To provide for the health and safety of persons at work and for the health and safety of persons in connection with the use of plant and machinery; the protection of persons other than persons at work against hazards to health and safety arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work;to establish an advisory council for occupational health and safety; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

In terms of this act, it is the duty of Every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a manner as to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that persons other than those in his employment who may be directly affected by his activities are not thereby exposed to hazards to their health or safety;Identify the hazards and evaluate the risks associated with such work constituting a hazard to the health of such employees, and the steps that need to be taken to comply with the provisions of this Act ;As far as is reasonably practicable, prevent the exposure of such employees to the hazards concerned or, where prevention is not reasonably practicable, minimize such exposure.

Inspectors, appointed by the Department of Labour, may:Whenever an employer performs an actor requires or permits an act to be performed, or proposes to perform an act or to require or permit an act to be performed, which in the opinion of an inspector threatens or is likely to threaten the health or safety of any person,the inspector may in writing prohibit that employer from continuing or commencing with the performance of that act or from requiring or permitting that act to be continued or commenced with, as the case may be:Whenever a user of plant or machinery uses or proposes to use any plant or machinery, in a manner or in circumstances which in the opinion of an inspector threatens or is likely to threaten the health or safety of any person who works with such plant or machinery or who is or may come within the vicinity thereof, the inspector may in writing prohibit that user from continuing or commencing with the use of such plant or machinery or in that manner or those circumstances, as the case may be.

Whenever an employee does or omits to do any act which it would be an offence in terms of this Act for the employer of such employee or a user to do or omit to do; had he been the employee or mandatary of an employer and had such employer committed or omitted to do that act, he shall be liable to be convicted and sentenced in respect thereof as if he were such an employer; Any employee or mandatary may be so convicted and sentenced in addition to the employer or user.

Any Employer who wilfully or recklessly does anything at a workplace or in connection with the use of plant or machinery which threatens thee health or safety of any person, shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding R50000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and such imprisonment;Any employer who does or omits to do an act, thereby causing any person to be injured at a workplace, or, in the case of a person employed by him, to be injured at any place in the course of his employment, or any user who does or omits to do an act in connection with the use of plant or machinery,thereby causing any person to be injured, shall be guilty of an offence if that employer or user, as the case may be, would in respect of that act or omission have been guilty of the offence of culpable homicide had that act or omission caused the death of the said person, irrespective of whether or not the injury could have led to the death of such person, and on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding R100000 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years or to both such fine and such imprisonment;The Act is State bound- This Act shall also bind the State.