If you’re an HR professional in a large or growing South African business, you may find yourself faced with this question: Do we bring in a dedicated workplace Health and Safety Officer, or do we develop the capability in-house by training one of our own people?
This is a good question and one that’s worth diving into. Whether you’re building your OHS management system from scratch, reconsidering how you have been managing compliance, or looking to formalise what an existing employee is already doing informally, this guide will help you make the right call.
Before deciding whether to hire or train, it’s important to understand the scope of the role. A workplace Health and Safety Officer — sometimes also referred to as a company Safety Officer, Safety Coordinator, or OHS Practitioner — is the person responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of your organisation’s OHS compliance programme.
One of the most important roles a Health and Safety Officer typically fills is that of the Section 16.2 Appointee under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 of 1993. The CEO holds ultimate legal responsibility for OHS compliance, but Section 16.2 allows the CEO to assign these duties in writing to a competent person (the ‘Section 16.2 Appointee’) who then acts under the CEO’s direction to implement and manage health and safety on the organisation’s behalf.
A qualified, competent Health and Safety Officer in this role performs duties that include:
This important role requires both theoretical knowledge of OHS legislation and the practical competence to apply it in a real workplace environment. Filling it with someone who is untrained, underqualified, or already overextended in another role constitutes a costly mistake.
The OHS Act does not prescribe a universal requirement for every business to employ a dedicated Health and Safety Officer. What it does require, under Section 8, is that every employer takes all reasonable steps to provide a workplace that is safe and without risk to employees. How you meet that obligation depends on the nature, scale, and risk profile of your business.
The practical reality is that in a large or complex organisation, the CEO cannot effectively manage health and safety on top of everything else. The Section 16.2 Appointment is the mechanism through which those health and safety functions can be appropriately managed and executed.
For businesses operating in high-risk industries — like construction, manufacturing, chemical processing, or healthcare — the case for appointing a qualified, dedicated Health and Safety Officer is even stronger.
Both approaches have genuine merit, and the right answer depends on your business’s size, risk profile, budget, and strategic priorities.
They already understand your business
An existing employee who is trained to take on a Health and Safety Officer role brings something an external hire cannot immediately offer: deep familiarity with your operations, your people, your processes, and the specific hazards in your environment. That contextual knowledge is valuable in OHS practice.
The time and cost of training is real but manageable
Of course, training an internal employee requires time and training fees. However, a comprehensive, accredited 10-day Health and Safety Officer course is an affordable option at R10,750.00 (ex VAT).
The opportunity to develop internal leadership
Another positive of opting to train and promote a Health and Safety Officer internally is the opportunity to develop a promising employee who has already shown that they are trustworthy, hardworking, and motivated.
Immediate, verified competence
A qualified, experienced Health and Safety Officer brings OHS certification and practical competence from day one. There is no training curve, no period of developing confidence, and no gap between appointment and capability.
Higher qualifications may be necessary for high-risk or complex environments
In construction, manufacturing, or any environment where the consequences of OHS failure are severe, having an experienced, highly qualified OHS professional may be the more prudent approach. The cost of a more qualified hire — for example, an individual holding a NEBOSH General Certificate or a Diploma in health and safety management — is justified against the cost of a serious workplace incident, a DoEL enforcement action, or the reputational and human cost of a fatality.
Benefit from experience gained from varied environments
While an internal hire brings a deep understanding of your work environment, clients, relationships, and work processes to the table, an experienced OHS professional may bring valuable insights gained from work experience in varied environments and industries.
What about salary expectations?
As a reference point, the average salary for a Health and Safety Officer in the Western Cape as of late 2025 was approximately R16,789 per month. Rates vary by experience, industry, and qualification level. Factor in this cost against your alternative options, including outsourcing, when making your decision.
There is a third option that many South African businesses, particularly smaller and medium-sized organisations, find most practical: outsourcing your OHS function to a qualified OHS compliance partner. This is not the same as hiring an external individual; it means engaging an accredited OHS consultancy to manage your health and safety management system and compliance on an ongoing basis.
