Essential Qualities To Have As A Safety Officer

Safety officer courses are valuable programs that help you develop the expertise needed to make your workplace environment safer. However, there are important skills you should possess or work towards if you are looking to become a safety officer. In this article, we'll be covering all the essential qualities a safety officer should have as well as highlighting the key skills EMCARE offers in our health & training safety courses.

What Do Safety Officers Do?

It's important to understand what safety officers are and what exactly they do before delving into the skills needed to become one. Safety officers must complete a full safety officer course that follows South African legislation to be considered qualified. In a workplace, a safety officer ensures that those within the business are complying with the OHS (occupational health and safety) guidelines as well as fostering an environment that prioritises a safe working environment. Below are some of the key responsibilities that safety officers fulfill:

• Conducting necessary investigations when there are accidents in the workplace.
• Making sure that the company and its employees are complying with the applicable health and safety laws.
• Maintaining the supervision of novice health and safety officers.
• A willingness to learn and be proactive in gaining knowledge of proper health & safety beyond the program of the safety officer course.
• Performing regular risk assessments as well as safety inspections.
• Recognising when and where in the workplace OHS training needs to be implemented.
• Accounting for any activities associated with the OHS.
• Helping to develop, enact and expand the existing health and safety plans and measures within the place of work.

Important Skills To Have As A Safety Officer

Taking a safety officer course is generally accessible to those with Grade 10 certification and can write and read in English with proficiency. Whilst taking a safety officer course is fundamental to implementing thorough health & safety measures at your place of work, some character traits that are integral to becoming a first rate safety officer. Here are some skills that are helpful to have or work towards prior to your training:

• Making yourself available and responding in a timely manner.
• Having the ability to solve problems and innovative ways of thinking.
• Communicating effectively and having good organizational skills.
• Being a dependable and trustworthy worker.
• Having the confidence to address those associated within the company that are not abiding by the established safety standards of the business.
• Displaying a sincere concern for the health and safety of other people.
• Making sure to assume the duties and responsibilities as the appointed safety officer of the company.

EMCARE's Safety Officer Course Package (SO)

Attending a safety course is essential to becoming a safety officer. A safety officer course typically comprises of several modules that prepare you with the necessary tools and training to manage a company's accordance with the OHS and national legislation. At EMCARE, we offer range of health & safety training, including that of our safety officer course. Also known as our safety plus course package, our safety officer course comprises of 10 modules that span over a two-week course. These 10 modules cover topics such as:

• Basic Firefighting: In this module, you will learn the theory behind fires and how to use firefighting gear. You will also learn methods and tactics that will help to prevent fires within the workplace.
  
  
• Accident Investigations: This module covers all you need to know about conducting comprehensive accident investigations. Through this, you will learn how to detect dangerous working conditions, find the cause of danger as well as apply preventative and counteractive actions.
  
  
• First Aid Level 1-3: First Aid Levels 1 through 3 include anatomy, proper positioning of the body and terminology. This module provides training for choking, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, bleeding, addressing wounds and several other emergency management topics.
  
  
• RISK Assessment: RISK assessments help to recognize which objects, practices or processes within the workplace pose a danger to employees and the organization in its entirety. In this module you will learn how to control measures to help efficiently control and remove these risks. Other topics covered in this module include analyzing probability and severity of risks, surface symptoms and personal protective equipment.

Upon completion of the safety officer course, you will also receive a safety officer certificate with a validity of 2 years as well as an OHS supervisor certificate. Included in the course are learner manuals, training equipment and printed A4 certification.

Benefits Of Having Safety Officers

There are many advantages to having a safety officer within your company. Most notably, the presence of a safety officer can reduce the risk of injuries and accidents within the workplace. Safety officers are regularly identifying potential dangers in working environments and implementing preventative measures. This also alleviates the potential financial and legal aftermath of workplace accidents by following safety regulations. Additionally, having a safety officer can help to improve the morale of employees in a business. When a work environment is deemed unsafe, it affects the productivity and assurance of those working in it. Safety officers facilitate a culture of safety within a business and help to prioritize the health and safety of its employees.

About EMCARE

We are a specialized health & safety training company that strives to provide exceptional services to our clients. At EMCARE, we help to create sustainable work opportunities for our learners through our interactive training and professional conduct. We offer a range of training opportunities, including that of firefighting, emergency evacuation training and several safety officer courses. If you're looking to apply for out safety officer course or learn more about our other health & safety training programs, visit our online website to find out more.