PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION

Purpose:

The purpose of this part qualification is to prepare a learner to function as an Occupational Health and Safety Assistant.

 An Occupational Health and Safety Assistant performs basic administration, coordination and compliance monitoring within the Occupational Health and Safety function. A qualified learner will exhibit the following key attributes: attention to detail, sense of urgency, time management, assertive and compassionate, communication, pro-active and diligent application of administrative practices, honesty and appreciation of ethical values.

 A qualified learner will be able to:

Maintain appropriate Occupational Health and Safety documents management systems.

Execute the administrative duties required for the management of Occupational Health and Safety meetings.

Apply basic data analysis to compile basic Occupational Health and Safety reports using standard reporting formats.

 Rationale:

This part qualification is derived from the Occupational Health and Safety Officer qualification and is the entry point to suite of qualifications that underpins the professional establishment and implementation of Occupational Health and Safety function within organisations.

 The part qualification will benefit the sector, industry and society by offering an entry point into a career path in the occupational health and safety field. The occupational health and safety sector will benefit in that this part qualification will build professionalism at an early stage in the career path of the cadre of employees, thus preventing unnecessary occupational diseases and injuries. The part qualification includes generic administrative knowledge and skills that creates a platform for career progression for learners into Occupational Health and Safety Officer positions. Society will benefit employment opportunities the part qualification opens for new entrants.

 Occupational Health and Safety is one of key determinant of the eventual sustainability of an organisation as legal compliance. A healthy and safe working environment is a fundamental human right that is entrenched in the South African Bill of Rights. Keeping workers healthy and free of injury is also a key imperative in reducing the financial burden of health care on the employees, companies and fiscus. It shall enable the organisations to prevent and reduce occupational diseases and injuries, thus keep employees healthy to sustain households and society economically.

 This part qualification provides the Occupational Health and Safety theoretical and practical competencies to administer compliance and prevention. Typical learners for the part qualification are new entrants and those already employed with occupational health and safety responsibilities. The part qualification was developed in collaboration with the occupational health and safety industry and professional bodies to account for competencies requirements for professional registration. There is currently no similar part qualification that is registered in the National Qualifications Framework.