Scroll to the bottom for a list of institutions that offer Safety and Occupational Health
SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-CAREER INFORMATION SUMMARY
WHAT IS SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND WHO IS A SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SPECIALIST?
Occupational health and safety is the field of public health that studies trends in illnesses and injuries in the worker population and proposes and implements strategies and regulations to prevent them. Its scope is broad, encompassing a wide variety of disciplines from toxicology and epidemiology to ergonomics and violence prevention.
A safety and occupational health graduate is someone who has studied and graduated with a diploma or degree in safety and occupational health at a well-known college or university in Zambia or abroad. He/she is a specialist in monitoring of the health and safety of employees in the workplace.
WHERE DO SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS WORK?
The largest employers of occupational health and safety specialists were as follows:
They work in Government departments and agencies, e.g. at ZESCO they work as SHEQ officers. They also work in mines, manufacturing industry, construction companies, hospitals, they also work in various companies in management, and they also do technical consulting services.
Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians work in a variety of settings, such as offices or factories. Their jobs often involve considerable fieldwork and travel. They may be exposed to dangerous or stressful conditions. They use gloves, helmets, respirators, and other personal protective and safety equipment to minimize the risk of illness and injury.
WHAT TASKS ARE INVOLVED IN THE WORK?
Occupational health and safety specialists and technicians typically do the following tasks on daily basis:
Inspect, test and evaluate workplace environments, equipment and practices to ensure that they follow safety standards and government regulations, prepare written reports on their findings, design and implement workplace processes and procedures that help protect workers from hazardous work conditions, evaluate programs on workplace health and safety, educate employers and workers about workplace safety by preparing and providing training programs, demonstrate the correct use of safety equipment, investigate incidents and accidents to identify what caused them and how they might be prevented.
They also examine the workplace for environmental or physical factors that could affect employee health, safety, comfort, and performance. They may examine factors such as lighting, equipment, materials, and ventilation. Some develop and conduct employee safety and training programs. These programs cover a range of topics, such as how to use safety equipment correctly and how to respond in an emergency.
WHAT IS THE WORK SCHEDULE OF A SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH GRADUATE?
Most occupational health and safety specialists and technicians work full time. Some may work weekends or irregular hours in emergencies.
Occupational health and safety specialists can assist in offices, warehouses, shops, construction sites and more by preventing hazards before they occur. Workers are busy with their normal routines, meeting deadlines, and progressing in their own careers. They should not have to worry about their safety and risk of injury. That is why occupational health and safety specialists commit themselves to workplace safety, finding and solving occupational risks to health and well-being. It is a career for those who want to solve problems that may save lives. Hence, they don’t have specific work schedule.
WHAT DOES THE JOB MARKET LOOK LIKE?
Applicants for jobs as occupational health and safety specialists or technicians with a background in the sciences, experience in more than one area of health and safety, or certification have the best job prospects in Zambia. Specialists and technicians are needed to work in a variety of industries, mines and government agencies to ensure that employers are adhering to both existing and new regulations. In addition, specialists are necessary because insurance costs and workers’ compensation costs have become a concern for many employers and insurance companies. An aging population is remaining in the workforce longer than past generations did, and older workers usually have a greater proportion of workers’ compensation claims.
They can find jobs in mines such as Nevada Gold Mines in Lumwana, first quantum in solwezi, Mopani Coppermine, among other companies. They take jobs with titles such as Analysis or Research Safety Inspector, Cause Analyst, Certified Indoor Environmentalist, Certified Industrial Hygienist, Certified Professional Ergonomist, Chief of Safety and Protection, Chief Safety Officer, Corporate Environmental, Health and Safety Director, Environmental Health Inspector, Environmental Health Sanitarian, Environmental Health Technologist, SHEQ officer. To mention but a few.
WHAT SORT OF CAREER-PERSONALITY MATCH IS REQUIRED?
To enjoy working as a safety and occupational health specialist in Zambia, you must be someone comfortable to work with advanced technology because you will often work with complex testing equipment. One must also have good communication skills; you must be able to communicate safety instructions and concerns to employees and managers. You need to be able to work with technicians to collect and test samples of possible hazards, such as dust in the workplace. One must also be detail oriented, you must pay attention to details. You need to recognize and adhere to specific safety standards and government regulations. One must also have Physical stamina. You must be able to stand for long periods and be able to travel regularly. Some specialists work in environments that can be uncomfortable, such as tunnels or mines. Problem-solving skills. Occupational health and safety specialists must be able to solve problems. They need to be able to find solutions to unsafe working conditions and environmental concerns in the workplace.
Scroll to the bottom for a list of Institutions that offer Safety and Occupational Health
WHAT SUBJECTS WILL THE PROGRAM COVER?
