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UNTOLD WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS’

MYSTERIES

Johan van Deventer, idea of being prepared. The truth wife stepped on a Lego block, well,
Regional Manager KZN, is that if that worker cut his hand chaos reigns for two minutes and
LabourNet in an unplanned event, he lost once the dust settles, life simply
control of whatever caused the
goes on. Within a few hours the
W cut, it could have been a hundred entire episode is forgotten as the
injuries were minor as well as the
times worse!
possible offence committed by
Simply put, if an event is
orkplace unplanned, then clearly the not packing the Lego away or not
accidents severity and the exposure of that working with gloves.
and event is also unpredictable. If the answers are: serious,
incidents and a limb is severed, or a cut
are the most Herein lies the problem. When to the head requires stitches
common, something like this happens in the and there is blood everywhere,
yet most ignored source of workplace, your natural reaction well, then the situation becomes
information in the modern can be summarised in two simple much more severe and your full
working world, and I am questions. Who got hurt and attention is guaranteed. Once
desperate to get your attention how bad is it? Does that sound the initial chaos is managed, serious accident, with the same to save a life! Investigate every
and to keep it for the next few familiar? When you are at home you need to investigate and determination? I am willing to bet, accident, no matter how small.
minutes. When this reality hits and you hear your child scream, establish what happened to that in many instances, you will Create a culture of near miss
you, it will change the way you but you cannot see anything from ensure that this event does not find that there have been many reporting and analyse the data.
see your workplace forever. where you are, you ask the same happen again. not serious accidents that had If you do not know where to
questions. “Are you ok, and how
The first thing we must establish bad is it, let me see…” We launch investigations, occurred leading up to the serious start or how to manage this, call
is what an accident or incident check CCTV camera footage one. You might find that many of us. LabourNet will gladly come
really is. Have you ever thought At this point you have done and we interview potential these not serious accidents carry to assist, but do not let the sun
of that? An accident is literally exactly what we do in our risk witnesses. We scrutinise risk within them the same root causes go down before you know you
an unplanned event. Just idle assessment systems. You are assessments and analyse safe as the serious ones! have done everything possible to
there for a second. Unplanned… determining the exposure and work procedures to establish In 2016 a staggering 313 prevent the sun from setting on
literally meaning that something the severity. There is absolutely who, what, where, when, and million workplace accidents your employees’ tombstones. 
or someone in your workplace nothing wrong with that, I do the of course, why… Our children were recorded; 2.3 million of
lost control! It means that same. What follows, however, is suddenly get helmets, knee those cases resulted in someone For more information contact
something happened that you did what makes the difference… pads and gloves for Christmas, losing their lives. Who knows LabourNet Durban
not prepare for, did not anticipate At this point your subsequent and you find yourself checking what happens in undocumented T: +27 (0)31 266 6570
and were not ready for! actions, whether at home or at the environment where your factories and mines in third E: kzninfo@labournet.com
Please do not tell me that if a work is almost solely based on the children play or better yet, check world countries?
worker cuts his hand, the first aid answers to those two questions. what they play with… Let us not fall into the category
box in the corner with the small If the answers are: Not serious, My question to you is, why of being reactive, rather than
padlock and the name tag is your i.e., a small cut on the hand or your do we not handle the not proactive! You might be too late

ARE WE SERIOUS ABOUT SMME DEVELOPMENT?

Thabani Zulu, Stella Lumen environment of dependency, and will solve that unspoken, yet We should be investing in small businesses that have
an attitude that starting a business prevalent attitude towards creating affordable back-office resorted to loan sharks for the
often wonder requires a loan or a grant. However, small business. solutions for small business. necessary funds required to
if the I do not wish to undermine this These solutions must recognise manufacture or procure goods
g
I overnment approach, but rather contend that Business Skills and Systems that new business owners are not that are required by big business
and business it forms part, and is often minor, This finds expression in two meant to be experts in back- or government. In the name of
sector in the bigger scheme of small fundamental areas: office administration. However, SMME support and procurement,
assert their business development. 1) Firstly, business studies are they should also be available at big business and the state sit by
seriousness still reserved for those who want a fraction of the cost of those the wayside with a ‘We will pay
about Creation of Markets to pursue careers in finance available to big business. once you deliver’ attitude!
SMME Developing small business departments of big business. We In my view SMME development
development requires a conscious effort to have not yet recognised that a Managing Cash Flows is a partnership between parties
because it identify and ring-fence markets. medical student could wish to In my view, it is criminal not to that is aimed at harnessing the
has become Small business is often based on pay small business on time when abilities of the small business,
a politically correct message an inherent ability to produce open a private practice. We need they have provided a service. Small extending the power of big
to challenge the education sector
or is there a genuine intention goods and services. There may be to structure itself such that the business creates breadwinners business and government, and
to develop this sector of our instances where this skill can be necessary business skills are part for families and are a cornerstone realising the goal that, small as
economy? There is an abundance harnessed, but there is generally of any curriculum. of survival in our society. The they are, they are the backbone of
of empirical evidence that the a solid foundation to build from. support of this sector must start any solid economy. 
success of an economy lies in the A young plumber or electrician 2) The second challenge is from ensuring that, at a minimum,
success of its small already has knowledge of his expecting a startup business their claims are paid as soon as the T: +27 (0)61 422 0167 or +27 (0)83 700 8863
and medium sized businesses. trade, similarly with a builder, a to have skills and systems – goods and services are delivered. E: thabani@tzulu.co.za
A need arises to internalise painter, a lawyer, or an architect. such as marketing, IT, human That is the minimum contribution
the truth that SMMEs are The challenge is operating in resource, and finance skills that big business and government
the creators of employment, an environment that does not – to operate effectively. We can make in SMME development.
sustainability, and financial trust your abilities. A society crucify them for not having Anything below this minimum
freedom for the economy. that believes that if the product their taxes up to date or for not borders on an intentional act of
This need does not imply a comes from you, it does not have filling in the tender documents collapsing the business that one
properly. Yet what they have
simplistic approach to create the status of imported products been trained to do, and do purports to support.
funding structures for small or products that come from big excellently, is to paint.
business, which create an business. No amount of funding I have engaged with several

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