Business risk management

All businesses are exposed to inherent elements of risk, whether from a safety, health, environmental, financial or social aspect. Using proprietary tools we conduct…

Read more

Client safety agent

A client who intends to have construction work carried out, must at least 30 days before that work is to be carried out apply to the provincial director in writing for…

Read more

Disaster risk management

A disaster is defined as: a progressive or sudden, widespread or localised, natural or human-caused occurrence which causes or threatens to cause:

Read more

Event risk management

All sizes and types of events carry inherent risks. We assist the venue owner, stadium owners and or event organiser to correctly identify the hazards associated with…

Read more

GBCSA Green Star certification

We assist clients join an elite group of concerned citizens who have earned the right to label their building projects with the Green Stars of the Green Building Council of South Africa.

Read more

Occupational health & wellbeing management

Health management in the workplace is generally referred to as occupational health, which is fundamentally about the protection and promotion of the health and…

Read more

Contractor HSE consultant

Whether an electrician or painter, all contractors need a competent person registered with the SACPCMP to act as a Safety Consultant on their construction projects. This…

Read more

Ergonomics risk management

The Ergonomic Regulations were enacted in 2019, placing a burden on employers to ensure that they do not put employees or other affected stakeholders under…

Read more

Facilities management

The managing agents and ultimately the owner of a building are responsible for ensuring that the structure complies with all legal requirements in order to ensure it is a… 

Read more

Covid 19 compliance management

With the advent of Covid 19, employers have been burdened with implementing Covid 19 Workplace Plans based on a CV19 risk assessment. We help businesses conduct…

Read more

Incident investigator

Clients and contractors alike need to appoint suitably competent incident investigators to lead investigations into incidents, whether a near miss, property damage,… 

Read more

Internal management system

Aligning your business with an internationally recognised standard such as ISO 45001, ISO 14001 or ISO 9001 is a great way to let your potential customers know…

Read more

Business risk management

All businesses are exposed to inherent elements of risk, whether from a safety, health, environmental, financial or social aspect. Using proprietary tools we conduct a thorough Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment(HIRA) process in order to ascertain the specific hazards a particular business faces.

The associated risks are then analysed to gauge their potential severity, grouping the risks into categories of high, medium and low.

With an emphasis on the high and medium risks, control measures, using the hierarchy of controls (HOC), are put in place to mitigate these risks. The HOC seeks to first eliminate the hazard, substitute it, engineer it out and then control it via administrative interventions. As a final resort, the use of personal protective equipment is then considered.

Three types of risk assessments are needed for each and every type of business, namely baseline risk assessments, issue based risk assessments and continuous based risk assessments. The specific forms and amounts needed differ from business to business depending on the variety of tasks undertaken by the business and the environment the business operates in. A direct output of hiring Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy to assist with your business risk management is the development of these 3 types of risk assessments as needed by your business.

Not only do these three types of risk assessments help businesses become aware of potential risks and therefore eliminate or mitigate them but using these risk assessments as tools also helps the organisation:

1. to comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSACT) section 13(a): – Without derogating from any specific duty imposed on an employer by this Act, every employer shall— (a) as far as is reasonably practicable, cause every employee to be made conversant with the hazards to his health and safety attached to any work which he has to perform, any article or substance which he has to produce, process, use, handle, store or transport and any plant or machinery which he is required or permitted to use, as well as with the precautionary measures which should be taken and observed with respect to those hazards;

2. to be used as a training tool for employees

3. to help management and or supervision plan out their tasks

All of the above contributes to a safer, more productive workflow and happier workplace which in turn leads to higher returns on investment.

Client safety agent

A client who intends to have construction work carried out, must at least 30 days before that work is to be carried out apply to the provincial director in writing for a construction work permit to perform construction work if the intended construction work will-

(a) exceed 180 days;

(b) will involve more than 1800 person days of construction work; or

(c) the works contract is of a value equal to or exceeding thirteen million rand or Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) grading level 6.

This application must be done by an agent who has been appointed in writing to represent the Client. This agent must be registered with the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP).

The agent is appointed to help the client not only apply for the Construction Work Permit but fulfill a list of 24 duties as listed in the Construction Regulations section 5. These duties include drafting baseline risk assessments, the Health and Safety Specification, conducting physical and administrative audits, ensuring the competencies of the professional team and principal contractor, to name a few.

Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy is duly registered with the SACPCMP as a Construction Health and Safety Manager and is thus suitably qualified to represent the Client as their appointed representative. Where excessive risk is attached to a build project, Wittsock Risk Management Consultancy partner with select Pr.CHSAs to ensure the successful completion of the project.

Disaster risk management

A disaster is defined as: a progressive or sudden, widespread or localised, natural or human-caused occurrence which causes or threatens to cause:

§ death, injury or disease;
§ damage to property, infrastructure or the environment; or
§ disruption of the life of a community; and
§ a magnitude that exceeds the ability of those affected by the disaster to cope with its effects using only their own resources.

A disaster is a natural or man-made event or in the event of a complex disaster it could be a combination of both.

Disasters can strike at any time but being prepared for them can drastically reduce the vulnerability of the inhabitants, as well as the risk to infrastructure and the impact to the environment.

Conducting vulnerability and capacity risk assessments play a vital role in ensuring that organisations, municipalities, districts, provinces and the national government are clued up with regards to the possible hazards they may face and the severity of expected impacts.

On the back of these assessments a disaster management plan can be put into place. This will include implementing early warning systems and having standard operating procedures to follow for each identified scenario as well as having contingency plans in place to address unexpected hazards.

Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy recently assisted the University of Cape Town(UCT) deal with the making safe phase of the Fire Damage Project after Table Mountain and the University were ravaged by a fire with devastating effects.

Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy can assist organisations and the various spheres of government conduct vulnerability and capacity risk assessments, draft disaster risk management plans and implement the identified interventions and early warning systems in order to expedite disaster risk reduction.

Event risk management

All sizes and types of events carry inherent risks. We assist the venue owner, stadium owners and or event organiser to correctly identify the hazards associated with their event and venue and then eliminate or mitigate those risks in order to ensure that the safety of all attendees is ensured.

It is disingenuous to think of events as only those that boast a large attendance or capital outlay. Immediately an event of any sort or size is organised, both the event organiser and the venue owner become responsible for ensuring that the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSACT) and the Safety at Sports and Recreation Events Act are adhered to. 

These two legal documents are not the only legal documents that need to be adhered to but where the other regulations or SANS codes are triggered by the event, these too must be considered. These may include the Construction Regulations, the Electrical Installation Regulations, SANS 10085 (Erection, Use and Dismantling of Scaffolding), etc.

Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy can assist the venue owner with the required hazard identification and risk assessments to ensure that their facilities are purpose-fit and safe for use and have an adequate emergency evacuation plan in place.

Likewise, the event organiser can rely on Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy to assist in planning a safe event and managing all safety concerns on the day or days of the big or little show.

GBCSA Green Star Certification

We assist clients join an elite group of concerned citizens who have earned the right to label their building projects with the Green Stars of the Green Building Council of South Africa.

As a member of the Green Building Council of South Africa(GBCSA), Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy can assist clients with their new builds or major renovations to achieve four, five or six star ratings using the Green Star Rating Tool and thus contribute towards shaping a brighter, cleaner and more efficient tomorrow.

As part of this process the project team is guided to incorporate environmentally sustainable interventions throughout the design and construction phase.

Having a 4, 5 or 6 star rating not only enhances the credibility of the organisation but also lends itself to lowering operational costs & thus contribute towards a higher ROI.

Occupational health & wellbeing management

Health management in the workplace is generally referred to as occupational health, which is fundamentally about the protection and promotion of the health and wellbeing of people at work.

This is best achieved through:

  1. effective leadership
  2. proactive management of health risks
  3. maintenance of optimal physical and mental health, and the
  4. enhancement of wellbeing.

The above is all done in the pursuit of seeking out the good of the individual, organisation and industry.

Managing health at work is not only an ethical and legal requirement, but ensuring that the workforce is adequately protected from harm also makes good fiscal sense, with a wealth of data demonstrating the link between good health at work and business success.

We conduct workplace health and wellbeing risk assessments and then provide practical advice and give tools to business owners and managers to help create a healthy and productive place of work.

Contractor HSE Consultant

Whether an electrician or painter, all contractors need a competent person registered with the SACPCMP to act as a Safety Consultant on their construction projects. This person needs to fulfil a number of legal responsibilities, including drafting risk assessments, HSE plans, conducting audits, etc.

Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy draws from vast experience and technical knowledge to add value to their clients by ensuring that they have an excellent Health, Safety and Environmental program in place.

Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy are uniquely positioned to represent electricians, plumbers, builders, painters, steel manufacturers, temporary work practitioners, engineers, to name a few trades, fulfil their HSE mandates. 

Ergonomics risk management

The Ergonomic Regulations were enacted in 2019, placing a burden on employers to ensure that they do not put employees or other affected stakeholders under undue risk exposure to ergonomic risks. We assist employers to do a workplace ergonomics risk assessment looking at all aspects of hazards employees are potentially exposed to.

Knowing the hazards is the first step to creating a safer and more productive workplace. The second step is identifying the associated risk and finally putting plans in process to eliminate, substitute, engineer or administrate those risks to an acceptable level. As a final resort PPE is introduced into the workplace to lower severity of coming into contact with the hazard.

Many interventions are available to employers to ensure that ergonomic risks are eliminated or reduced. Important to note regards ergonomic risks is that it is not just about mitigating these hazards for safety and health sake but also introducing interventions that will considerably add to the production and longevity of the workforce, this making it a happier sphere to operate in.

An example is introducing more natural light into the working area, which is scientifically proven to enhance mood, increase production, reduce illnesses and occupational risks such as eye strain. Painting the walls with a light colour can increase levels of light and steering away from glossy paint and sticking with matt paint can reduce glare in the workspace. Light levels in excess of 500 Lux and up to 1000 Lux are recommended to create an optimal working environment. These levels are measured using a Lux Meter where incandescent light is in play or a LED Light Meter where LED lights are being utilised.

Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy can assist employers conduct workplace ergonomic risk assessments and the associated inspections needed to determine the baseline measurements and existing measurements in order to point the organisation in the right direction.

Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy are members of the Ergonomics Society of South Africa (ESSA).

Facilities management

The managing agents and ultimately the owner of a building are responsible for ensuring that the structure complies with all legal requirements in order to ensure it is a safe space. We assist building owners and agents alike to ensure that they are complying with all legal requirements pertaining to their facilities. 

We also ensure that tenants are aware of their duties and responsibilities in ensuring that the facility is maintained and kept in a safe state.

Having an adequate emergency plan in place and communicated to the necessary parties is of vital importance. Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy can assist in ensuring that all of the above has been done thoroughly. 

This requires that an initial baseline hazard identification and risk assessment is performed and a plan of action addressing the issues highlighted implemented. 

Covid-19 compliance management

With the advent of Covid 19, employers have been burdened with implementing Covid 19 Workplace Plans based on a CV19 risk assessment. We help businesses conduct these risk assessments, draft the plan and implement the necessary protocols in order to satisfy the legal precepts.

Incident investigator

Clients and contractors alike need to appoint suitably competent incident investigators to lead investigations into incidents, whether a near miss, property damage, environmental impact or serious disabling injury.

It is the field of expertise of the incident investigator to uncover through thorough investigation techniques the root causes and contributing factors that led to the incident taking place. Highlighting the causes then gives the business owner / management team the impetus to put plans in place to ensure that the same type of incident does not occur again.

Where death or loss of limb has or could have occurred, the Department of Labour (DoL) has to be informed and the various documents they require need to be completed and submitted within specified time frames.

Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy use a root cause analysis technique as taught by IRCA to conduct their incident investigations. Their passion is to ensure that their investigations lead to safer, more efficient working places.

Internal management systems

Aligning your business with an internationally recognised standard such as ISO 45001, ISO 14001 or ISO 9001 is a great way to let your potential customers know that you conduct business in an acceptable manner. Many organisations will in actual fact only deal with other organisations who are certified by the relevant standards.

We assist businesses to set up their business aligned to the aforementioned international organisation standards (ISO) or we perform GAP Audits in order to assist organisations achieve their ISO certification.

Once certification is achieved we work together with the business to ensure that the hard earned certifications are maintained by conducting yearly surveillance audits. We use these surveillance audits to also ensure that the organisation is invested in a process of continual improvement.

The certificate is valid for three years after which the business needs to be re-certified. Wittstock Risk Management Consultancy assists businesses in all phases of the ISO certification process.