Safety Officer Course: Why Safety Matters

A safety officer course is a program in which individuals can participate and get safety officer certification. A safety officer is an individual who is responsible for ensuring compliance with occupational health and safety measures in the workplace according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act’s regulations.

Their crucial role is to promote safety in environments with occupational hazards. At EMCARE Training Academy, we offer a short course in which one can become a safety officer. In this article, we outline what the course entails. We will also discuss the necessity of safety officers; if this is something you are interested in, continue reading to find out more.

What We Offer At EMCARE

At EMCARE, we offer the Safety Plus Course as a Safety Officer Course package. This 2 week long program has been designed for Safety Officers who help companies manage their compliance with the South African workplace legislation according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The course is made up of 10 modules ideally suited to individuals who work in the Health & Safety industry.

The Components Of Our Safety Officer Course

Our Safety Plus Course covers various aspects of health and safety. This is a more practical training course than theoretical content and is structured for Safety Officers who will manage companies’ compliance with workplace safety legislation in South Africa. The course modules are made up of the following:

• Level 1,2 & 3 levels of First Aid
• Basic Fire Fighting Training
• Legal Liabilities
• Principles of Health and Safety Representatives (SHE Representative)
• Training in Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment (HIRA)
• Training in Incident and Accident Investigations
• Training in Emergency Evacuation
• Training in Handling Hazardous Material
• Occupational Health and Safety Certificate
• Safety Officer Certificate

The different components of the Safety Officer Course can be completed on any given dates available on our training schedule. After an individual completes all of the course modules, they will be given access to an online Safety Officer assessment. The assessment will consist of case studies where the individual will showcase the skills which they obtained in their training and they will also be examined on their skills.

As noted, the course takes place over two weeks in which you can sign up for modules according to the training schedules. After two weeks of training, the assessment component will take one day. Once the training and assessment for EMCARE’s safety officer course is complete, a certificate will be awarded, the Safety Officer Certificate will be valid for 2 years.

The Benefits Of A Safety Officer And Why Safety Matters

In South Africa, workers are protected by the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Companies must comply with these guidelines to protect their employees and their businesses. However, the Act is quite detailed, so companies need to hire and provide training for employees to become safety officers to help them manage their compliance with legislation.

A Safety Officer Course provides information as to how to understand the legalities of the act and the safety standards which companies and employees should be following. Safety Officers will be aware of how hazards should be dealt with in dangerous working environments, they will be able to share this information with other workers.

They can conduct safety training in the workplace relevant to the environment. This means that companies can operate efficiently and safely. It is important that workers feel protected in hazardous working environments such as construction sites, factories and laboratories. Protected staff members will feel more confident and secure in their work environments with safety officer training.

If an employee of a company completes a safety officer course, they can conduct training in identifying hazardous threats for other staff members. They will be able to instruct workplace safety measures and implement procedures and strategies for hazards and accidents. This is vital in boosting workplace safety.

Having safety measures in place helps to prevent accidents and injuries in the workplace. Safety officers are trained to identify hazards and risks, and the proactive approach to dangerous circumstances significantly helps to reduce the probability of occupational hazards impacting and harming employees. Ultimately, having a trained safety officer on your team helps to prevent injury.

Having a safety officer on duty contributes to employee morale. Employers cannot put their employees at risk in the hopes of profits. Cutting corners in the working environment can have detrimental costs. Having an individual or individuals who have completed a registered safety officer course has a huge moral benefit.

The Benefits Of Becoming A Safety Officer

There is also a benefit of becoming a safety officer. There is a demand for certified safety officers and in the South African industrial industry there are roles that need to be fulfilled. Adding the certification to your skillset can only help in the long run. Being a safety officer is a rewarding position and one which can help many people.

Although EMCARE’s Safety Officer Course is two weeks long; there is continuous learning involved in becoming a safety officer. Professional development in the field is the best kind of learning a certified individual can get. As time moves, the more you practise the more refined your skills become which is important in ensuring personal satisfaction and pride in your work. Further, having the skills of a safety officer can lead to greater opportunities and career advancement.

About EMCARE Training Academy

EMCARE is a training academy which provides training for Health & Safety. We were founded in 1997. Our various courses are accredited and cover emergency medical, fire fighting, first aid, health & safety, and emergency evacuation training.

We offer legal compliance training which is needed in the commerce and industrial fields. We have training centres in all major cities in South Africa. Our objective is to offer high quality training and maximise each individual’s potential. If you are interested, sign up on our website today!