CHE 301 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

Chapter 9.2
SAFETY AND HEALTH
OFFICER (SHO)

SAFETY AND HEALTH

COMMITTEE
The Occupational Safety and Health (Safety and Health Committee)
Regulations 1996
Made on 3 December 1996
Stipulates provisions pertaining to the composition, selection and
appointment of committee members, the committees functions
and powers and other related issues
Consists of Six main parts as follows:
1. PART I: Preliminary
2. PART II: Composition of the committee
3. PART III: Functions of the committee
4. PART IV: Meeting of the committee
5. PART V: Provisions of training and information
6. PART VI: Penalty

OBJECTIVES
The main objectives to the establishment of the committee
are:
1.To foster cooperation and consultation between
management and workers
2.To establish two way communication
3.To motivate and boost interest of all workers on issues
related to safety and health

FUNCTION OF THE SHC

The committee is entrusted to perform specific functions which are:
1.To assist in the development of safety and health rules and safe
systems of work
2.Review the effectiveness of the existing safety and health
programmes
3.Conduct studies on trends of accidents, near-misses, dangerous
occurrences, occupational poisoning and diseases
4.Report to the employer any unsafe or unhealthy
conditions/practices at the workplace with recommendations for
corrective actions
5.Review the safety and health policies at the workplace and make
recommendations to the employer for any revision of such policies

What the committee should look at and

why?
Statistics of accidents,diseases, near misses and trends.
Periodic review of Risk Assessments, or after change in work process
Working practices:

Is there a Safer way of doing the process?

Safety Training:

Review of any safety training provided.

Accidents:

Causes of accidents i.e.

unsafe act or omissions

unsafe conditions
unsafe act and conditions

CHECKLIST OF ISSUES
Topics that may be encountered.
Housekeeping:

Daily cleaning concerns.

Lighting:

Is the lighting suitable and efficient?

Guards:

Are dangerous machines securely fenced?

Fire:

How often are drills carried out?

Welfare:

Washing/Cooking facilities.

Recording

Under RIDDOR are all accidents and

dangerous occurrences reported.

Other issues may be Personal Protective Equipment, Manual

handling,Noise,First Aid and any information gained through the Committees
experiences in the Company.

How effective can a Committee

be?
This will depend on the way they function within the organisation and actually make
improvements to Health and Safety.
Encouraging proactive measures from all members of staff
Communication is essential so we all can move to the future.
Partnership its our morale duty to protect each other.

Participation, each member must take an active role in the committee

Dedication, we must put the commitment into our role as a committee member and
lead by example.

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SHO 1997 REGULATIONS

The Occupational Safety and Health (Safety and Health Officer)
Regulations 1997
came into force on 22 August 1997
requires that certain industries to employ a competent safety
and health officer to resolve matters pertaining to the safety
and health at their workplace.
Consist of Six Parts as follows:
1. PART I: Preliminary
2. PART II: Registration of a Safety and Health Officer
3. PART III: Notification of a Safety and Health Officer
4. PART IV: Duties of an Employer
5. PART V: Duties of Safety and Health Officers
6. PART VI: Miscellaneous

SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICER

A person is qualified to register as a SHO under the
following conditions (Regulation 6(1)):
a) Holds a diploma of Occupational Safety and Health or
equivalent approved by the Minister;
b) Complete a training course and passed the examination of
Occupational Safety and Health (from NIOSH) or equivalent
approved by the Minister and has minimum of 3 years
experience in occupational safety and health
c) Has been working in the area of occupational safety and health
at least for a period of 10 years; or
d) Holds any other qualification or have undergo training as
prescribed from time to time by the Minister

DUTIES OF SAFETY AND

HEALTH OFFICER
The main role of a Safety Officer is to act as a focal point for all
occupational health and safety matters arising at the particular
location.
Duties of safety officer:
To assist the employer or Safety and Health Committee conduct
OSH programmes;
To be the Secretary to the Safety and Health Committee;
To assist the Safety and Health Committee in any inspection;
To collect, analyse and maintain statistic on any accident,
dangerous occurrence, occupational disease
To assist any officer in carrying out his duties under the Act or any
Regulations made under the Act; and
To carry out any other instructions by the employer or any person
in charge of the place of work on matters pertaining to safety and
health at the workplace

Carrying out the role involves:

assisting with promoting occupational health and safety
awareness;
advising on occupational health and safety problems or obtaining
advice on unfamiliar problems from Occupational Health and Safety
or other sources;
bringing to the attention of staff and students, occupational health
and safety hazards associated with their work;
bringing to the attention of the relevant department heads
unresolved occupational health and safety problems;
investigating and reporting on all incidents, injuries and
occupational health problems and notifying Occupational Health and
Safety of incidents and hazards in line with reporting requirements;
liaison with Occupational Health and Safety including providing
requested information to Occupational Health and Safety;
co-operation and liaison with occupational health and safety
representative(s) on occupational health and safety activities in their
zone or department in line with the procedures detailed in the
Appendix to the Occupational Health and Safety Policy; and
dealing with health and safety issues in line with the procedures
detailed in the Appendix to the Occupational Health and Safety
Policy.

TRAINING
Safety officers are required to attend a
minimum of 2 days Occupational Health
and Safety training per year in order to
effectively fulfill their Occupational Health and
Safety roles.
Newly appointed safety officers are required
to attend relevant Occupational Health and
Safety training courses in the first 6
months of their appointment.