Legislators plan to enforce registration of mining safety practitioners, in line with regulation of professions not yet self-regulated.
The mining move is paralleled by a Construction Regulations amendment draft registration scheme, widely opposed by construction operators and Sheq practitioners, due to an underhand bid by a minority safety body to gain legal sanction for grading and registering Sheq people in all industries.

Institute of Safety Management (IoSM) president, Philip Fourie, who is a senior Anglo American safety official, said mining legislators planned to define 'competent person' and 'safety practitioner' in such a way as to enforce registration with a skills certification body.
Legislators want to give effect to an independent health and safety institution, already provided for in the Mine H&S Act, on par with a similar geoscience body, with its own funding.

Heated debate

The Mine Heath and Safety Act or one of its Regulations would have to be amended, and industry would have to agree to the plan.
Fourie's statement was made to Miner’s Choice in the course of a heated debate on safety practitioner registration, implying that at least one mining house may be lobbying for such an amendment.
A current Construction Regulations amendment draft, in terms of the OHS Act, proposes a registration scheme, itself to be certified by the SA National Accreditation Scheme, Sanas.
Sheq professionals are divided into pro and anti camps on principles of general and sectoral safety registration, as well as on enforced registration, gaps in Sheq training standards, and lack of consultation by the minority bidder, led by veteran IoSM administrator Ray Strydom.
Strydom had launched a safety practitioner registration scheme, named OSHAP, some years ago, while lobbying construction organisations and legislators to enforce a registration scheme.

Closed circle

Opponents of the safety practitioner registration move, say that OHSAP, like IoSM, is a closed circle, standing to benefit Ray Strydom and close supporters, while adding no value to mining health, safety and environment (HSE) training, standardisation, skills or employment practice.
Philip Fourie, a leading member of IoSM, responded that "OHSAP is driven by a board of directors, not including Ray Strydom." Training specialist Joep Joubert is among the leading IoSM and OHSAP members.
Construction work and many structures on mining sites are regulated by the OHS Act and its regulations, according to a recent memorandum between DOL and DMR.
Master Builders Association Gauteng members and consultants, facilitated by Adv Raynard Looch, have pointed out several errors, inconsistencies, and problems in the Construction Regulations amendment draft.

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