October 15, 2007
By Lesego Madumo
CITY departments and agencies blitzed Lenasia South, in Region G, checking on by-law compliance.
Environmental health practitioners (EHPs) were accompanied by a strong contingent from metro police, emergency management services (EMS), and members of the City’s building and planning control department on 11 October.
An industrial site in Anchorville was the target; the operation was designed to get business owners to comply with municipal by-laws and national health legislation regarding erecting buildings and running businesses.
Booker Maseti, one of the EHPs, said that the operation was held to ensure compliance with by-laws, while boosting awareness of law enforcement issues. "Hopefully it should contribute to visible improvements in the environment and a more knowledgeable community," he said.
Several business premises were inspected, with EHPs on the lookout for environmental hazards and irregularities.
An environmental hazard
In one business, employees were found locked inside the building while the manager or owner had gone out. The danger was that the trapped workers would not be able to escape should a fire break out.
The focus of their attention was worker safety and the safety of buildings. "The inspections of properties were concentrated mainly on environmental health matters and regulations pertaining to food processing and preparation," Maseti noted.
In another instance, the owner of an unregistered juice-making factory, was given a warning for not complying with building plans and for allowing his staff to work in a filthy environment. He was given 30 days to fix the problems.
Several business owners were given warnings to fix problems – depending on the merit of the offences – within a specified period. If the problems were not fixed within that time, the City would take legal action, they were told.
Inspectors also discovered workers at a number of factories who worked with dangerous gases, but who did not have protective masks. In these instances, owners and workers were warned to follow safety regulations. Factories were also advised to have new fire extinguishers and emergency exits.
Most of the business owners complied with the inspectors, giving them access to their premises. The operation was geared at creating a healthier and friendlier environment for Joburgers, Maseti noted.
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