Once you enrol to study safety and occupation health, you are expected to do the following subjects, Introduction to occupational health and safety, Fundamental Principles of Occupational Health, Principles of health & safety management, Zambian Health & Safety Regulations, Contemporary issues in health and safety, Workplace and Work Equipment Safety, Loss causation and incident investigation, Hazardous Substances in the Workplace, Environmental Issues and Control Practice.
During their college years, students are exposed to internship opportunities in areas focused on health and occupational safety to gain real-life experience. In some special cases, companies may offer certification or recommendations to health and safety practitioners who have completed a certain amount of work.
WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS?
To qualify for this program, you need to have 5 O’ level credits including Mathematics and English.
WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS OF STUDY CAN MAKE SOMEONE A SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SPECIALIST?
Occupational health and safety specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree in occupational health and safety or a related scientific or technical field, such as environment health/engineering, occupational safety management, biology or chemistry or industrial hygiene, health physics or ergonomics and accident prevention. Students can major in other areas such as biology, civil engineering, environmental engineering, and occupational safety if they want options.
WHAT ARE THE FUTURE ADVANCED QUALIFICATIONS AVAILABLE AND WHY?
Professionals who want to advance their careers further should consider earning an OHS degree. The bachelor’s degree allows someone to pursue a master’s such as in Safety and Occupational Health, environment health or engineering, public health, occupational safety management or industrial hygiene. This allows for specialization into a particular safety field. Specialization provides professionals with a competitive edge that can benefit your career growth because a master’s degree is a sign that apart from general skills, you have taken keen interest to master one area of your job more than other people. With a master’s degree one would become a university lecturer as well.
INSTITUTIONS THAT OFFER SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
ZAMBIA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
Programme duration: 3 years (diploma)
Mode of study: Full-time and Distance
Admitting school: Faculty of Health Sciences
Intakes: January and July
Location: Kalulushi
Contacts
Tel: (+260) 212 730 209 or (+260) 974305033 or (+260) 968948551
E-mail: registrar@zcuniversity.edu.zm or regoffice@zcuniversity.edu.zm
Website: www.zcuniversity.edu.zm/financeandfees.html
COPPERSTONE UNIVERSITY
Programme duration: 3 years (diploma) / 4 years (degree)
Mode of study: Full-time and Distance
Admitting school: School of Health Sciences
Intakes: January and July
Location: Baluba - Kitwe
Contacts
Tel: +260 965 571607
E-mail: copperstonecustomercare@gmail.com
Website: www.copperstone.education
UNIVERSITY OF AFRICA
Programme duration: 3 years (diploma) / 4 years (degree)
Mode of study: Full-time and Distance
Admitting school: Faculty of Health Sciences
Intakes: January
Location: Lusaka
Contacts
Tel: +260 (0) 211 230 812
E-mail: admissions@keystoneuoa.com
Website: www.keystoneuoa.com/pricing#FeeStructure
CITIZEN UNIVERSITY
Programme duration: 3 years (diploma) / 4 years (degree)
Mode of study: Full-time, Part-time and Distance
Admitting school: School of Health Sciences
Intakes: June/July
Location: Lusaka
Contacts
Tel: +260 968 817841
E-mail: kafula@citizenuniversity.ac.zm
Facebook: The Citizen University
ZAMBIA AIR SERVICES TRAINING INSTITUTE
Programme duration: 10 days (short course)
Mode of study: Full-time and Part-time
Admitting school: Ground Sciences School
Intakes: January
Location: Lusaka
Contacts
Tel: (+260) 211 271293
E-mail: admissions@zasti.ac.zm
Website: www.zasti.ac.zm/
LUANSHYA TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS COLLEGE (LTBC)
Programme duration: 2 years Diploma
Mode of study: Full-time and Distance
Intakes: January
Location: Luanshya
Contacts
Tel: +206978395180
E-mail: info@ltbc.edu.zm
Website: www.ltbc.edu.zm
SHEQ BUSINESS COLLEGE
Programme duration: 1 year (certificate) / 2 years Diploma
Mode of study: Full-Time and Part-Time
Admitting school: School of Health Sciences
Intakes: January and July
Location: Lusaka
Contacts
Tel: +260 966846275
E-mail: info@sheqtraininginstitute.org
Facebook: SHEQ Business College
LIVINGSTONE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF TOURISM EXCELLENCE AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Programme duration: 4 years (degree)
Mode of study: Full-time, Part-time and Distance
Admitting school: School of Environment and Tourism
Intakes: January, July and September
Location: Lusaka
Contacts
Tel: (+260) 977203923
E-mail: admissions@lietebmuniversity.org
Website: liutebmuniversity.org