Manufacturing
ManufacturingGuarding, lockout and shift checks, recorded every shift.
On a production floor, the checks that matter happen at the start of every shift and every time a machine is opened up. ProComply puts those checks on a phone and records who did them.
Where it goes wrong
The hazards that come up most on manufacturing work, and where the daily checks matter.
- Moving and revolving machine parts
- Presses, guillotines and shears
- Maintenance on plant that is not properly isolated
- Forklifts and internal transport
- Chemical storage and handling
- Pressure vessels and compressed air
What the law asks
A summary of the main requirements, taken from the Act and Regulations themselves, with links to the official text.
Last reviewed 8 October 2026. Guidance, not legal advice.
General duty
The employer must provide and maintain, as far as is reasonably practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risk to health.
OHS Act s8(1)
Source: Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 (labour.gov.za)
Machinery
Moving and revolving parts such as shafts, pulleys, gears, couplings, belts and chains must be securely fenced or guarded, unless their position or construction already makes them as safe.
DMR 3
Shears, guillotines and presses with an opening greater than 10 mm at the point of operation must have a guard or safety device that keeps hands out of it.
DMR 10(1)
Source: Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (gov.za)
Forklifts and other lifting machines
Every lifting machine, including a forklift, must be operated by someone specifically trained for that type of machine. For machines listed in the national code of practice, the operator needs a certificate from an accredited training provider.
DMR 18(11)
Lifting machines need a thorough examination and performance test by a lifting machinery inspector before first use, after being re-erected, and at least every 12 months.
DMR 18(5)
Ropes, chains, hooks, brakes and safety devices on the machine must be examined by a competent person at least every six months, and a register of tests and examinations kept on the premises.
DMR 18(6), 18(7)
Source: Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 (gov.za)
Checklists ready for manufacturing
These standard templates come with ProComply, alongside the general ones every site uses, such as the daily site safety inspection and toolbox talk record. Use them as they are, or change them to suit your sites.
How checklists work- Daily Manufacturing Inspection
- Machine Pre-Use Inspection
- Lockout / Tagout Verification
- Forklift Pre-Use Check
- Chemical Store Inspection
- Pressure Vessel Inspection
- Manufacturing Hot Work Permit
Guides on this topic
- TemplatesRisk assessments (HIRA) explained, with a free templateWhere the duty to assess risk comes from in the OHS Act and the Construction Regulations, a simple way to run a hazard identification and risk assessment, and a printable HIRA template.
- TemplatesDaily site inspection checklists, with free templatesWhy a short daily inspection is one of the most useful habits on a high risk site, what a good one covers, how to make it stick, and a printable daily site inspection checklist.
- Incidents and COIDIncident reporting and investigation under the OHS ActPublishing soon
Get started
See it with your own sites in mind.
Book a demo and we will walk through ProComply using the kind of work you do, the checklists you need and the way your sites are run. Or start now and set up your first site today.