Let's start by asking a few questions...

1. Should industry allow non registered persons to continue working? Should they be reported to the highest authority being the Dept of Labour if they contravene regulations/standards?
2. Should work of sub standard quality be accepted by industry and society?
3. Should grey imported equipment of poor quality (not meeting local requirements) be allowed into country?
4. Should...and the list goes on and on?

What is the first course of action concerning all the above?

There is a very important message here, and that is, STOP doing what you have always been doing if one or more of the above is applicable.

But, there are actually 2 sides to this scenario:

1. Do we just walk past sub-standard work or do we do something about it? Do we know of someone who is not legally registered to perform work and just turn a blind eye? Have you ever thought of the downside all of this - SAFETY is being negotiated

2. Industry needs to compliment those businesses that spend a lot of time, effort and money to ensure compliance. To ensure their customers/clients receive work of a high standard and product quality. Shouldn't these businesses somehow be elevated by industry in the name of safety and good practices? Shouldn't industry differentiate businesses according to their level of compliance and safety records - something like the BBBEE codes of practice - those that meet the required compliance criteria get the job!

Another important element to bring into the picture is customer / end user awareness. We need to educate and inform the customer/end user about the latest trends, safety and technical aspects, compliance and business best practices – saving industry plenty money in operational and probable legal costs in complying to regulations.

Who needs to do this awareness stuff? Who should be playing major roles in this case? Isn’t it suppliers of equipment; products and services; gas practitioners, government and regulatory bodies, insurance companies, SHE officers and the list can go on and on? SHE officers can be of great assistance in all compliance issues – after all isn’t that there primary function under the OHS Act - compliance at all times. Maintaining compliance within business (internal operations) is definitely not excluded in this regard. In fact, even more of importance than probably supplying of the service or product.

Do we wear our safety hats on some of the time or all of the time or only when we feel like it thus portraying double standards – inconsistency at it best and most dangerous - agree?

Safety should surely be inherent and ingrained in all of us, after all people get killed. The gas business is definitely not immune to this.

So what need’s to be done? Can’t we adopt some fundamental rules of practice (or is it re-instate old ones) and immediately apply them to avoid accidents and at the same time ensure a safer environment and safer country. There are probably many next steps but to at least name an immediate few:

1. Ensure all persons working in the field are registered as per the PER. It is after all a legal requirement with hefty penalties and fines for non compliance. This is your ‘ticket’ to earn money, to create jobs, so why go against regulations and lose your business? Do you now of any illegal persons currently in the market?

2. Ensure all equipment imported and locally manufactured adhere to prescribed and accepted standards. Both provider and customers/end users need to ensure this via COC.

3. Inform your customers/end users of new technical issues, standards, regulations applicable to people and equipment. Build an effective, efficient and credible customer/supplier relationship to the benefit of both. Gas practitioners to provide their authorised registration card to their customers/end user – show them you are proud of being competent and legal to carry out work on their premises. Out class illegal practitioners – report them, differentiate yourselves, be legal and safe!

4. Ensure the Certificate of Compliance (COC) for all installations or maintenance jobs are completed and signed off by both the provider and customer/end user. Business and home owners who need to sell their premises will need the authorised COC as per the PER. You cannot sell without it – as it was for electricity so it is now for any gas installation - be warned! The insurance business is reluctant to pay for fire incidents if an authorised COC cannot be provided. This is after all a legal requirement.

Taking all the above into consideration people need to ask themselves - why play the unsafe game, is it all worth it? The answer is NO but you be the judge of your own doing.

At the end of the day, people are in control of their own attitudes, people have choices, are responsible and accountable to ensure a safer work place and a safer country.

So….if it is all up to each one of us, let’s then go forward into 2010 and beyond and do the right things right. Let's clean up our act and be the 'eyes and ears' of safety, efficiency and compliance.

For those who disagree...the choice is yours...be warned!

Remember – Safety Isn’t Negotiable!