NEHAWU North West Calls for Immediate Closure Of Brits Forensic Pathology Services
Thursday July 25, 2024
The union in the province has always raised concerns about none compliance to Occupational Health and Safety Act in several institutions of the Department of Health, and there seems to be no willingness from the side of the department to address these challenges.
Workers are without proper Personal Protective Equipment [PPEs] and office space for forensic staff. Workers utilize their cars as offices in this cold winter season. The sub-district management failed dismally to protect workers, their main focus is exerting pressure on workers to report for duty knowing fully-well the state of OHS in the mortuary.
The fact that the Department of Labour issued notices in December 2022 for the department to effect improvements, to date there are no improvements nor a sign that the department will act. What the Department of Health has done to our members is a total disregard to legislative prescripts that govern public service, where we have seen mutilation of Basic Conditions of Employment and Occupational Health and Safety Act.
The dilapidated state of the mortuary, damaged refrigerators, none functional toilets and failure to provide water has contributed to workers not coping at all with their daily duties. It is therefore, a serious misconduct from the side of the department to have failed to ensure proper basic conditions of employment.
As the NEHAWU, we call for the immediate closure of Brits Forensic Pathology services due to none compliance to OHSA and BCSA, all workers employed under the workplace must be taken for medical check-up on the departmental costs.
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Issued by NEHAWU North West Secretariat Office:
For more information, please contact: Ntombizodwa Moepeng (NEHAWU North West Provincial Secretary) at 018 381 4585 or 063 685 1911 or email: Ntombizodwa@nehawu.org.za
Visit https://www.nehawu.org.za