OHSA vs. Safety Awareness: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters for Workplace Safety

Workplace safety isn’t just one thing.

You’re responsible for keeping people safe. That means understanding both compliance and culture.Too many companies confuse ticking legal boxes with building a safe environment.

That’s where this post comes in.

Let’s break down the difference between OHSA and safety awareness, and why you need both.

What Is OHSA?

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) sets the legal groundwork for protecting workers in South Africa.

It’s not optional. It’s the law.

OHSA outlines the duties of employers to provide a safe workplace and the responsibilities of workers to follow safety rules. 

Here are some of the basics to keep in mind. 

Passed in 1993

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), Act No. 85 of 1993, was signed into law in June 1993 and came into effect in January 1994. While that date marks its official start, the law hasn’t stayed frozen in time. Over the years, sections of the Act and its regulations have been amended to address new workplace risks. Recent examples include the 2024 Physical Agents Regulations and Noise Exposure Regulations, as well as updated General Safety Regulations in 2025 covering fire egress, flood precautions, and workplace housekeeping. The Act evolves as workplaces change, keeping health and safety standards relevant.

Applies to All Industries 

From offices to mines, OHSA applies broadly to almost every workplace in South Africa, whether it’s a corporate office, a warehouse, or a factory floor. But not all industries are treated exactly the same. High-risk sectors often have dedicated sets of rules:

• Mines fall under the separate Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA) of 1996, which sets tailored requirements for mining operations.
• Construction has its own Construction Regulations (last overhauled in 2014, with new draft rules proposed in 2025) that spell out health and safety standards for building sites.
• Certain types of “listed work”,  such as handling dangerous substances or operating hazardous machinery,  also carry extra duties under OHSA.

Enforced by the Department of Employment and Labour

The Department of Employment and Labour is responsible for enforcing OHSA, mainly through its Inspection and Enforcement Services (IES) branch. Inspectors can enter workplaces (often unannounced) to check both documentation and physical conditions. They look at records like risk assessments, safety committee minutes, and training registers, and they inspect the workplace for issues such as blocked fire exits, missing protective gear, or unsafe machinery.
When they find problems, they have several tools at their disposal:

• Improvement or compliance notices, which set deadlines for fixing hazards.
• Prohibition notices, which immediately stop dangerous work until the issue is resolved.
• Criminal prosecution, in severe cases, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment. It is important to realise that enforcement is active. In 2022/23, inspectors conducted over 300,000 inspections, and nearly a quarter of employers were found non-compliant. In just one 100-day campaign, more than 17,000 inspections led to R24 million in enforcement notices. For businesses, this shows that compliance isn’t optional;  it’s monitored, tested, and acted upon.

Why OHSA Matters

• Prevents injury and loss
• Protects your business from fines or closure
• Gives workers the right to refuse dangerous work
• Creates accountability across the board
  

OHSA isn’t just paperwork. It’s a system that can save lives.

What Is Safety Awareness?

Safety awareness isn’t just the law. It’s a mindset that fosters a culture of safety, trust, and motivation, for a start. Awareness is the stepping stone to creating a safe environment for all staff and the entire company. 

It’s how your team behaves every day,  not because they have to, but because they care. Creating a safety-focused culture within the business and respective teams. 

What Is Safety Awareness in Practice?

• Spotting hazards before they cause harm: staff actively look for unsafe conditions, like spills, faulty wiring, or blocked exits, and act before accidents happen. Everyone is part of the safety culture being cultivated. 
• Speaking up when something feels wrong : safety awareness means raising concerns immediately, even if unsure, creating a culture where hesitation never outweighs protection.
• Keeping each other accountable: teams remind colleagues about PPE, safe lifting, or procedures, reinforcing that safety is everyone’s responsibility, not just management’s.
• Following safety procedures instinctively: habits like wearing helmets, securing ladders, or locking out machines become second nature, reducing risks without conscious effort.

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It’s a business culture.
It lives in toolbox talks, safety posters, morning huddles, and in the moments where someone chooses caution without being told. This is where the difference is made. 

OHSA Certification and Compliance

Want to stay on the right side of the law? You need OHSA certification.

What Is OHSA Certification?

Proof that your business and team understand and apply the Occupational Health and Safety Act. explained in terms of showing diligence towards safety and this goes a long way. 

Who Needs It?

• Admin buildings/companies
• Construction firms
• Factories and warehouses
• Mining operations
• Any business with physical risks

Types of Occupational Health and Safety Courses

• Legal Liability
• SHE Representative Training
• Incident Investigation
• Risk Assessment (Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment, HIRA)
• First Aid and Fire Fighting

Why It’s Worth It

• Shows compliance with inspectors from government departments such as the Department of Employment and Labour, DEL
• Reduces workplace incidents, which reduces downtime and other related legal costs
• Improves insurance outcomes, showing due diligence when claims are submitted
• Builds trust with employees and clients, increasing the brand awareness and internal staff motivation.
  

But don’t settle for any training. Choose accredited providers with qualified trainers.

What Are Health and Safety Awareness Courses?

These are non-legislative programmes aimed at developing everyday safety habits.

Think of them as your cultural engine.

How They Differ From OHSA Courses

• Focus on behaviour, not law
• Shorter, often more engaging
• Tailored to general workers, not only managers or representatives

Who Benefits Most?

• New hires, onboarding processes
• Teams in high-risk environments
• Workers with limited formal education
• Anyone needing a refresher, wanting to create a safe working culture
  

Health and Safety Awareness courses remind your team: safety starts with them.

OHSA vs. Safety Awareness in Action

Both are essential, but they do very different jobs.

Why You Need Both

Imagine this.
You’ve passed every inspection. Your files are in order. 

Then someone slips, because no one bothered to clean up a spill.

Compliance didn’t fail you. Culture did.

Or

Your team is alert and proactive, but no one did the required risk assessments or documented incidents.
Now you’re facing fines or worse.

Culture was strong. Compliance was weak.

You don’t get to choose one.
You need both.

Real-World Example

A construction company in Gauteng ran OHSA-compliant operations.

But site workers skipped wearing harnesses during quick tasks.

Why? “It takes too long to clip in.”

That small lapse cost a life.

After the incident, the company ran weekly safety awareness sessions.
They also updated their OHSA training and supervision.

Since then? Zero fall-related incidents in 18 months.

Build a Safer Workplace Today

You don’t build a safe team by chance.
You build it by:

• Complying with the Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Investing in OHSA certification and training
• Creating a culture of safety awareness
• Running regular health and safety awareness courses
• Leading from the front

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Don’t leave safety to chance or to legal risk.

Explore our accredited occupational health and safety courses and health and safety awareness programmes.

Protect your team. Comply with South African regulations.

Contact DDi today.