear it and take it off correctly, including in the context of their current and potential duties. Training material should be easy to understand and available in the appropriate language and literacy level for all workers.
• Safe Work Practices – these include procedures for safe and proper work used to reduce the duration, frequency, or intensity of exposure to a hazard. Provide resources and a work environment that promotes personal hygiene. For example, no-touch refuse bins, hand soap, alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 70 percent alcohol, disinfectants, and disposable towels for workers to clean their hands and their work surfaces, regular hand washing or using of alcohol-based hand rubs, and display handwashing signs in restrooms.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – while engineering and administrative controls are considered more effective in minimizing exposure to SARS-CoV-2, PPE may also be needed to prevent certain exposures. Examples of PPE include gloves, goggles, face shields, face masks, gowns, aprons, coats, overalls, hair and shoe covers and respiratory protection, when appropriate. Employers should check the NICD website regularly for updates about recommended PPE.
According to a statement from the department additional guidance may be needed as COVID-19 outbreak conditions change.
Pereira said areas of great concern for UNTU included:
• the engineering depots of both PRASA and Transnet. “The PRASA Germiston Electrical Depot for example have not yet received any gloves, masks or hand sanitizer. The PRASA Pretoria Electrical Department only obtained two boxes of masks that they can use for eight hours. This means they will have nothing left by Monday 23 March 2020.”
• Train crews and yard officials of both SOE’s complained they have not yet received anything to protect them and to improve hygiene. “Today Transnet Depots Heidelberg, Leeuhof in Johannesburg, Polokwane and Sishen confirmed they got nothing.
• In the case of PRASA train crews in KwaZulu-Natal and in Cape Town threatened to remain in their rest rooms until protective gear have been provided. “To date nothing came of promises to sanitize train coaches several times during the day, they did not receive anything to sanitize their hands or the train cabins. On the customer services side commuters complained that they can’t hear them if they wear facial masks and the mobile ticket machines continuously required a fingerprint, so gloves had to be removed,” says Pereira.
• In the port’s environment UNTU received complaints that managers refused to allow staff working on desktops to work shifts to minimize the risks at the office and those working in the ports received sanitizer, but not gloves or facial masks.
Pereira appealed to UNTU members to continue raising their concerns with their UNTU trade union representatives and UNTU Branch Structure.
“If the situation is not addressed, please report your concern/s to enquiries@untu.co.za or send a WhatsApp to 082 463 6806 for your concerns to be addressed by the UNTU Secretariat.
UNTU will keep a paper trail to ensure that the issue is addressed,” says Pereira.
Issued on behalf of UNTU by Sonja Carstens: Deputy-General Secretary: Media, Liaison, and Communication. For UNTU press releases phone 082 463 6806 or e-mail sonja@untu.co.za
COMPLAINTS STREAMING IN ABOUT RESPONSES OF STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES TO COVID-19 ON OPERATIONAL LEVEL
