Acts Online
GT Shield

Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002)

Notices

Directions regarding e-Commerce Sales during Alert Level 4 of COVID-19

Annexures

Annexure A : Directions in respect of Hygienic Workplace Conditions

Cloth Masks

 

30. The main benefit of everyone wearing a cloth mask is to reduce the amount of virus droplets being coughed up by those with the infection and transmitted to others and to surfaces that others may touch. Since some persons with the virus may not have symptoms or may not know they have it, the Department of Health requires that all persons wear cloth masks when in a public place.

 

31. For the reasons underlying the Department of Health’s requirement, every employer must—
31.1 provide each of its employees, free of charge, with a minimum of two cloth masks, which comply with the requirement set out in the Guidelines issued by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition,8 for the employee to wear while at work and while commuting to and from work; and
31.2 require any other worker to wear masks in the workplace.

 

32. The number and replaceability of cloth masks that must be provided to an employee or required of other workers must be determined in accordance with any sectoral guideline and in the light of the employee or worker’s conditions of work, in particular, where these may result in the mask becoming wet or soiled.

 

33. Every employer must ensure that workers are informed, instructed, trained and instructed as to the correct use of cloth masks.

 

34. An employer must make appropriate arrangements for the washing, drying and ironing of cloth masks in accordance with the Guidelines referred in clause 31.1 recommendations.

 

35. The general requirement for workers to wear masks does not derogate from the fact that, where a risk assessment indicates that PPE is required, those categories of workers must be provided with the accredited PPE in accordance with Department of Health guidelines.

 

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8 http://www.thedtic.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/Updated_Recommended_Guidelines_Fabric_Face_Masks.pdf .