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Writer's picturePenelope Harriet

Top 30 Safety Officer Responsibilities You Should Know

Updated: Mar 21, 2023

A lot happens in an organization at the same time. And in order to execute well, each of these activities necessarily requires a healthy and safe work environment.

So having a person within an organization who can assess what could go wrong, act when something goes wrong, and be willing to take responsibility for the situation seems to be pivotal. This is where the position of a safety officer is crucial.


What Is A Safety Officer?


A Safety Officer is a professional who assists in ensuring the health and safety of an organization's employees. He responds to emergency situations by identifying potential hazards, properly investigating them, and controlling them before anyone gets injured.


He works in a variety of industries, including healthcare, industrial, petroleum, gas, and construction. His duties may vary based on the different industries. A safety officer assumes responsibility for this role by taking safety courses. Employees may get hurt if a safety Officer fails to take full responsibility for his duties.


Which Safety Course Is Required To Become A Safety Officer?


Individuals who want to become safety officers, take some common steps to increase their chances of being hired for such a position. They acquire a bachelor's degree in occupational safety or a related field.


Many safety officers are also certified by organizations like the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH). Some Safety Course are the following:

  • COURSE FOR SAFETY OFFICERS

  • NEBOSH IGC (KNOWN AS NEBOSH SAFETY COURSE)

  • NEBOSH FIRE SAFETY CERTIFICATE

  • MS in IOSH (IOSH MANAGING SAFELY COURSE)

  • 30 HOURS OF OSHA (CONSTRUCTION SAFETY COURSE)

  • SAMTRAC (SAFETY MANAGEMENT TRAINING COURSE)

Experience in safety-related fields, as well as strong communication and interpersonal skills, increase your chances of being hired.



Safety Officer Responsibilities


Here is a list of 30 safety officer responsibilities that you must be aware of in order to excel in your field:

  1. Assist OHS policies, programs, development, and regulations.

  2. Identify and monitor potential hazards that commonly include risk assessment and categorization.

  3. Continuously evaluate processes and operations to identify potential hazards and implement control measures to mitigate these risks.

  4. Ensure that all employees and executives receive proper OHS training about potential occupational hazards and acknowledge how to protect themselves from them.

  5. Communicate and collaborate with staff on safety-related issues (noise levels, basic first aid training, proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and so on).

  6. Inspect the premises to ensure that employees are safe while working. Build precautions to safeguard workers from injuries if any issues are identified.

  7. Monitor the safe maintenance, handling, storage, and disposal of potentially hazardous materials, along with all necessary paperwork.

  8. Interviewing witnesses, reviewing security footage, and gathering other evidence to examine incidents that happen within their assigned area.

  9. In an emergency safety officer takes immediate action to stop and prevent hazards that appear risky and unhealthy.

  10. Ensure that all employees of an organization are aware of all potential hazards in a site and are familiar with the safety procedures in place.

  11. Ensure that all employees in the organization comply with OHS regulations.

  12. Coordination of all site safety and health activities, such as site inspections, accident investigations, safety training, and hazard abatement, to ensure site safety.

  13. To ensure a safe work environment, inspect the premises for possible hazards such as power lines and trip hazards.

  14. Keep toolbox meetings to ensure that all employees are up to date with the latest safety procedures and protocols.

  15. Analyze and approve subcontractors' safety plans to ensure they are fully aware of potential hazards on the work site so the appropriate precautions are taken to protect workers.

  16. Create and implement safety policies and procedures, provide safety training, and investigate on-site accidents. He also collaborates closely with the project manager to ensure project safety in all aspects.

  17. Safety officers are also responsible for selecting qualified suppliers and contractors for various onsite activities who adhere to the company's contractor policy.

  18. To resolve unsafe acts or conditions, use the emergency line of authority, which includes issuing warnings, conducting investigations, and taking disciplinary actions.

  19. Responsible for receiving reports from the Department of Labor and replying to instructions within the site.

  20. Identify and report certain weaknesses inside a safe workplace. These may be evaluated through health and safety risk assessment or observation.

  21. Conduct safety audits to ensure that safety policies are followed for the safety of employees and to enhance operational effectiveness.

  22. Oversee the installation, maintenance, and disposal of substances to ensure that safety procedures are followed and safety equipment is in good order.

  23. Ensures that injury logs and reports are completed and submitted to the appropriate government agencies. Also, accept responsibility for ensuring that the agency has up-to-date data on the number and categories of workplace injuries.

  24. Acts as a link between state and local authorities as well as contractors, in order to coordinate workplace OHS testing and evaluation.

  25. To identify potential hazards in the workplace, conduct a job hazard analysis. Before taking precautionary measures, this analysis is used to determine how risky a task was.

  26. Employee health problems must be reported to the Departmental Manager. It ensures that problems can be investigated and, if necessary, precautionary measures to improve the health of affected employees can be applied.

  27. Maintaining safety signs and notice boards in their assigned areas to prevent injuries. This ensures that both employees and visitors are aware of potential dangers or hazards in certain situations or environments.

  28. Safety officers establish and train employees in compliance with the emergency response plan.

  29. Ensure that the organization's health, safety, and environmental laws and policies are followed.

  30. Ensure that the organization's health, safety, and environmental laws and policies are followed.

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