Welcome to the SafetyCloud Blog

If you’re in the construction industry, you already know about the Council for Project and Construction Management Professionals (SACPCMP). But, are you aware of everything you’re required to do if you want to register as a member? Today’s blog breaks down the essential points of which you’ll need to be aware.

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.

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.

When we leave school, although many of us think we know everything, this is usually not the case – especially when it comes to having a solid idea of where we see ourselves in terms of a lifelong career. In fact, it’s become very common for people to begin working in an industry for as long as a decade… before realising it isn’t really what they want to do, and they begin with something else late into their 30s. So the idea of a clear, mapped-out plan for what we want to do for the rest of our lives can be downright laughable.

But, unless you’re happy to move randomly from job to job, meaningful growth in your career has to start with a strategy. And this is where we come in. From current trends to the myriad job choices you can make, this guide will be your assistant to realising your full potential in your pursuit of a career in occupational health and safety management.

You might say, ‘I’m just a safety officer – not a leader’. ALL safety professionals are leaders, as you are responsible for guiding your entire organisation when it comes to adopting, implementing and following sound safety practices.

And as a leader, the following nine qualities are key to fulfilling your role successfully.