
Many people think that the profession of Health and Safety Officer is not widespread and necessary. But every year, nearly a million people lose their jobs due to occupational diseases or injuries. Thus, such a position is very versatile and can help many people not to lose their careers. In this article, we will tell you what you need to know about how to become a safety officer.
What You Need To Know?
To become a Health and Safety Officer, you must understand that this is a very responsible job. Accordingly, if you still choose this path, you should constantly improve your skills. But in addition to skills, you must be able to write a resume correctly so that the employer hires you. Many people do not have adequate writing skills, but nowadays, this is not a problem. Everyone can use the 24-hour resume service and get a perfect resume. Thus, the probability of getting the desired position will be higher. So, what are the primary safety officer requirements:
- Knowledge of all health and safety rules and regulations;
- Organizational and communication skills;
- Ability to solve problems;
- Attention to detail and the ability to identify various hazards and conduct investigations;
- Ability to take responsibility and initiative;
- Good writing skills for writing reports and other documents;
- Prudence and negotiation skills;
- Willingness to work in different conditions;
- Willingness to wear appropriate protective clothing or use specific equipment (health and safety experts can work in completely different conditions depending on the company, so such a person must quickly adapt to the situation in which he finds himself).
Training and Classification
A person who wants to work as a Health and Safety Officer must have training and minimal experience. It is not necessary to have a diploma to start a career as a specialist. You will only need formal education and training. Of course, safety officer certification will be an advantage, but you can also have a degree in engineering or applied sciences. A Leaving Certificate including English and Maths will also be required. Well, the main requirement is the desire to work in this field. If you already work in that field, you can also count on increasing the safety officer qualification. To understand which skills to develop, you need to know health and safety topics. You should be able to:
- Identify the danger;
- Assess risks;
- Investigate traffic accidents or other situations;
- Work productively.
What Does an Occupational Safety Specialist Do?
The person working in this position must be responsible for ensuring that the risks of accidents, illnesses, or injuries at the workplace are minimal. Such people keep information about the safety of the organization and are responsible for ensuring that all workers comply with safety requirements. They achieve this by creating new protocols and strengthening health and safety policies. Such experts must also be convinced that their organization complies with all occupational health and safety regulations established by the government or other authorities. Specialists usually work the usual number of working hours. However, it all depends on the organization in which you work. That is, the employer may require you to work irregular hours. You may also be called on the weekend or outside of your working hours if there is an urgent situation or an accident that you need to respond to.
Key Responsibilities
An occupational health and safety expert is responsible for many things. After all, no person is immune from traumas receiving a professional injury. Thus, such a position is very important. The primary duties for which such a worker must be responsible are:
- Ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and policies;
- Risk assessment, facility inspection, and internal audits;
- Orientation in legal affairs means that the worker must understand how legislation can affect the organization in which he works;
- Registration of accidents, emergencies, and their investigation;
- Compilation of reports if necessary;
- Development of new policies by existing health and safety regulations;
- Conducting pieces of training to teach employees certain norms and policies that the company follows, as well as for them to orient themselves in labor protection issues;
- Training in fire safety and norms of behavior when interacting with dangerous substances, as well as training in the use of hazardous equipment and other things that can cause injuries.
READ: Free Online Safety Courses: Where & How To Enroll
Who is an Occupational Safety Advisor?
A clear distinction between a consultant and a health and safety professional cannot be drawn. Even though, according to the law, employers must ensure that the people responsible for the health and safety of workers are competent, there is no one defined job title. That is, both names are used as synonyms for workers dealing with the same occupational health and safety issues.
What Salary to Expect?
A health and safety specialist career is extensive and extremely rewarding for workers. The starting salary for such a person is usually £30,000, but a person in a managerial position can expect to earn around £50,000. Construction experts can expect to earn about £75,000.
READ: Occupational Health And Safety Degree (Class Based & Online)
Conclusion
Accordingly, the position of an expert on occupational health and safety is critical nowadays. Not every enterprise faced emergencies due to which people lost their jobs and were left with nothing. For workers to feel safe at work, experts must know their work well and be able to help them. To become such an expert, you only need the ability to learn, motivation, and the desire to help people. If you have all these, then you can easily take this position.
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