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Safety Officer Duty Responsibility
Safety Officer Duty Responsibility
Safety Officer Duty Responsibility
Safety officers ensure a safe work environment for employees and managers.
A safety officer is responsible for overseeing the activities of a workplace, to make sure that employees
within that setting comply with government’s safety regulations and/or the organization’s policies.
Safety officers job descriptions usually entails helping employers develop safety policies which are
directed towards the reduction or slashing of accident-related costs and prevention of financial losses
that may emanate from a decrease in productivity and/or sales.
In the formulation of binding organization-wide policies, the safety officer with the contribution of
managers and workers, determine the type and nature of policies that are required within the
organization.
After drawing up of relevant safety policies, the officer makes sure that every worker is fully aware of
the new laid down rules/policies and immediately start monitoring the workers’ (including managers)
compliance to the policies.
The safety officer’s role involves inspecting the entire company area (both internal and external
surroundings), in a bid to finding out any safety concerns or hazards.
These safety concerns or hazards may include unnecessarily slippery areas, broken or faulty work
equipment, and other objects or situations that can be a source of accident/injury to anybody.
He/she checks the workers to make sure that each one of them put on required protective equipment
needed for carrying out his/her daily duties.
These may include hard hats or helmets and required protective footwear as is relevant to any particular
role.
In the case of an accident occurring within a particular workplace, the safety officer carries out
necessary investigations regarding its cause(s).
His/her work description in some cases includes interviewing witnesses within the accident scene so as
to know what actually occurred.
Safety Officer Job Description Example/Sample/Template
A safety officer performs various functions in making sure that hazardous situations in workplaces are
curbed, and that the safety of employees/workers within a particular organization is assured at all times.
Here is a job description example that highlights important tasks, duties, and responsibilities that
typically constitute the work of safety officers in most companies or organizations:
Identify and develop relevant training programs for company workers and management
Keep record of safety-related accidents within a particular time frame
Recommend appropriate protective equipment that workers should wear while carrying out
tasks
Supervise the installation of potentially harmful equipment and the disposal of hazardous
substances
Stop the continuation of processes that are deemed harmful to the health of workers
Review existing safety policies and update them where necessary
Carry out or organize important safety-related training within the company or organization
Conduct an assessment of possible risks and ensure that preventive measures are taken.
Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge – for Safety Officer Role
If you are seeking the job of a safety officer and want to know what you need to have, below are major
requirements and qualifications you may need to fulfill to be considered for an interview by most
organizations or firms:
Must have excellent communication skills to pass important messages (safety precautions) to
workers and management in a way that is clear to everyone concern
Must possess excellent interpersonal skills to relate effectively with workers and managers
Must have a keen eye for even the smallest of details
Must have excellent coordination and organizational abilities
Must be someone that can easily motivate other workers
Must be willing to work as part of a team and even to lead a team if required to do so
Must have good leadership skills to be able to carry everyone along and achieve set goals
Must have in-depth knowledge of safety legislation and procedures/processes
Must have basic knowledge of data reporting processes
Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Safety Management, Civil Engineering or in any other related
field
3 years work experience as a safety officer in an established firm or company
Must have the relevant safety management certification that is required to work as a safety
officer
To access this position, employers may require that you pass certain assessment tests.
Conclusion
Are you an employer needing to hire for the role of safety officer in your company? If you are, then you
will need to write and publish a complete description of the job to let prospective applicants know what
the duties and responsibilities of the position entail.
The sample safety officer job description presented in this post can be useful in creating a detailed work
description that perfectly represents your organization, and that helps you to get the right candidates
for the job.
The information contained in this post is also useful to people who are interested in making a career in
the safety management field.
They will learn a great deal about what safety officers do and so will be able to make informed decision
about getting into the career or not.
Did you find this post useful in learning about what safety officers do for their organizations? Please, let’s
know what you think about this article. Do also share your job description if you work as a safety officer.
49 duties of a safety officer:
The Safety Officer is responsible for monitoring and assessing hazardous and unsafe situations.
Developing measures to assure personnel safety.
May exercise emergency authority to prevent or stop unsafe acts when immediate action is required.
Participate in planning meetings to identify any health and safety concerns inherent in the operations
daily work-plan.
Ensure preparation and implementation of Site Safety and Health Plan (SSHP).
A HSE Officer is part of the project safety council and leads all efforts to enhance safety.
The safety officer reviews and approves all subcontractors safety plans.
Verifies that injury logs and reports are completed and submitted to related government agencies.
Verifies that all tools and equipment are adequate and safe for use.
Trains and carries out drills and exercises on how to manage emergency situations.
Watches out for the safety of all workers and works to protect them from entering hazardous situations.
Serves as the link between state and local agencies and contractors.
Arranges for OSHA mandated testing and/or evaluations of the workplace by external agencies/ consultants.
Advise and instruct on various safety-related topics (noise levels, use of machinery etc.).
Inspect premises and the work of personnel to identify issues or non-conformity (e.g. not using
protective equipment)
Record and investigate incidents to determine causes and handle worker’s compensation claims
Assess working platform and certify them before use like scaffolds, tressels, suspended platform
Choose qualified suppliers, and contractors for different activities within the site who meets the
companies contractors policy.