If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a Health and Safety Officer in South Africa, congrats: you’ve picked a career path that has the potential to be both personally gratifying and financially rewarding.
As a Health and Safety Officer, you’ll be making your workplace safer for your colleagues, customers, and contractors. Alongside protecting people’s health, safety, and wellbeing, you’ll also be taking a weight off your employer’s shoulders by making sure that their business is fully compliant with health and safety legislation, bylaws, and standards. So, if you’re someone who wants to make a real difference in their workplace, a Health and Safety Officer could be the ideal role for you.
Of course, before taking the next steps, it’s important to make sure that Health and Safety Officer salary levels align with your own needs and expectations. In this article, we’ll look at the average salary you can expect to earn, outline the roles and responsibilities of a Health and Safety Officer, and cover the training and qualifications that are typically required.
How much does a Health and Safety Officer earn in South Africa?
Like all jobs, the salary expectations of Health and Safety Officers vary by area, industry, and the experience level of the candidate. Typically, positions available in major cities and economic hubs like Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town may offer higher salaries than those in smaller towns or rural areas. Similarly, Health and Safety Officer positions in high-risk industries (for example, the mining, construction, energy, and manufacturing sectors) are likely to pay better than those in lower-risk industries.
Keeping the above in mind, here’s a breakdown of the average Health and Safety Officer salaries in South Africa:
- Average salary: On average, Health and Safety Officers in South Africa can expect to earn anything between R180,000 and R350,000 per year.
- Entry-level/junior salary: Candidates with limited to no experience should expect to earn closer to R180,000 per year.
- Senior salary: More experienced candidates, particularly those who have worked in high-risk industries or hold more advanced qualifications, can expect to earn as much as R450,000 per year.
*Please note: these salaries are approximate and intended to provide a rough estimate of potential earnings. Actual salaries may vary.
Roles and responsibilities of a Health and Safety Officer
A Health and Safety Officer is tasked with developing, implementing, and overseeing a company’s overall health and safety programme. As such, it’s a varied and dynamic role that involves working closely with both management and staff.
As a Health and Safety Officer, you’ll likely be expected to:
- Set the company’s yearly health and safety goals and objectives
- Assist with managing the company’s health and safety budget
- Develop and implement health and safety procedures and policies
- Keep the company’s health and safety file up to date
- Develop and implement health and safety induction programmes
- Keep employees informed of health and safety initiatives and strategies
- Manage the Health and Safety Team organogram and issue appointment letters
- Ensure that the Health and Safety Team’s health and safety certificates are valid and up to date
- Identify and organise health and safety training for team members
- Develop, implement, and review emergency response plans
- Conduct risk assessments and implement controls to eliminate or mitigate workplace hazards and risks
- Take part in incident investigations
- Ensure that visitors and contractors complete health and safety agreements and adhere to the company’s health and safety requirements
- Complete workmen’s compensation forms, incident investigation paperwork, etc.
- Ensure that the company is fully compliant with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993
What is a 16.2 appointee?
You may see the term ‘16.2 appointee’ used in Health and Safety Officer job descriptions. Section 16(2) of the OHS Act states that the CEO has the right to appoint a suitable person to manage the company’s health and safety programme on their behalf. See the excerpt from the Act below:
“16(2) Without derogating from his responsibility or liability in terms of subsection (1), a chief executive officer may assign any duty contemplated in the said subsection, to any person under his control, which person shall act subject to the control and directions of the chief executive officer.”
Health and Safety Officers are often appointed as ‘16.2 appointees’. Note that ultimately, the CEO always remains legally responsible for the company’s health and safety.
What certifications and qualifications do Health and Safety Officers need?
For anyone looking to pursue a career as a Health and Safety Officer, a 10-day Health and Safety Officer course is the ideal starting point. First Aid, Fire and Safety Training’s Health and Safety Officer course gives delegates the practical skills and theoretical knowledge required to effectively manage health and safety in any workplace. The course covers the following content:
- First Aid NQF Level 1
- Firefighting
- Evacuation Planning
- Risk assessment
- Incident investigation
- The OHS Act
- Health and safety management systems
Candidates looking to further boost their CV and enhance their employability can go on to pursue the International General Certificate (IGC) in Occupational Health and Safety through NEBOSH (National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health). The NEBOSH IGC is internationally recognised and highly regarded in South Africa. Depending on whether candidates opt for full-time or part-time study, the course takes between two to six months to complete.
Ready to take the first step on your journey to becoming a Health and Safety Officer?
As we’ve discussed in this article, for the right person, a Health and Safety Officer role can offer a competitive salary and job satisfaction. If you’re ready to take the next step and begin training, contact us to book your spot on our next Health and Safety Officer course.
