Occupational health and safety training is often perceived as a grudge purchase, and an expensive one at that. But with the right training provider and the right guidance, OHS training doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.
In this article, we’ll show you how to get the best value for your OHS training spend. We’ll provide guidance on ensuring compliance with the Health and Safety Act (OHS Act), share advice on what to consider when evaluating potential training providers, and look at current health and safety course prices.
Identify which occupational health and safety courses your business really needs.
First and foremost, the most obvious way to avoid overspending is to only complete the health and safety courses required by law. According to the OHS Act, OHS training is a legal requirement for any business in South Africa employing more than 10 people. In general, there are four health and safety courses that are mandated by law for any business falling into this category:
· Health & Safety Representative
In addition, it’s important to understand how many of your employees are required to undergo training. The OHS Act stipulates the following minimum training ratios for First Aiders, Fire Wardens, Health and Safety Representatives, and Evacuation Marshals:
· Offices/shops = 1 appointee per 100 employees
· Other environments = 1 appointee per 50 employees
In industries or workplaces where the risks and hazards are greater than normal, it’s not unusual to have a higher ratio of health and safety team members. A reputable OHS training provider will be able to advise you on how many employees you should train for your particular workplace.
Make sure that you train the right people.
Another way to get the most value out of health and safety courses is making sure that you send the right employees on training. The last thing you want is to train an employee who ends up leaving the company soon after, forcing you to retrain someone else in their place. Consult your HR department and put time into carefully selecting your health and safety team members. Ideally, appointees should have a genuine interest in health and safety and should volunteer for the role.
What to consider when evaluating an OHS training provider.
Keep the following points in mind when evaluation training providers:
1. Ensure that the training provider has the proper accreditation.
To ensure compliance with the OHS Act, your OHS training provider must be accredited with the correct statutory bodies. In South Africa, training providers must be accredited by one of the following:
- Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)
- Health and Welfare SETA (HWSETA)
In addition to carrying either HWSETA or QCTO accreditation, First Aid NQF Level 1 courses must also be accredited by the Department of Employment and Labour (DoEL). This is because the OHS Act explicitly states that first aid training providers must be recognised by the Chief Inspector of the DoEL. To confirm this, your first aid certificate must display the provider’s CI number in the bottom left-hand side of the certificate.
(First Aid, Fire, and Safety Training (FAFST)’s First Aid NQF Level 1 course is fully accredited with the QCTO and the DoEL, with CI number CI 511/3/12/1.)
A good indicator of a high-quality provider is one that is accredited to provide all four of the courses necessary for compliance (First Aid, Firefighting, Health & Safety Representative, and Evacuation Planning).
2. Consider cost-effective providers.
The most expensive occupational health and safety courses aren’t necessarily the best ones. Training can be accredited, professional, and cost-effective. FAFST’s company profile is based upon four core pillars: professional, high quality, client-focused, and cost-effective. In line with this, we strive to keep our pricing as competitive as possible (scroll down for a full list of our health and safety course prices).
3. Insist on fast certificate turnaround times.
Because having valid OHS training certificates is necessary for legal compliance, you don’t want to find yourself waiting months for your certificates to be delivered after the course has been completed. Choose a training provider that commits to a fast turnaround time for certificates – no more than 10 working days.
4. Larger organisations should opt for a provider with a national footprint.
Due to the practical requirements of health and safety training, courses must be done in person. If your organisation has nationwide branches, it’s important to select a provider with a national infrastructure and premises in each of the main centres around South Africa, including Johannesburg, Durban, Gqeberha, and Cape Town.
5. Ensure that course durations are sufficient.
Some providers offer first aid training courses over a single day. This should be a red flag, as the minimum requirement for First Aid NQF Level 1 training is two days. One day simply isn’t enough time to sufficiently cover the theoretical and practical aspects of a first aid course. Firefighting, Health & Safety Representative, and Evacuation Planning courses must be conducted over at least one full day.
6. Choose a training provider that is willing to offer health and safety advice and support.
Having a relationship with a knowledgeable training provider who makes the effort to advise you on your compliance status and health and safety training needs is worth its weight in gold. The support and guidance of a knowledgeable Sales Administrator or OHS Practitioner goes a long way to helping you get the most value out of your training. Look for a provider that goes above and beyond from the first phone call or email.
