Take A Health And Safety Course To Become An OHS Supervisor

Completing an Emcare health and safety course is highly beneficial to anybody in a supervisor position, and a necessary responsibility for any company with a team of employees under management supervision. If you find yourself in a management, supervisor, or coordinator position, you may understand the huge responsibility that comes with organising a group of people and ensuring their health and safety is prioritised at all times.

This responsibility falls on the employer, and should never be neglected. In this quick read, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the Emcare OHS supervisor course and the importance of a health and safety course for responsible business management.

What Is The Emcare OHS Supervisor Health And Safety Course?

This is a specialised health and safety course offered by Emcare specifically for employees or employers in a management or supervisory position. The course directly relates to the OHS Act, whereby supervision is stated to be an employer's duty. This course is developed to fully equip any health and safety manager with an advanced set of skills to confidently manage and upkeep their health and safety systems and coordinate effective health and safety over their entire team.

This health and safety course covers a wide range of topics and contents, equipping the participant with an all-around understanding of health and safety within the workplace. The course takes 5 days to complete, and each module can be completed on a separate training day. Once all days are complete there will be one extra day of assessments, and you will receive your certificate from Emcare as soon as this has been completed. The certificate you receive is valid for two years.

The following modules are included in the OHS Supervisor health and safety course:

• OHS Supervisor
• Legal Liability module
• SHE (health and safety) representative
• RISK Assessment
• Accident investigation

If you’ve already completed a previous health and safety course, and completed 1 or more of the modules included in the OHS supervisor course, Emcare offers recognition of prior learning (RPL) and it is possible to RPL the modules in this course. All you need to provide is a legal certificate that is still valid stating you have completed the following modules listed above.

To enrol in this health and safety course you will need to be proficient in reading and writing in English, although a language translator can be offered for groups of 10 or more. The course is available at all Emcare venue locations across South Africa, and even at your work premises for groups of 10 or more, making it easily accessible. Get in touch with Emcare today to enrol in our OHS supervisor course.

Importance Of A Health And Safety Course For Supervisors

According to South African law, supervisors are required to provide relevant safety measures to all their staff and employees, and all machinery operational work needs to be supervised by a trained and competent individual. A manager or supervisor is necessary by law and needs to be properly trained to carry out his or her responsibilities effectively. This is why a health and safety course is so important for managers and supervisors, ensuring their leading staff are well-educated in health and safety should be a top priority for any CEO or business owner.

Health And Safety Responsibilities Of Supervisors

The role of a supervisor is much more complicated than you might think, and it takes someone with great leadership qualities and organisational skills to be a good supervisor. They are responsible for a large variety of tasks and day-to-day projects happening at work. Due to their high involvement in the everyday functioning of the business, it’s the supervisors' responsibility to ensure adequate health and safety measures are being met.

Supervisors need to be able to quickly adapt and make important decisions. It’s necessary for health and safety systems in the workplace to continuously improve and adjust to new safety hazards and concerns. It is extremely important that the supervisor listens to employees about their safety concerns and uses this first-hand information to rectify an issue.

The following are just a few of the health and safety responsibilities which may fall on a supervisor in the workplace. These are general responsibilities but more specific health and safety regulations may differ greatly depending on your industry.

1. Create A Safe Working Environment And Upkeep Safe Work Practices
   
   This is a top priority for any supervisor and it fits hand in hand with good communication. The supervisor is responsible for enforcing safety measures and procedures in everyday work practices, making sure employees are sticking to them precisely.
   
   Employees should be able to easily approach a supervisor with workplace hazards or any dangerous workplace practices for the supervisor to rectify. Employees should be encouraged to always speak up when they feel unsafe in a working environment.
   
   
2. Effectively Train Employees
   
   For employees to accurately follow safety systems in the workplace they need to be adequately trained. This training can take place by the supervisor, or certain employees may need to attend a health and safety course to correctly fulfil their position.
   
   Employees need to know how to use their safety gear correctly and know which safety measures to carry out for each task. Thorough training is extremely important when it comes to dealing with heavy machinery, or dangerous chemicals and substances. The bigger the danger, the more training and experience are needed.
   
   
3. Rectify Any Hazardous Aspects Of The Workplace
   
   Identifying a hazard or unsafe practice in the workplace is the first step to improving safety, but it doesn’t end there. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to take immediate action on any safety hazard or dangerous practice happening.
   
   This may mean stopping employees from completing a task that could be putting them in danger until the issue is fixed. The correct action and process must be followed to rectify the error, and someone in a higher position may need to be called in if necessary. The main responsibility of a supervisor is to always put the health and safety of employees before the company's productivity.
   

4. Investigate Any Accidents That Happen In The Workplace
   
   No matter how efficient your supervisor or manager is at enforcing safety measures, accidents do still happen in the workplace and they are sometimes inevitable. When an accident does occur it is the supervisors' responsibility to investigate why the accident took place, and review any errors in the safety system which may have led to an accident happening.
   
   All injuries must immediately be reported and treated, and accidents must be recorded to review the health and safety performance of the company. This documentation of workplace accidents will allow supervisors to review the situation and make the necessary improvements to try to prevent an accident from occurring again. Most supervisors have 48 hours to review the situation and sign on it.
   
   
5. Safely Handle And Dispose Of Hazardous Waste
   
   If your industry or workplace uses dangerous substances or produces hazardous waste, this can easily put employees at risk. The supervisor is responsible for minimising the dangers of hazardous waste and ensuring it is disposed of correctly.
   
   Hazardous waste cannot be disposed of through sewer systems or in any way that will cause environmental damage as well as damage to people. Many regulations surround the disposal of hazardous waste and these should be properly managed by the supervisor.
   
   The responsibilities of a supervisor are substantial, no matter what industry you are in. Emcare understands the importance of a health and safety course, and all our courses are of the highest standard, to give you the best training possible to carry out health and safety procedures in the workplace.