Safety Inspector (Forestry and Related Industries Safety Health and Environment Officer)

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to operate as a Forestry and Related Industries Safety, Health and Environment Officer. A Forestry and Related Industries Safety, Health and Environment Officer ensures forestry and related industry companies adhere to the legal requirements in terms of Occupational Health and Safety Legislation, in line with industry systems and standards in order to direct and support management in achieving its safety, health and environmental goals and objectives. A qualified learner will be able to: • Implement, maintain and review the specific elements of the forestry and related industry company safety systems to promote a safe and healthy work environment free of hazards and risks. • Identify, monitor and mitigate hazards and risks in the forestry and related industry workplace to minimise and control potential for injury and loss. • Manage incident scenes, coordinate emergency responses and take part/assist in incident investigations to identify and determine compliance with safety, health and environmental rules and regulations and implement preventative measures. • Enforce statutory (legal) and forestry and related industry company compliance requirements through inspections, first party audits and structured meetings. • Conduct an appreciation of all operational, chemical and mechanical tasks and activities of a forestry and related industry company to determine compliance with legislation. • Conduct elementary Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) activities in a forestry and related industry workplace to promote a safe and healthy work environment.

The forest resources of South Africa cover over 40 million hectares (ha) of the land surface area of the country. The Forest sector employs around 165 900 workers and provides about 62 700 direct jobs and 30 000 indirect jobs. Forestry provides livelihood support to 652 000 people of the rural population of the country. The Pulp and Paper industry provides about 13 200 direct and 11 000 indirect employment opportunities. Some 20 000 workers are employed in Sawmilling and 6 000 in the Timber Board and 2 200 in the Mining Timber industries, while a further 11 000 workers are employed in miscellaneous jobs in Forestry. In terms of land use, the afforested area is about 1,27 million ha or about 1% of the total South African land area of 122,3 million ha. The forest sector (forestry and forest products) contributes about 1% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of South Africa. In terms of regional GDP, forestry in KwaZulu-Natal contributes 4,4%; in Mpumalanga 3,7%; in the Eastern Cape 0,6% and in Limpopo about 0,6%. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) allocates money annually from the department's budget to Forestry and Natural Resources Management. The DAFF contributes to eradicating poverty through the Forestry Livelihoods Programme. Firewood, construction poles, medicinal plants and edible fruits are all critical to the livelihoods of the rural poor. The DAFF develops human resources through Forestry sector skills development initiatives and promotes employment through commercial forestry activities such as forestation and downstream activities. The integration of forestry programmes into provincial and municipal development plans will assist the "Plant a Million Trees" Campaign. The department is pursuing a target of 10 000 ha of nett new afforestation a year. Afforestation is taking place in rural areas where there are few other viable opportunities for job creation and economic activity. The development of these additional raw material resources will attract greater processing capacity in the form of sawmills, board mills, chipping plants and treatment plants, which will lead to broad economic growth. An additional R500 million a year could be generated from such plantations. There are many potential hazards involved in both forestry work practices and equipment. Safe harvesting of timber either mechanically or manually depends on hazard elimination or risk reduction actions to provide the highest level of protection for the worker. By law, employers are responsible for controlling all potential safety hazards in their workplaces. The function of the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Officer is crucial in the identification and mitigation of risks and in legal compliance. Where solutions are not obvious, the SHE Officers use a process to help them determine the most effective control measures for the risks they find in their workplace. An important role of the SHE Officer is to advise on the required processes and actions employers and employees must take in order to meet their legal obligations. This qualification will meet the need in the industry for qualified SHE Officers. Currently, Safety and Health Representatives are trained in the industry and through courses like SAMTRAC, NOSA and IRCA which are offered to existing Safety Officers. This qualification will take the Safety Officers to the required level of competence. Two important forestry industry training objectives, namely to reduce risks and increase safety are relevant to this qualification. The opportunity exists for Safety and Heath Representatives to complete this qualification and progress to Safety Officers in organisations. Learners will be equipped with practical skills and gain experience at the work place. Employers will be able to appoint qualified Safety Officers with the required skill level in their businesses. Safety working procedures will be followed, accidents and risks will be reduced and safety will be increased. Holders of a Level 3 qualification and who are literate in English and who are able to communicate (verbally and in writing) and who are numerate or learners that have completed grade 10 or a Level 2 qualification, who are literate in English who are able to communicate (verbally and in writing) and who are numerate and have 3 years' workplace experience are eligible to apply for admission to this qualification. Learners who have completed this qualification may be employed in the position of Safety Officer and can progress to careers in Management in the field of Safety, Health and Environment.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result or certifying a work experience record. RPL for access to the qualification: Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements. Entry Requirements: • NQF Level 3 with Communication in English and Mathematical Literacy. Or • NQF Level 2 with Communication and Mathematical Literacy and 2 years' of Safety, Health and Environment workplace experience.

• Conduct elementary safety, health and environment activities in the workplace to promote a safe and healthy work environment.
• Implement, maintain and review the specific elements of company safety systems.
• Interpret information and present findings and recommendations to ensure preventative and corrective measures are implemented.
• Identify, monitor and mitigate hazards and risks in the workplace to promote a safe and healthy work environment free of hazards and risks.
• Manage incident scenes and co-ordinate emergency responses.
• Take part/assist in incident investigations to identify and determine compliance with safety, health and environmental rules and regulations.
• Identify and prioritise preventative measures for non-conformance found.
• Enforce statutory (legal) and company compliance requirements through inspections, first party audits and structured meetings.
• Conduct a safety appreciation (machine, workplace and operations) to determine compliance with legislation.