n Journal of Educational Studies - An evaluation of occupational health and safety standards of schools in Vhembe District

Abstract

The Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act No. 181 of 1993 provide that private and/or public institutions like a formal school, place of work, etc. must provide for the Occupational Health and Safety standards of the people who use those amenities. That is, every formal school and or work place considers the Occupational Health and Safety standards hereinafter also referred to as OHS standards as an important component which ensures the welfare and wellbeing of all its occupants who in this case includes learners and teachers. Like most employees spend at least eight hours of their day at their places of employment, learners and teachers spend most of their time on the school premises thus making it important for the latter to ensure that the occupational health and safety (OHS) standards thereof are adhered to for the well-being of all learners and teachers.

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It is however important to note that the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act No. 181 of 1993 does not explicitly advise on the Occupational Health and Safety standards of learners in formal schools. Teachers are thereby the ones who are covered by the act in schools. It is thus important establish to what extent are the learners and teachers' health and safety standards taken care of in schools. It is against this background that this article attempts to evaluate the extent to which the learners and teachers' health and safety standards are taken care of in schools. The study took the form of a case study. A mixed method of research was used to evaluate teachers' occupation of space, safety and health standards at a school in Vhembe district, Limpopo province. Developed instruments of the mixed method research were used to gather data for the study. Data were analyzed and interpreted and conclusions drawn.