Safety Officer Course: Why We Need Safety Officers

To become a safety officer, it is obligatory to apply for and complete a safety officer course. Safety officers are essential figures for ensuring both protecting those in the workplace and complying with health and safety legislation. Whether they be enforcing safety policies or improving employee morale, safety officers are incredibly important. In this article, we’ll be breaking down the many reasons why we need safety officers as well as the various roles and responsibilities they fill in the workplace.

What Are Safety Officers?

A safety officer is someone appointed to maintain the health and safety regulations at their places of work. They are internal employees and are hired to ensure that the work environment is safe for both employees and those affiliated with the company. Additionally, safety officers are there to respond to emergencies, assess the usefulness of the business’s safety programs and prevent any potential accidents from occurring. In the case of there being an accident, safety officers identify the hazard, inspect it methodically and eliminate it before anyone sustains an injury.

In many ways, safety officers are revered as the unsung heroes of the workforce as their sole purpose is to protect workers and the organization in its entirety. In addition to controlling and extinguishing existing accidents, safety officers work behind the scenes to prevent hazardous incidents from happening in the first place. By complying with South African health and safety laws and eliminating potential dangers in the workplace, safety officers help to ensure the safety of those around them.

The Importance Of The Safety Officer Course

Becoming a safety officer requires the proper training, which is why completing a safety officer course is of utmost importance. Because you’ll be overseeing and maintaining the safety of those around you, obtaining the top health and safety certifications gives you the tools necessary to fulfill these roles. Through taking a safety officer course, you’ll be able to perform the essential duties that come with being a safety officer as well as be prepared and educated on the various responsibilities that come with the job.

The safety officer course encompasses a wide range of topics and modules that teach you everything you’ll need to know to become a qualified safety officer. From modules such as accident investigations to the first three levels of first aid, you’ll be learning all the essentials when it comes to health and safety in the workplace.

EMCARE’s Safety Officer Course Package (SO)

At EMCARE, we offer a range of comprehensive, nationally accredited health and safety courses that give you the tools necessary to safeguard any workplace. Our Safety Officer Course, known also as our Safety Plus Course Package, has been specifically developed to accommodate organizations that comply with South African legislation.

Included in the course are 10 modules that cover topics such as RISK Assessment, Hazardous Material Handling and Accident/Incident Investigations. Our Safety Plus Course Package will teach you about technical safety, environmental management, occupational health, contractor safety management, management systems and the basic principles of SHE Rep.

Over a span of just two weeks to complete our safety officer course, you’ll be equipped with the proper knowledge and training to keep your company safe. In addition to gaining these skills, you’ll also be granted a South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health certificate as well as an official certification from EMCARE valid for two years.

To apply for this safety officer course, you’ll need to have an education at a minimum of Grade 10 level as well as be able to both read and write English proficiently. If you speak a different home language that is not English, local language instructors will be available on request for groups of 10 or more people.

Why We Need Safety Officers

When it comes to maintaining the health and safety of all employees, any place of work needs to have a safety officer. The role of a safety officer comes with a range of responsibilities and duties, including the conduction of inspections, upholding compliance with the relevant safety and health regulations and the delivery of safety training.

Complex as the job may seem, safety officers make places of work safer and healthier for everyone involved. No matter the industry, the role of a safety officer is pivotal for any business. Here are a few important reasons as to why we need safety officers:

• Saves On Costs:
  
  If there are injuries or accidents in the workplace, it can often lead to the business having financial burdens. With the aid of a safety officer, these fees are lessened through the minimizing of downtime, workers’ compensation claims are decreased, and accidents are prevented from happening in the first place.
  
  
• Improves The Morale & Wellbeing Of Employees:
  
  It’s no surprise that workers feel more inclined to be committed, engaged and productive in their work when they feel secure. Safety officers affect the job satisfaction and morale of employees by maintaining a safe working environment.
  
  
• Complies With Legislation:
  
  More than just adhering to safety precautions, safety officers also comply with South African health and safety laws. By adhering to these regulations, the business is kept out of any legal trouble and can retain a positive record and sense of trust with investors.
  
  
• Prevents Injuries:
  
  Arguably, the most important role that safety officers perform in the workplace is to prevent injuries and accidents. Employees are able to feel protected as the safety officers’ hands-on approach and ability to detect danger decrease the likelihood of accidents happening.

In this article we attempted to show you just how important safety officers can be, and with it the essential nature of a premium safety officer course. If this line of work interests you and you want to find out more, please feel free to contact us at EMCARE, we are proud to be the leading training service in South Africa. We will be sure to give you all the information you will need on our safety officer course.