AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF PREDICTORS OF COMPLIANCE WITH OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDELINES IN EMERGING BUSINESS ENTERPRISES

Abstract

A key operational and strategic priority of the City of Tshwane is to ensure satisfactory compliance with occupational health and safety guidelines in business enterprises that are formally registered as well as businesses that operate informally without being formally registered. Formal registration enables businesses to benefit from assistance programmes that are meant for small, micro and medium-sized business enterprises. A report published by the Statistics South Africa (2021) shows that 55.6% of South African businesses are formally registered. A study conducted by Mphai (2022) shows that the main shortcomings in terms of ensuring satisfactory compliance are poor awareness and inability to enforce applicable guidelines and municipal bylaws in business enterprises. As part of the survey, quantitative information was collected from 406 businesses in and around the City of Tshwane. The level of compliance with occupational health and safety guidelines was measured by using a set of 24 standard indicators of compliance with occupational health and safety that are used by the WHO and ILO. The level of compliance in businesses that were chosen for the survey was 53%. By WHO and ILO standards, this level of compliance is inadequate. Recommendations are made with a view to improve the current level of compliance.