Navigate The Construction Industry With A Safety Officer Course

Breaking into the construction industry as a safety officer is no easy feat. The role of a safety officer within an industry as hazardness as construction involves inspecting and analysing construction sites, identifying potential hazards, and strictly enforcing safety standards. It is for this reason that individuals looking to partake in health and safety professions within the construction industry undergo rigorous safety officer training in order to prepare for the task ahead. If you are looking to become a safety officer within the construction industry, rest assured that EMCARE has your back. We offer accredited safety officer courses to deck out your resume with the skills and expertise that construction companies are looking for.

Understanding Dangers In The Construction Industry

Considering the nature of the job at hand, construction sites are inherently dangerous places. It is for this reason that dedicated, studied safety officers are a necessity in this area. Safety officers will need to be able to inspect construction sites, analyse and pin point all potential risks, as well as brainstorm how to best prevent injury and disaster on site. Here are just a few common considerations safety officers will need to take into account when inspecting a construction site:

1. Certain construction sites will require workers to operate at potentially dangerous heights. Studies have shown that injury resulting from working at heights is one of the most common to occur on construction sites. This is why workers are required by law to undergo rigorous training to prepare them for this kind of job, learning how to work at heights correctly as well as how to operate and utilise all necessary equipment pertaining to the job. Safety officers are responsible for assessing the risks of working at heights as well as formulating plans and precautions to ensure no injury occurs.
   
   
2. Another common consideration relating to construction site safety assessments is the simple possibility of trips, slips, and falls. While just about everyone runs the risk of these seemingly minor injuries, the nature of construction sites can make these occurrences more likely and can also result in significantly worse consequences. Uneven terrain, dangerous equipment, debris, and unstable structures can all cause injury when not navigating correctly, making a simple slip up significantly more hazardous to the worker. Again, it is the responsibility of the safety officer to assess these dangers throughout the duration of the job, highlight best practices in order to avoid disaster, as well as ensure that all safety standards are met.
   
   
Dust, dangerous chemicals, and electricity can also cause problems on construction sites. Depending on the task at hand, workers could be exposed to harmful airborne fibres, live electrical parts, and substances like asbestos. A trained safety officer will be able to take note of the job that needs to be done, and lay out the best way to go about it without the workers running the risk of potential injury. This can cover anything from ensuring that workers are equipped with the right tools, garments, and safety gear to get the job done right, to ensuring that workers are correctly trained to handle the task.

These are just a few of the roles and responsibilities that would fall on the shoulders of safety officers on construction sites. Needless to say, in a field with such high risks, it’s crucial that appointed safety officers are correctly trained for the job.

Safety Officer Course And Professional Training

If being a safety officer is something that appeals to you, EMCARE is here to help you out. We offer plenty of different health and safety courses to help you get certified and fully prepared for a safety officer job. One such course is the General Health And Safety Course (OHS7), perfect for workers looking to expand their understanding of occupational health and safety. This course can prepare individuals for carrying out practical and safe work procedures and offer CETA certification upon completion – something that is sure to look great on your CV.

If you would like to start smaller, our OHS Act Course (OHS) might be perfect for you. This 1-day course will assist you in understanding the complex terminology and objectives of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993. Prepare to learn everything you need to know about the national and provincial standards of legislation as well as how to handle health and safety compliance.

If you have no health and safety training whatsoever, then why not consider our popular Safety Officer Course (OHS8). This course is designed to help you break into the health and safety industry and covers everything from introductions to health and safety, and basic principles, to risk assessment, management systems, and incident investigations. If you are new to the safety officer industry, we highly recommend taking this safety officer course first before building on your skills with a few of our other offerings. More practical than theoretical, this course is sure to set you up for success when entering the health and safety industry.

We also offer courses for established safety officers, helping them boost their skills, expand their expertise, and update their knowledge on health and safety. One such offering is our Safety Officer Course Package (SO). This course serves to benefit safety officers working in the realm of health and safety compliance, helping businesses to manage compliance with South African legislation. In this course, safety officers will work through 10 modules, covering everything from first aid and emergency evacuation to accident investigation and risk assessment.

About EMCARE

Breaking into the construction industry as a safety officer is made that much easier with the help of EMCARE and our certified training courses. We operate across South Africa at various accessible branches, opening the doors for plenty of prospecting safety offers to get the training they need to succeed. Visit our website to book your course or get in contact for more information and start learning the ropes today!