In this edition of Farmer’s Inside Track, Stephan Pietersen, the founder of Work Accident Support, joins us to address some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, the Compensation Fund, and some of the most recent workplace safety regulatory changes affecting farmers and agriculturalists in Mzansi.
When discussing the topic of workplace safety in agricultural settings, it is critical to keep in mind that labour law legislation is not simply a written document; rather, it is intended for people to become familiar with and adhere to, Pietersen says.
“When it comes to certain legislations, not farmers in general but many employers, they kind of overlook this legislation; but it is something which is there, we all have to adhere to.”
He also adds that it is important to know, not only because it is required by law, but also for the protection of the employees. One of the most vulnerable types of workers out there are those who are employed in the agricultural industry.
When someone’s life is in danger, what should you do?
If you are a private household with a domestic employee, you must register as a domestic employer. If you are a farmer, however, you are not required to register separately. Pietersen explains that you can simply include your domestic workers under your general farm labourers.
“We have realised, and we’ve heard the importance of farmers within our sector I terms of the economy, the jobs that they provide, the food security that they responsible for. So, there is a lot of labour legislation in South Africa which every company must adhere to it, especially farmers because they are affected by most of these regulations.”
Get to know this #SoilSista
In this edition, we also feature Lebogang Mokwene. She’s one of the amazing women selected for the Corteva Women Agripreneur 2022 programme. Read more about her farming business and journey.
Want to know more? Listen to the full episode of Farmer’s Inside Track.
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