Outsourcing your OHS management to a reputable occupational health and safety service provider offers:
Selecting a fully accredited, credentialed OHS compliance partner is of course essential. (See our guide on what to consider when selecting an OHS compliance partner for detailed guidance on this.)
If you decide to train an internal employee as your workplace Health and Safety Officer, it is important to understand what a credible, accredited qualification actually looks like, and to be clear on the difference between formal OHS Officer certification and the other OHS training courses.
The primary accreditation bodies for Health and Safety Officer training in South Africa are the Health and Welfare SETA (HWSETA) or the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). An accredited Health and Safety Officer course must be delivered by an accredited provider and assessed against the prescribed unit standards.
A recognised OHS Officer skills programme at NQF Level 4 or 5 typically covers the following competencies:
Health and Safety Officer training is often confused with Health and Safety Representative (SHE Rep) training. It’s vital to understand that these are two very different courses, and very different roles. SHE Reps are employee representatives elected by their colleagues; their training equips them to perform their legal functions under Section 18 of the OHS Act, including workplace inspections, assistance in incident investigations, and participation in Health and Safety Committee meetings. SHE Reps are not Health and Safety Officers.
Absolute Health Services offers both accredited Health and Safety Officer training and comprehensive outsourced OHS compliance and management services, giving South African businesses flexible options that match their size, risk profile, and strategic direction.
Our accredited Health and Safety Officer training programme equips candidates with the theoretical knowledge, practical competencies, and OHS certification required to function as a qualified workplace Health and Safety Officer and Section 16.2 Appointee. Training is delivered by qualified OHS practitioners with real-world operational experience, not just classroom facilitators. The course includes first aid training, firefighting training, evacuation planning training, OHS Act training, and OHS management systems training.
We also offer outsourced OHS compliance and management services for businesses that need comprehensive OHS compliance support. Our ongoing OHS management service provides:
Whether you are deciding between training and hiring, looking to support an internal Health and Safety Officer with specialist support, or ready to put a fully outsourced OHS programme in place, our team can help you find the right fit for your business.
Is a workplace Health and Safety Officer legally required in South Africa? No, the OHS Act does not prescribe a universal requirement for a dedicated Health and Safety Officer in every business by name. However, the CEO’s duties under Section 16(1) of the OHS Act are legally non-negotiable, and in large companies, those duties require a competent person to manage them, whether that is a trained internal employee, an external hire, or an outsourced OHS service provider.
What certifications or qualifications does a Health and Safety Officer need in South Africa? A credible OHS Officer qualification in South Africa should be HWSETA- or QCTO-accredited and assessed through a competency-based portfolio of evidence (POE). Recognised skills programmes typically sit at NQF Level 4 or 5 and cover OHS legislation, health and safety management systems, risk assessment, incident investigation, first aid, firefighting, and emergency preparedness.
Can I train an existing employee as a Health and Safety Officer? Yes. Training an internal employee is a common and cost-effective approach, particularly for growing businesses. The candidate must be able to commit the time and effort required for an accredited programme, and the business must manage the transition period while the employee is still developing competence.
What is the difference between a Health and Safety Officer and a Health and Safety Representative? A Health and Safety Officer is a management-level appointee responsible for implementing and managing the organisation’s OHS management system and compliance, often filling the Section 16.2 role. A Health and Safety Representative (SHE Rep) is an employee-elected employee representative whose function is prescribed under Section 18 of the OHS Act, including workplace inspections and participation in Health and Safety Committees.
What does outsourcing OHS management involve? Outsourcing your OHS management system means engaging an accredited OHS compliance partner to manage your organisation’s health and safety programme on an ongoing basis, typically through regular site visits, compliance assessments, OHS file management, and training coordination. It provides immediate, consistent compliance without requiring a full-time internal resource.
Our comprehensive Health and Safety Guide is designed to simplify the process of implementing effective workplace safety practices. It provides clear and practical guidance to help employers, including HR and HSE managers, achieve compliance with regulations and create a safe working environment for their employees.
