Is pursuing a WHSO training the right career path for you to take?
Sometimes making a career choice that is right for you may be the hardest thing you will ever do. While all careers have their positive and negative implications, a career that works for you may help minimise work-related frustrations. However, if you are interested in becoming a Work Health and Safety Officer (WHSO), please read on to know how to become one and what to expect in your work experience.
The qualifications and skills that you will require
Different industries have various standard requirements for a work health and safety officer. Therefore, you will have to determine the industry you would like to work in before beginning your WHSO course. However, to be certified as a WHSO, you will need a certificate IV in work health and safety. Depending on the position you intend to work at, there are other general qualifications such as a diploma or an advanced diploma in work health and safety. Remember, the qualifications are industry specific. Aside from academic and technical requirements, you will need to possess other skills such as excellent communication skills, problem-solving skills and social and interpersonal skills. You will also be expected to be perceptive.
Your duties
The primary and most important role of a work health and safety officer is to prevent accidents and injuries from happening in the workplace. They are also responsible for ensuring that an organisation has put in place measures to ensure the security and safety of the employees. You will effectively perform these roles by conducting inspections on sites so as to evaluate risk management mechanisms, investigating all reported cases of health and safety related incidents at workplaces, training employees and their employers on safety, recommending health and safety plans as well as ensuring existing health and safety laws and regulations are implemented at the workplace.
The Work Environment
A WHSO has a variety of industry options to settle in; you need to make this decision before commencing training. WHSOs are mostly required in industries that produce hazardous chemicals or industries involving risky activities such as mining, construction, chemical manufacturing factories or even hospitals. In these environments, you will be mostly stationed on site. Notably, large corporations also require WHSO, in which case you will be stationed in the offices.
Estimated Earnings
Notably, the higher you climb the ladder of success, the higher your earnings. Notably, how up the ladder you climb depends on your experience both practically and academically. Therefore, once you get the basic training, challenge yourself to keep advancing your education.
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