The first step to launching a successful career as a Health and Safety Officer is selecting the most appropriate course for you and ensuring that you choose the best possible training provider. In this article, we’ll look at the benefits of choosing a career as a Health and Safety Officer, discuss the training required, and provide guidance on what to consider when assessing potential training providers.
What are the benefits of choosing a career as a Health and Safety Officer?
A career as a Health and Safety Officer (or OHS Practitioner) offers a host of potential benefits:
- Rewarding Career: As a health and safety professional, you’ll be helping people every day by making workplaces safer, actively protecting your colleagues’ health, and preventing workplace accidents and injuries.
- Diverse Opportunities: You’ll have the opportunity to work in a range of different industries, from administrative office settings to higher-risk industries like manufacturing, mining, development, construction, etc.
- Attractive Salary: Because a Health and Safety Officer is a managerial-level role, candidates stand to earn attractive salary packages.
- Work with Top Management: Health and Safety Officers work closely with upper management, providing opportunities for motivated and hardworking individuals to get noticed and advance their careers.
- Job Stability: Because businesses in South Africa are legally required to implement health and safety systems, there is always a demand for qualified health and safety professionals.
- Cost-effective Training: First Aid, Fire and Safety Training’s 10-day Health and Safety Officer course is a cost-effective option at just R9,985.00 (ex. VAT). Should you wish to move into a Health and Safety Officer role within your existing organisation, there’s a good chance your employer may be willing to pay for your course.
Does a career as a Health and Safety Officer offer job security in South Africa?
Yes. One of the great benefits of choosing a career as a Health and Safety officer is that there will always be a need for occupational health and safety professionals, across many different sectors and industries. This is because businesses in South Africa are legally required to implement health and safety practices in the workplace under legislation like the Occupational Health and Safety Act, SANS codes (South Africa National Standards), and local municipal safety by-laws.
Which industries can Health and Safety Officers expect to work in?
There is demand for qualified Health and Safety Officers or OHS Practitioners in almost every industry in South Africa. While smaller businesses may not warrant the appointment of a Health and Safety Officer, large, multi-branch organisations often require the expertise of a full-time health and safety professional to manage health and safety effectively.
Ample opportunities for Health and Safety Officers exist in medium to high-risk industries, including:
- Mining
- Energy, Oil, and Gas
- Construction and Civil Engineering
- Manufacturing and Industrial Plants
- Healthcare
- Transport and Logistics
- Warehousing
- Agriculture
- Waste Management
What training do Health and Safety Officers need?
A 10-day Health and Safety Officer course offers an exceptional springboard into this career. The course provides delegates with a broad base of occupational health and safety knowledge and skills, ultimately equipping them to manage an organisation’s entire health and safety system. Presented over two weeks, this comprehensive course covers the following key areas:
- First aid
- Fire safety
- Evacuation planning
- Risk assessment
- Incident investigation
- Health and safety management systems
- The Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993
Further Studies:
Interested candidates may choose to pursue a three-year National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety, available from UNISA or other South African universities.
What to look for when choosing a Health and Safety Officer training provider.
There are a number of OHS training providers in South Africa offering Health and Safety Officer courses. Keep the following points in mind when assessing potential providers:
1. SETA or QCTO Accreditation
The most important thing to look for in an OHS training provider is accreditation. To ensure that your certificate is nationally recognised, be sure to select an OHS training provider that is accredited by a SETA (Sectional Education Training Authority) or the QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations). These are the controlling accreditation bodies for all skills programmes in South Africa, including occupational health and safety skills programmes.
2. Training Facilities
Look for training providers who have professional, well-equipped training centres with adequate facilities. For example, to effectively train core first aid skills like CPR, training providers need to have CPR training manikins and AED training units available. Similarly, practical firefighting skills should be taught with the use of fire extinguishers and the opportunity to extinguish a real fire.
3. Cost
While the cost of accredited training can be a limiting factor for many aspiring OHS Practitioners, a 10-day Health and Safety Officer course is a cost-effective option that offers huge value. First Aid, Fire and Safety Training’s comprehensive Health and Safety Officer course costs R9,895 (ex VAT).
4. Instructor Expertise
The best training instructors and facilitators are those with both formal qualifications and real-world experience. Ask prospective training providers to provide details on their instructors’ expertise and background.
5. Reputation
Online reviews and star ratings are a useful way to get an idea of past delegates’ experiences with training providers. Word-of-mouth reputation is also an invaluable indication of quality.
6. Customer Service
The quality and professionalism of any OHS training provider is often evident from the first email or phone call. Opt for a provider that is client-focused, organised, transparent, friendly, and helpful from the start.
Take the first steps to a rewarding career as a Health and Safety Officer with First Aid, Fire and Safety Training.
First Aid, Fire and Safety Training (FAFST) is accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations and the Department of Employment and Labour. Our passionate, experienced instructors present Health and Safety Officer courses at our dedicated training facilities in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Find out more about what’s included in our Health and Safety Officer course here or, if you have any questions, contact us directly.