Safety Officer Tasks: Management by Software

• That’s How Important a Safety Officer Is in the Company
• Safety Officer Tasks: Overview Is Everything
• Safety Officer: Fire Protection, Health Protection and More
• Safety Officer: Are There Special Requirements in the UK?

That’s How Important a Safety Officer Is in the Company

The safety officer tasks are diverse, regardless of whether a company speaks of an EHS manager, safety master or specialist for occupational safety. Keeping an eye on all devices, machines and systems as well as the further training of colleagues can be challenging for the safety technician if he is not using well thought-out software. Luckily, modern inventory management programs also help with safety officer duties.

When it comes to safety officer tasks one hardly has to differentiate between sectors. The safety technician in industrial companies should essentially keep an eye on the same things as in companies in the construction industry or in trading companies. In essence, it is always about the same circumstance: Often, a management employee cannot be present when safety checks and occupational safety instructions are carried out. They will therefore appoint a colleague to be the safety officer (SIBE).

He or she takes care of safety-related problems and deficiencies in the workplace, but also of health protection and employee training. In the UK, it is mandatory for companies of a certain size to nominate a specific person for the safety officer tasks . In the EU, too, the duties of the safety technician are anchored in law.

Many safety officer tasks are related to occupational health and safety. Doing them successfully brings various long-term benefits to a company. This can reduce for example the number of work-related accidents or machine downtimes.

An efficient safety culture motivates many employees, who are therefore also on the safe side when it comes to liability issues. It’s easy to imagine that trained colleagues working on well-maintained equipment will generate better results and happier customers than unprepared employees working on flawed machines.

Safety Officer Tasks: Overview Is Everything

The tasks that the safety officers take on are primarily measures to prevent work accidents, occupational diseases and machine defects caused by incorrect use of equipment and behavior. To a large extent, the safety officer’s tasks are about occupational safety and company doctors, but it is not just about passing on knowledge and involving health workers.

The security foreman also takes on inventory management tasks. For example, he or she should keep in mind that there is always a basic stock of personal protective equipment that employees and visitors to the facility can access.

By fulfilling the safety officer duties a company is prepared for possible investigations into accidents and occupational diseases by insurance companies and health insurers. Finally, the safety officer tasks can be supported by modern maintenance planning software to document all test reports and training dates without errors.

Typically, a safety officer records machine downtime and creates plans for fire or medical emergencies. He or she is able to determine potential dangers in the company, to assess risks and to implement measures to reduce them.

Employees are informed by him or her with regard to occupational safety and health protection. He also organizes and monitors the maintenance and repair of systems, vehicles and equipment.

The implementation of the measures must be documented in each case. With a cloud-based inventory software, the security officer can quickly find these documents again if necessary – even on a mobile computer, for example on the premises of an insurance company or an external service provider.

Safety Officer: Fire Protection, Health Protection and More

There is a certain risk of an accident and health hazards in every company in which people work with tools, material, machines or vehicles. In the UK, companies of a certain size on a regular basis are legally obliged to formally and correctly cover the safety officer tasks.

To become a safety officer, you need further training. This can be done in self-study or in group events. It usually lasts several months and at the end you receive a certificate that proves the relevant specialist knowledge and expertise. Professional software is recommended so that the safety officer tasks can be managed efficiently, to track defects, integrate external service providers and observe test deadlines.

As such, Timly contains a training management software in which the security officer can enter certificates and manage (future) training courses for employees. In contrast to free programs or document management in paper form, Timly offers a high added value – also in the further management of inventory goods, storage material and maintenance.