Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (SHE) Policy

VOIMAR is committed to a workplace and work sites where no one is harmed. This policy sets out how VOIMAR protects its employees, contractors, clients and the public, and how it meets the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 (OHS Act) and its regulations, and the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act 130 of 1993 (COIDA).

All VOIMAR employees and offices, the data centres where VOIMAR equipment is installed, and all work that VOIMAR or its contractors carry out at client premises, including masts, rooftops, data centres and secure sites.

The Chief Executive Officer is accountable for health and safety under section 16(1) of the OHS Act, and assigns duties in writing to managers under section 16(2).

• Managers plan work so that it is safe, and stop work that is not.
• Every employee and contractor may, and must, stop work that is unsafe, without penalty.

Before work starts, VOIMAR identifies the hazards, assesses the risk and records the controls in a risk assessment and method statement.

• Work at height (masts, towers and rooftops) follows a written fall protection plan, in line with the Construction Regulations, 2014.
• Electrical work is done only by competent, authorised persons.
• Work in data centres and secure sites follows the site owner's rules, inductions and permits.
• Driving and travel are planned to avoid fatigue.

Contractors, including the local ICT companies and military veterans' companies that VOIMAR uses as local deployment teams, sign a written mandatary agreement under section 37(2) of the OHS Act before work starts.

They work to VOIMAR's safety requirements and site checklists, and VOIMAR checks that they do. VOIMAR may stop a contractor's work, and remove the contractor, at its own discretion.

• Suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) is supplied, and must be used.
• Employees are trained for the tasks they do, and their competence is recorded.
• Medical fitness is checked where the task or the client requires it, for example for work at height.

All incidents and near misses are reported immediately and investigated, and corrective actions are tracked to closure.

Reportable incidents are reported to the Department of Employment and Labour as the OHS Act requires, and COIDA claims are lodged on time.

VOIMAR reduces waste and energy use, and disposes of electronic waste through licensed recyclers. Media that hold data are wiped or destroyed securely first.

For each client project VOIMAR prepares a project-specific safety file, which the client's safety office approves before work starts.

This policy is reviewed every year, and after any serious incident or change in the law.