Sloan, Mark James2025-03-182024Sloan, Mark James. (2024). Managing health and safety in South Africa’s renewable energy power plants [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg].https://hdl.handle.net/10539/44370https://hdl.handle.net/10539/44370A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in the field of energy leadership to the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management, Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024The study explores the suitability of the South African Occupational Health and Safety Act Number 85 of 1993 (OHS Act) and its Regulations in their ability to appropriately support the management of people from hazards to health and safety within utility-scale renewable energy (RE) power plants in South Africa. The study includes the country’s three leading RE technologies that are in-service and connected to the national electrification grid, covering solar photovoltaic (PV), concentrated solar power (CSP) and wind power plants. Semi-structured interviews are used to collect the opinions and experiences of respondents. Each power plant’s operations are assessed from a health and safety hazard management perspective. This is followed by an evaluation of the OHS Act and its Regulations to determine their suitability in appropriately supporting the management of their fundamental intention of ensuring health and safety within solar PV, CSP and wind power plants. The study shows that these RE power plants do not present any health and safety hazards unique to these sectors under normal operating conditions. However, it does highlight several areas where the OHS Act and its Regulations are not entirely appropriate in managing people from hazards to health and safety within these RE power plants. The study identifies the importance of continually maintaining the OHS Act and its Regulations in line with technological advancements.en© 2025 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.Concentrated solar power plantsDegradationFailureHealth and safetyIn-serviceMachineryUCTDDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, JohannesburgSDG-7: Affordable and clean energy