Safety Officer Course: The Importance Of A Safety Officer In The Public Utility Industry

Safety Officers are crucial employees to have in most if not all industries. The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 was put into place in 1993 to ensure that the health and safety of employees was prioritised. Safety officers trained through safety officer course work were set up in order to manage and protect those rights. These officers make considerations for the health and safety of employees, establish protective rules and preventative measures, conduct risk assessments, ensure there is training and investigate incidents where safety and health are compromised.

One of the industries where safety officers are vital is the public utility sector. The public utility industry is responsible for the management of water, gas, and electricity - amongst other services. Safety officers are important here as the consequences of not maintaining health and safety go beyond the company and employees - they affect the general public's access to basic utilities. Access to safe drinking water, hazardous gas protection and electrical welfare are all managed by safety officers. In this article, we take a deeper dive into what the utility Industry is, what safety officers do and why EMCARE is the best choice for your safety officer course.

The Public Utility Industry

A utility on its own is something beneficial or useful, whereas a public utility is concerned with public services. Entities provide goods and essential services to the general public and are often determined by the needs of the public. These entities include municipalities, governments, private businesses, corporations, and organizations. Industries that fall under public utilities include:

• Postal services
• Sanitation
• Internet and Cable installation
• Public Transportation
• Sewage Management
• Telephone Services
• Water provision
• Natural Gas
• Waste Disposal

In most cases, the government will ensure the affordability and access to these utilities as they form general monopolies. So, although the government might not provide all public utilities - they regulate them. This is done to ensure not only the affordability and access but also the safety and equality of these services to everyone. For instance, the monopoly of electricity in South Africa is supplied by ESKOM - a private enterprise. The government has put in mandates to ensure the provision of this electricity is sustainable, but also that power plants and generators are being constructed with safety measures in mind.

This public utility service is an ideal example of how crucial effective safety officers who are well trained through a dedicated safety officer course can be. When a power plant explodes, and there are no other electricity providers - entire sectors go without access to electricity. There are many other industries that either succeed or suffer when safety officers are not present or skilled. This is why EMCARE offers the best safety officer course to ensure you are skilled, knowledgeable, and aware of the importance and consequences of working in the field of Health and Safety.

The Role Of A Safety Officer In The Utility Industry

Before we look at the specifics of EMCARE's safety officer course, let us take a look at the role of safety officers in 3 distinct utility sectors.

1. Water and Sanitation
   
   The role of a safety officer in the water and safety industry is the first line of defense when protecting the public against harmful bacteria and infection in public water systems. Safety officers need to reduce hazards, be aware of toxic waste and ensure storage does not affect sanitary practices. Additionally, all machinery needs to be sanitized, rinsed, and washed to the most exceptional standard. This is in addition to keeping up with laws and regulations, writing reports, managing inspections, and coordinating transport of chemicals, waste and machinery.
   
   
2. Gas and Oil
   
   The gas and oil safety officers also do all admin and inspection work as those in water and sanitation but work with higher risk machinery and materials. It is one of the most high-risk industries as extracting oil and gas can have detrimental consequences on the health and safety of employees. Blasts are common accidents that has a consequential fatality rate. Safety officers are integral to ensure the right practices and procedures are being followed to save and protect the lives of a fundamentally important industry to the public.
   
   
3. Electricity
   
   Electrical safety officers oversee complex electrical safety programmers and equipment. They develop appropriate strategies to ensure safety protection procedures. In South Africa in particular safety officers implement strategies for load shedding, power outages, theft, and weather hazards. Safe work practices and all risk reporting is influential in the current electricity crisis South Africa is facing and safety officers are more important than ever.

EMCARE's Safety Officer Course

EMCARE's safety officer course is designed to equip you with the best qualification, skills, and practical knowledge. It is a two-week course and is designed to provide you with environmental and technological training. You walk away with a qualification recognized by SAIOSH with no expiration date. You learn the practical skills of all three levels of first aid, emergency evacuation and hazardous material handling as well as theoretical knowledge like RISK assessment, SHE Representative and how to investigate accidents. Management systems as well as training in the OHAS Act is also incorporated into the course. EMCARE's safety officer course is all encompassing and the best choice for your training qualification. +

Get In Touch

EMCARE is a high quality, passionate and determined training center who ensures you are equipped with the skills you need. We have the best qualified and experienced trainers, and make sure your training is recognized by all relevant bodies and in accordance with South African legislation. Safety officers are important and vital in the health and safety industry and our safety officer course makes sure those in industries like the public utility industry are skilled to protect not only employees but the public utilities those employees work to provide. If you or your company need training, get in touch and get started on your Safety Officer Course with EMCARE today.