Guides
OHS Act guides
Plain language guides to the duties the Occupational Health and Safety Act places on a South African employer, each anchored to the section or regulation behind it.
Start here
These guides cover the duties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 that attach to a South African workplace as it grows. Each one states the provision behind every requirement, flags where the market commonly gets a threshold wrong, and notes what has changed in the 2025 and 2026 amendment run. Position stated as at August 2026.
OHS Act statutory appointments
Which appointments the Act actually requires in writing, what a defensible letter contains, and why the commonly quoted renewal cycles are not in the Act.
Health and safety representatives
The trigger of more than 20 employees, the real section 17(5) ratio, and why the widely repeated one per 20 is not what the Act says.
First aiders and first aid boxes
Two different triggers at more than 5 and more than 10 employees, the shop and office ratio most sources drop, and where the three year certificate rule really comes from.
Health and safety committees
When a committee becomes mandatory, who sits on it, how often it must meet, and the records that have to survive three years.
Incident reporting and investigation
Reporting and recording are separate duties with separate clocks. The seven day report, the seven day investigation, and the three year retention.
Where these fit
The guides are the detail. If you want the whole picture first, the OHS Act compliance page carries the full 33 item checklist, a downloadable working copy and the amendment table. If you are trying to work out what your business owes across every domain, not just occupational health and safety, start with the apps overview. The compliance topics give the overview across every domain, not just occupational health and safety.
General information about published law, stated as at August 2026. Not legal advice. GRC Shop is not a law firm. Confirm any provision against the current Act or gazetted regulation before acting.