Occupational Health and Safety Officer Job Description

In every workplace, a worker should be ensured that their environment is safe and a good place to conduct their job. This job is usually handled by Occupational Health and Safety Officer who just make sure that his co-employee is safe in their workplace. Here are informational tips regarding the nature of their work.

What is Occupational Health and Safety Officer?

Occupational Health and Safety Officer is the one who plans and implements program regarding occupational healthy and safety in the workplace environment including also the worker’s compensation program. He even offers consultation and his expertise towards safety and health concerns to his staff and subordinates.

Duties of an Occupational Health and Safety Officer

The duties of Occupational Health and Safety Officer vary from one workplace to another. But he is responsible for the overall planning and implementation of occupational health and safety program of the workplace and other organization. Some of the duties of the occupational health and safety officer are:

1. Design the program: It makes and plan the program that is align with OSHA requirements in order to reduce accidents and other injuries that are related to work. He even assigns some tasks to other employees to achieve this plan.
2. Create and Maintain forms: He keep records of reports regarding the safety and health compliance procedure of the company. This includes accidents, preventive measures and violations. Such forms that he maintains is the Material Safety Data Sheets and other OSHA forms.
3. Report and Monitor Safety programs: He is responsible also for evaluating the incidents of accidents and injuries that may happen in the workplace and plan any changes and other measures to prevent it. He manages the reports needed for the management of the company to maintain and plan for any changes in the future.
4. Liaison for OSHA: He makes sure that the requirements regarding OHSA is followed by the company for auditing process. He acts as a liaison between the OSHA and the company.

Work Condition of an Occupational Health and Safety Officer

The Occupational Health and Safety Officer may do some recommendations to individuals who have disability but still can perform their job well. He is usually exposed to a noisy environment but this is quite moderate. He too will be exposed to heavy and noisy industrial equipments when doing his tasks daily. Most of their tasks are done in the field. When they need to travel they are often provided with a vehicle or reimbursed their travel expenses. Sometimes their life is at risk too if they are exposed to dangerous workplace environment.

Educational Requirements of an Occupational Health and Safety Officer

To become an Occupational health and safety officer a person should have at least an experience regarding workplace health and safety issues, compensation programs for employees and training in occupational health and safety. A bachelor degree from college is a major plus to become one and this should be aligned with industrial engineering, occupational health and other related course. An added factor to become an OHS officer is certifications in line with driving, first aid training, safety professional and risk management.

Occupation and Progress of an Occupational Health and Safety Officer

Recently, many companies, state governments, hospitals, insurance companies, manufacturing firms and agricultural company employ this kind of worker. There is a projection that more occupational health and safety officer will be needed in the future because a lot of companies need them. This is quite a good career because this is often not affected with economical fluctuations that are happening in the society today.

Occupational Health and Safety Officer are important in the company to make sure that everyone is working free from any distractions and accidents.

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