Welcome to the SafetyCloud Blog

Like we did for ISO 9001: 2015, today’s blog takes a look at the 2015 revisions to ISO 14001, and how these have improved the standard, as well as changed it. 

Recap: What is ISO 14001?

ISO 14001 is an internationally agreed standard that sets out the requirements for an environmental management system. It helps organisations improve their environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste, gaining a competitive advantage and the trust of stakeholders. 

Your workplace is ticking along, everyone has undergone the required health and safety training at some point, and it appears that everyone understands how to prevent and minimise risk. So there’s nothing more for you to do – right? Well, no actually.

As any mechanic worth his salt will tell you, maintenance is an ongoing, essential requirement to ensure things keep running smoothly. In fact, just because certain training may not be legally required, it doesn’t mean your company doesn’t need it. So here’s what to consider when it comes to retraining your employees.

As a corporate leader, global competition and razor-thin margins can pressure your employer to make financial decisions that conflict with health and safety standards. As health and safety professionals, it can become tiresome, having to constantly justify necessary spend. Let’s be honest – we know the safety training our company needs, and perhaps in the interests of getting that training, we’ll opt for the ‘discount’ option in order to please our employers and their bottom lines while still meeting our HSE legal requirements.

In reality, however, current safety statistics show that improving work site safety practices reduces both direct and indirect employee costs in the long run, saving money and even the company itself. Here’s how paying cheap now can cost you dearly later.

It’s a sad reality that the current South African job market is… depressing. The ratio between job seekers and suitable, available jobs is inversely proportional, and alarmingly so. Everyone is looking for that edge to set them apart from the very many other equally-qualified candidates, all vying for the same position.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to guarantee that your resume distinguishes itself from the ream of CVs sent to every recruiter. Here’s what to do.

We’ve said this before – having a passion for your work is important, but this would mean nothing if its compensation doesn’t come close to feeding you and your family. This blog reveals what you can expect to earn, depending on where you are in the world, and the employment landscape for each of the areas we discuss. We focus on three continents specifically – the United Kingdom, Africa and the United States.

Remember: These salary brackets can vary. The information provided here has been compiled from data covering as wide a proportion of the international industry as possible. Also, as we have done in previous blogs, the salaries are annual earnings, and are listed in US dollars for ease of reference.

For many companies, we’re fast approaching financial year end. This is the time to review what remains in our budgets and find ways to spend what remains in a way that is responsible and productive, while avoiding wasteful expenditure that can harm your bottom line.

Later this month –­ on the 27^th to be precise ­– the enquiry into the Grayston Bridge collapse (which occurred on the 14^th of October, 2015) will resume after several delays. In the meantime, the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has announced that construction of the bridge is set to continue. On Monday 27 February, it released the following statement:

You already know that studying further is a good idea. How can enhancing existing qualifications ever be a bad thing? And you already know that once you have successfully achieved your qualification you’ll be able to plan, implement and maintain a safety, health and environmental (SHE) management system.

There is no doubt that health and safety professionals are committed to their work, and their industry. But – to be frank – passion alone doesn’t pay the bills. When planning your career, it’s helpful to know where your qualifications will take you, and the qualifications you’ll need to acquire when you want to go further.

With this in mind, here are 14 of the most common jobs in the occupational health and safety industry, and what you can hope to earn by performing each of them. Remember, as always, this is not a finite list, but should give you a solid foundation off which to work when plotting your job prospects. What is interesting to note is the gender disparity in some of the roles – now may be your chance to change that!

Note: These salaries are measured according to international benchmarks, and do not take into account socio-economic factors specific to a region. Also, these are median amounts, meaning they usually fall directly in the middle of the pay scale for these particular job titles.