As an employer, what is the extent of my responsibilities as it relates to fire prevention in the workplace? Fires in the workplace can be caused by anything from smoking in the toilets to computer equipment overheating or malfunctioning heaters. On top of this, the amount of paper found in most offices means a fire can spread alarmingly fast and as such the importance of a fully functional fire extinguisher cannot be overstressed. In fact, all employers are legally required to provide and service fire equipment such as fire extinguishers and hoses. The key to eliminating the potential for fires is a solid fire prevention plan that does not just involve having an alarm and fire extinguishers, but also incorporates preparations that could save lives. A fire prevention plan requires a solid foundation. To this end all potential fire hazards should be documented; the ones you miss are the ones that are likely to cause the most significant incidents. A fire prevention plan should ide...

As an employer, you are responsible for maintaining a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of your employees while they are at work; this is as per the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 of 1993 Section 8 — General duties of employers. Unfortunately not many franchisees truly understand their obligations and how to adequately fulfil these requirements. Being party to a franchise arrangement does not lessen the health and safety obligations of the employer, and while Operations Manuals are generally silent on this subject and provide only limited, if any, information, it is imperative that franchisees understand the OHS act, its regulations and the importance thereof. The Act outlines the duties of all those involved within the workplace. Generally, the duty of the employer/franchisee is to ‘so far as is reasonably practicable, provide and maintain for employees a working environment that is safe and without risks to health’. In simple terms that ...