New Regulations Booklet – Hazardous Work for Children

Regulations with regard to hazardous work for employees under the age of 18 were gazetted in January 2010 in line with section 43 (1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act which allows the Minister of Labour to gazette regulations.  In 2013 the Basic Conditions of Employment Act was amended with the following purpose:

• to prohibit anyone from requiring or permitting a child under the age of 15 years to work;

• to make it an offence for anyone to require or permit a child to perform any work or provide any services that place at risk the child’s well-being;

This week the Department of Labour published a booklet on their website which summarizes these regulations but also includes provisions from the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.  The communication has a number of interesting aspects to it and we have attached it for general interest.  Of particular interest is:

1. Children under the age of 15 may work in the Advertising, Artistic and Cultural Activities industries and regulations governing these activities are covered by Sectoral Determination 10 which includes hours of work, rest periods, food accommodation etc.
2. Children under the age of 15 may do the following work, other than as an employee as defined in the BCEA:
   • Collect contributions on behalf of a fund-raising organisation registered in terms of the Fund Raising Act, (Act No. 107 of 1978)
     
   • Do voluntary work for a church, charitable organisation or amateur sports club as part of his/her schooling, do work that is appropriate for a person of that age or which does not place at risk the child’s well-being, education, physical or mental health, or spiritual, moral or social development.

The booklet outlines, in line with international practices, the basis on which children under the age of 18 may work and identifies work which they may not be asked to do.  The full booklet is available below.

It is a criminal offence to require a child under the age to work in work not covered by the clauses above, punishable by a maximum prison sentence of 6 years.