Safety Officer Course: How To Elevate Your Skillset

The Safety Officer course is crucial to the health and safety of employees in the workplace. The primary task of any good safety officer is to make sure that your employment site and their protocols are in line with the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) guidelines. These guidelines protect workers through enforcing safety measures and performing routine checks and risk assessments. In order to follow these guidelines and comply with OHS standards - a Safety Officer course is valuable. It provides an accessible and viable education and practical knowledge of what it means to be a safety officer. At EMCARE we provide an extensive two-week safety officer course that takes you through all the theoretical and practical applications, equipping you with the skill you will need to preform your duties in accordance with professional standards. In this article, we unpack who we at EMCARE are, what exactly our safety officer course provides and further readings you can engage in to further your skillset.

About EMCARE

EMCARE was founded in 1997 and provides specialized training in several areas, from first aid and firefighting to health and safety training for both individuals and communities. We have training centers in all major cities around South Africa that provides industry leading safety training. We are accredited by local accreditation authorities. Our facilitators, moderators, and assessors are experts in their fields with thousands of hours� worth of work experience and at least one higher level qualification in their specialization. Our decades' worth of experience, accessible training centers, training specialists and legal compliance make us a worthwhile choice for all your health and safety training needs, which includes our popular safety officer course.

Our Safety Officer Course

Before entering the health and safety industry you will need to complete a safety officer course. EMCARE provides extensive training so you can assist companies in managing their occupational healthy and safety protocols so that they are complying with South African legislation. All modules will be covered in 2 weeks, with 1 day dedicated to online assessment.

These are the theoretical skills that will be covered:

• Basic principles of SHE REP
• Legislation
• Occupational Health
• Risk Assessment (HIRA)
• Contractor Safety Management
• Technical Safety
• Environmental Management
• Management Systems
• Accident Incident Investigation
• Health and Safety file implementation
• OHAS Act

Additionally, the course provides the following practical training:

• First Aid Level 1, 2 & 3 Combined
• Basic Fire Fighting
• Legal Liability
• SHE Representative
• RISK Assessment
• Accident/Incident Investigations
• Emergency Evacuation
• Hazardous Material Handling

We have an incredibly flexible schedule that takes you through all the required modules. It all begins with you choosing a date that is in accordance with our safety officer course schedule. Once you complete all practical and theoretical modules you will be provided access to our safety officer assessment which includes case studies and a final exam. After completing this, you will receive a safety officer course certificate in addition to an OHS supervisor certificate. Each individual course module's certificate is valid for 2 years, and the safety course Officer certificate itself has no expiry. If you would like to enroll don't hesitate to contact us!

Recommended Books

If you have already completed our safety officer course and want to further develop your skills or update yourself on new approaches, these books are worthwhile reads.

1. Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed
   In Black Box, Matthew Syed discusses health and safety in the healthcare, aviation, retail and manufacturing industries. It addresses how management can often hesitate to take accountability for mistakes, and why safety officers might psychologically struggle when consequential mistakes are made. It draws on the heartstrings and addresses the human behind the role. 'Black Box Thinking' is an insightful, well-researched read if you are looking to deep dive into the social factors of what it might mean to be a safety officer.
   
   
2. Failure of Risk Management by Douglas W. Hubbard
   Although 10 years old, Failure of Risk Management still stays as relevant and impactful as it was when first published. Hubbard addresses the importance of risk in safety management, highlighting that no industry can run without it. If you want to better understand how to align your safety management with risk management, this book is for you.
   
   
3. Accidents, Causes, Investigation and Prevention by Doctor James Thornhill
   Being proactive as a safety officer is crucial. Preventing mistakes and harm to employees and workers is the ultimate goal and with the professional help of Doctor Thornhill, you have insight on strategic and structured approaches to avoid accidents in the workplace.
   
   
4. Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande
   If you're looking for more of a hands-on handbook approach to add to your safety officer course to further your understanding on health and safety, this book is perfect for you. It summarises and compacts the practical approach to various industry protocols. You can adapt the checklists as you go, but it is a brilliant starting point.

Recommended Podcasts

These podcasts are all hosted by experts in the field of health and safety, none with any rating below 4 stars. If you aren't a reader, consider listening to these as an alternative to expanding your knowledge and engagement with your safety officer course.

• OH&S SafetyPod by Occupational Health & Safety
• The Accidental Safety Pro by HSI
• Safety Culture Podcast by Bob Edson
• Safety FM by Jill James
• All About You Podcast by Safety and Health Magazine

Conclusion

Staying up to date on the evolving safety protocols and requirements as a safety officer is crucial in the workplace. EMCARE offers an extensive safety officer course that provides both theoretical and practical training. The extensive knowledge you gain is not only valuable but professionally obligatory if you want to enter the Health and Safety industry. The certificate you receive after completing the course has no expiry date and is compliant with South African legislation. Not only do we certify your skillset, but we provide continuous encouragement and refreshment of your training. Providing both literature, media and further refresher courses themselves - EMCARE is a company that builds you up and invests in you as much as you invest in yourself. If you would like to connect with us or enroll in our Safety Officer course, please do not hesitate to contact us!