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Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29 of 1996)

Regulations

Guideline for a Mandatory Code of Practice

Risk-based Fatigue Management at Mines

Part A: The Guideline

4. Definitions and Acronyms (Arrange alphabetically)

 

"Bio-roster"

means a biologically-compatible roster that takes into account the effects of circadian rhythms, sleep cycles and the additive effect of fatigue during the working week.

 

"Circadian rhythm"

means the internal cycle of roughly 24 hours that regulates the physiological and behavioural activities of all living organisms - also referred to as "the body clock".

 

"COP"

means Code of Practice;

 

"EAP"

means Employee Assistance Programme;

 

"Fatigue"

means reduced mental and physical functioning caused by sleep deprivation and/or being awake during normal sleep hours. This may result from extended work hours, insufficient opportunities for sleep, failure to use available sleep opportunities, or the effects of sleep disorders, medical conditions or pharmaceuticals which reduce sleep or increase sleepiness.

 

"FMC"

means Fatigue Management Committee;

 

"FMP"

means Fatigue Management Programme;

 

"MHSA"

means Mine Health and Safety Act, 1996 (Act No. 29 of 1996), as amended;

 

"MHSC"

means Mine Health and Safety Council;

 

"MQA"

means Mining Qualifications Authority;

 

"Risk"

means the likelihood that occupational injury or harm to persons will occur;

 

"SAQA"

means South African Qualifications Authority;

 

"SETA"

means a Sectoral Education and Training Authority established under the Skills Development Act No. 97 of 1998;

 

"Shift work"

means an organisation of work where workers succeed each other at the same workplace while performing similar operations at different times of the day thus allowing longer hours of operation than feasible for a single worker;

 

"Supervisor"

means any individual having authority, in the interest of the employer and is responsible for the day-to-day performance of a group of employees;

 

"Work schedule"

means the hours to be worked for each day, shift, week, month or year, as scheduled by the employer.