Health and Safety Manager

by Staff Reporter
If technology and computer systems set your antennas abuzz, then a career as an IT consultant may be just the thing for you.

Career Overview

Health and Safety Managers work to keep the work environment hazard and accident free. They use their skills to promote a healthy and safe culture amongst workers of an organisation.  There are safety legislations, policies and practices that employees to adhere to and it is the job of a Health and Safety Manager to make sure that nobody is breaking the rules.

Health and Safety Managers need strong communication and initiative skills to come up with creative future thinking ways to keep the workplace environment safe for all.

Required School Subjects

You will need to have taken the following subjects at high school:

  • English (Home Langugage or First Additional Language)

Recommended subjects:

  • Life Sciences

Institution and APS

The following are highly recommended institutions for studies in Health and Safety Management:

  • Vaal University of Technology (VUT) – APS of 24
  • University of Cape Town (UCT) – Faculty Point Score (FPS) of 480 for guaunteed admission

Required Qualification/s

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.Most organisations require a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Safety Management or a similar programme. However, there are other organisations that accept higher certificates or diplomas. There is a minimum years of experience which will be required. The higher the qualification and number of years working, the higher the position and package. Qualifications can be obtained from various universities, university of technology, private and public colleges.

Required Skills

You will need to have the following skills to succeed as a Health and Safety Manager:

    • Responsible
    • Honesty and Integrity
    • Take Initiative
    • Be Medically and Biological Aptitude
    • Good Communication and Interpersonal Skills
    • Strong Analytical and Problem-solving Skills
    • Be Technologically Astute
    • Negotiation Skills
    • Organisational Skills

Where you can work

The following are some industries that can be considered for Health and Safety Management work.

  • Hotel Industry
  • Mines
  • Large Food Manufacturers
  • Department of Agriculture
  • Department of Labour
  • Department of Health
  • Regional Services Councils

Working Hours

Working hours are mostly your standard 8am-5pm but in cases of accidents that occur on company grounds or when it is auditing season, then the manager will be required to work longer.

Expected Salary

PayScale provides an esrtmated salary ranging between R121 000 and R621 000, with an average of R379 897. Factors that contribute to what the salary package include level of qualification and number of years of experience. The job title offers bonuses and, in some cases, profit sharing.

What to expect

Here are a few things you can expect from a career as a Health and Safety Manager:

  • Most work is generally office based but there are times when working outdoors will be required. If work isn’t being done at the office then it’s either completed in factories, plants or sites
  • This career is an option both nationally and internationally, which contributes to career development
  • Wearing protective equipment is often an occurrence depending on the place of work being visited
  • Travel is something that can become a regular occurrence, depending on the number of projects one has and how big the organisation is

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