Human Resources

New Workplace Safety Regulations: What Do They Actually Mean for Employers?

South Africa's workplace health and safety requirements are changing, and employers need to look beyond the traditional OHS file to understand what this means for their business.The Physical Agents Regulations, 2024 and the Noise Exposure Regulations, 2024 introduce a more detailed approach to managing workplace exposure to physical hazards such as noise, heat, cold, vibration, lighting and indoor air quality.For employers, the change is not simply about having new regulations to read.It is about how workplace risks are identified, assessed, controlled and monitored.Why the change mattersMany employers are familiar with the basic requirements of workplace safety. Risk assessments are completed, employees receive training, PPE is issued and records are kept.The problem is that workplace risks do not always result in an immediate injury.An employee may be exposed to excessive noise every day, spend long periods operating a vibrating vehicle, work in excessive heat or spend hours in an environment with poor air quality.The effects of these exposures may only become apparent over time.This is one of the areas the new regulations seek to address.The focus is increasingly on identifying and managing exposure before it results in occupational illness or long-term harm.What falls under the new Physical Agents Regulations?The Physical Agents Regulations cover a range of workplace exposures, including:<ul><li>Heat stress</li><li>Cold stress</li><li>Illumination</li><li>Indoor air quality</li><li>Hand-arm vibration</li><li>Whole-body vibration</li><li>Non-ionising radiation</li><li>Electromagnetic fields</li></ul>The relevance will depend on the workplace.A manufacturing business may have significant noise, vibration and heat exposure.A transport company may need to consider noise, whole-body vibration and heat.A warehouse may need to look at lighting, noise, mobile equipment and indoor air quality.Even an office environment can have relevant considerations, particularly around indoor air quality and illumination.The important point is that employers need to look at the actual conditions in their workplace rather than assuming that the regulations only apply to high-risk industries.Risk assessment remains at the centreThe starting point for managing these risks is a proper risk assessment.The new framework requires employers to identify the relevant physical agents, determine who may be exposed and assess the level of risk.This should include consideration of existing control measures and whether those measures are actually effective.A risk assessment should therefore not simply identify:Noise – PPE required.It should provide a clearer picture of the exposure and the steps required to manage it.Where the assessment identifies the need for exposure monitoring, the appropriate measurements should be carried out by a competent person.The results should then be considered and, where necessary, followed by corrective action.This creates an ongoing process rather than a once-off document:Identify → Assess → Monitor → Control → ReviewNoise exposure has received particular attentionNoise remains one of the most common occupational health risks in South African workplaces.The new Noise Exposure Regulations, 2024 replace the previous Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Regulations and introduce a more detailed framework for managing workplace noise.This includes requirements relating to:<ul><li>Noise exposure risk assessments;</li><li>Noise monitoring;</li><li>Noise zones;</li><li>Hearing protection;</li><li>Employee training;</li><li>Medical screening;</li><li>Medical surveillance; and</li><li>Audiometry.</li></ul>The regulations also recognise that employees may be exposed to more than one occupational risk at the same time.For example, the effects of noise exposure may need to be considered alongside exposure to ototoxic chemical agents or whole-body vibration.This makes it important for employers to look at the workplace as a whole rather than assessing individual hazards in isolation.PPE is only part of the solutionOne of the most common approaches to workplace noise is to issue hearing protection.While PPE remains an important control measure, it should not be the only response.Where reasonably practicable, employers should consider whether the risk can be reduced at source through:<ul><li>Equipment maintenance;</li><li>Engineering controls;</li><li>Changes to machinery;</li><li>Isolation of noisy processes;</li><li>Changes to working methods; or</li><li>Limiting exposure.</li></ul>The same principle applies to other physical agents.If employees are exposed to excessive vibration, for example, the condition of the equipment, maintenance and exposure duration should be considered rather than simply relying on PPE.Heat, cold, lighting and air quality also matterThe new regulations broaden the areas employers need to consider.Heat and coldEmployees working outdoors, in vehicles, warehouses, cold rooms or around heat-generating equipment may be exposed to temperature-related risks.Depending on the circumstances, employers may need to consider exposure time, rest facilities, drinking water, protective clothing, acclimatisation and other controls.LightingPoor or unsuitable lighting can create safety risks, particularly in warehouses, workshops, vehicle yards and workplaces operating during the night.The regulations also address factors such as glare, flicker and uneven illumination.Indoor air qualityVentilation, humidity, temperature, mould and certain chemical and biological contaminants can all affect the workplace environment.Where there is a potential risk, it should be assessed rather than treated simply as an employee comfort issue.Vibration is particularly relevant to mobile equipmentWhole-body vibration can be relevant to employees who spend long periods operating or travelling in vehicles and mobile equipment.This can include:<ul><li>Truck drivers;</li><li>Forklift operators;</li><li>Construction equipment operators;</li><li>Agricultural machinery operators; and</li><li>Other mobile plant operators.</li></ul>The condition and maintenance of equipment, the length of exposure and the working environment should all be considered when assessing the risk.For businesses operating vehicles or mobile equipment, this is an area that should not be overlooked.Medical surveillance may be requiredDepending on the level and nature of exposure, employees may require medical screening or medical surveillance.The appropriate occupational-health professional should be involved in determining what is required.For noise exposure, this may include audiometry and other requirements associated with the medical surveillance programme.For employers, the important point is to ensure that the appropriate process is in place and that the relevant records are maintained.Training and records are part of complianceEmployees need to understand the risks associated with their work and the controls that have been introduced.Training should cover the relevant hazards, control measures, PPE and reporting procedures, where applicable.Employers should also be able to demonstrate that training took place.This means keeping proper records of who was trained, when the training took place and what was covered.The same principle applies to risk assessments, monitoring, medical processes and control measures.The regulations also introduce significant recordkeeping requirements, with certain records needing to be retained for 40 years.That makes proper record management an important part of OHS compliance.The regulations have already been amendedEmployers should also be careful when relying on information published when the regulations were first introduced.The Physical Agents Regulations were amended in February 2026, including changes affecting physical-agent control measures and certain technical requirements.There is also a 2026 exemption relating to noise monitoring for certain qualifying mobile plant and machinery.This means employers should make sure that their policies, procedures and compliance assessments are based on the current legislation, including applicable amendments and exemptions.What should employers be looking at?There is no single solution that will apply to every business.The risks will depend on the workplace, the equipment being used and the work employees perform.However, employers should review whether they have:<ul><li>Identified relevant physical-agent exposures;</li><li>Completed the appropriate risk assessments;</li><li>Conducted exposure monitoring where required;</li><li>Implemented suitable control measures;</li><li>Reviewed their noise management programme;</li><li>Considered medical screening and surveillance requirements;</li><li>Provided appropriate employee training;</li><li>Maintained the required records; and</li><li>Reviewed their processes when workplace conditions change.</li></ul>The aim should not be to create more paperwork for the sake of compliance.The aim is to have a system that shows that workplace risks are being properly managed.OHS compliance is an ongoing responsibilityThe introduction of the new regulations is a good opportunity for employers to review how they currently manage workplace health and safety.A risk assessment should not sit in a file until the next inspection.Training should not be treated as a once-off exercise.PPE should not automatically be the first answer to every hazard.And compliance should not depend on whether an inspector happens to visit the workplace.Effective OHS management is an ongoing process.Identify the risk. Assess it. Control it. Monitor where necessary. Train employees. Keep proper records. Review when circumstances change.That is what will help employers build a workplace safety system that is not only compliant, but practical and sustainable.