BusinessLive reports that concerns have been raised over recurring fires at Gauteng health facilities, with the DA sounding the alarm over hospitals’ noncompliance with health and safety regulations.
This followed a devastating fire that ripped through the accident and emergency unit of the Thembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital in Ekurhuleni. DA Gauteng shadow health MEC Jack Bloom demanded a speedy investigation and consequences for any identified failures that might have contributed to the fire on Saturday. According to Bloom, none of Gauteng’s 37 public hospitals comply fully with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS), with fire being the biggest risk. “This is according to a recent Gauteng health department presentation to an oversight committee in the Gauteng legislature,” Bloom indicated. He added that: “Sixteen hospitals scored less than 75% OHS compliance, mostly because of missing fire prevention and fire suppression equipment, and lack of fire signage and escape lighting. Thembisa Hospital only scored 72% OHS compliance, the same as the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital despite their previous fire.” Cosatu Gauteng chair Amos Monyela said the labour federation was “deeply troubled” by the Thembisa hospital fire and called on the Department of Health and the Department of Employment & Labour to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the current state of all health institutions in the province to determine the extent of the occupational health and safety challenges.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive
- Read too, DA demands swift probe into Tembisa Hospital fire, at SABC News
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page