FAFST’s health and safety training price list
FAFST offers countrywide health and safety courses at competitive prices.
Our core compliance courses are priced as follows:
| Course Name | Duration | Price (Excl. VAT) |
| First Aid NQF Level 1 | 2 Days | R975.00 |
| Firefighting | 1 Day | R825.00 |
| Health & Safety Representative | 1 Day | R825.00 |
| Evacuation Planning | 1 Day | R825.00 |
FAFST also offers the following additional occupational health and safety courses:
| Category | Course Name | Duration | Price (Excl. VAT) |
| First Aid Training | First Aid NQF Level 1, 2 & 3 | 5 Days | R1,975.00 |
| CPR for Everyone (RCSA) | ± 3 Hours | R595.00 | |
| CPR for Professionals (RCSA) | ± 4 Hours | R975.00 | |
| BLS for Healthcare Providers (AHA) | ± 5 Hours | R1,175.00 | |
| Firefighting Training | Advanced Firefighting (Excl. PPE & Venue) | 2 Days | R1,750.00 |
| SAQCC Fire Technician 1475 | 5 Days | R4,450.00 | |
| Health & Safety Training | Incident Investigation | 1 Day | R925.00 |
| Risk Assessment (HIRA) | 1 Day | R925.00 | |
| The Occupational Health & Safety Act | 1 Day | R925.00 | |
| Section 16.2 Workshop | ± 2 Hours | R575.00 | |
| Health & Safety Supervisor | 2 Days | R1,295.00 | |
| Health & Safety Officer (Skills Program) | 10 Days | R9,895.00 | |
| Specialist Courses | HAZMAT | 1 Day | R825.00 |
| Stacking & Storage | 1 Day | R825.00 | |
| HIV/AIDS Awareness | 1 Day | R825.00 | |
| First Aid, Fire and Evacuation Responder Skills Program | 5 Days + Practical Hours | R3,950.00 |
We offer on-site training for groups of eight delegates or more. For smaller groups, join our public courses presented at our training centres in Johannesburg North, Durban, Gqeberha, and Cape Town (download our course schedule to see upcoming dates).
Is there value in sending a manager on a Health & Safety Officer course?
If your organisation is fairly large, with multiple branches around the country, then the short answer is yes, there’s certainly value in sending the right person on a Health & Safety Officer course. In industries like construction, mining, development, production, or anything with an elevated risk profile, there is even more reason to have a Health & Safety Officer on staff.
A Health & Safety Officer course is a 10-day course that equips practitioners with a broad base of knowledge and skills. It covers first aid, fire safety, evacuation planning, risk assessment, incident investigation, health and safety management systems, and the OHS Act.
A Health & Safety Officer, also known as an OHS Practitioner, is able to assist the CEO or executive management team as a 16.2 Appointee. This means that the Health & Safety Officer can implement and manage OHS Act compliance and the health and safety management system on behalf of the CEO, giving leadership peace of mind that health and safety is well looked after, and that the company is compliant with OHS Act requirements.
(FAFST offers a comprehensive, cost-effective, 10-day Health & Safety Officer course at R9,895 (ex VAT).)
Smaller companies may not warrant the appointment of a Health & Safety Officer. In this case, a Health & Safety Supervisor is likely sufficient. This two-day course covers the OHS Act, risk assessment, and incident investigation.
A Health & Safety Officer course is not to be confused with a SHEQ Officer course. ‘SHEQ’ stands for Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality, and as such, SHEQ Officers are trained to take care of all four of these domains.
Where to study occupational health and safety in South Africa.
Particularly in the post-COVID era, health and safety offers a promising career path with many opportunities. Those looking to go into a career as an OHS Practitioner can study a three-year National Diploma or BTech degree in occupational health and safety through various universities in South Africa. A Health & Safety Officer course can act as an excellent springboard into this career path.
Serious workplace accidents are much more expensive than OHS training.
The hidden, uninsurable costs of a serious incident or accident in the workplace far outweigh the costs of OHS training. Lost production time, the cost of hiring and training new workers to replace injured workers, the cost and time associated with clean-up, reduced employee morale, higher staff turnover, and possible DoEL penalties, fines, or legal action can end up crippling your company.
Protect both your employees and your bottom line by investing in cost-effective, high-quality health and safety short courses.
