H&S/skills
Continual (Un)
Professional
Development
O
ur Occupational Health
and Safety industry in
South Africa is currently
in a state of limbo. Practitioners
from all corners of the country as
well as those who have chosen to
ply their trade outside our borders
have steadily been growing louder
and more concerned over the
issue of professional registration
and standardization within the
industry. With the advent of the
newly promulgated Construction
Regulations (2014) came the
requirement for all Health and
Safety Professionals practicing
within the construction sector
to register under one body. In
theory this sounds fantastic, a step
towards integrating a more holistic
approach to the industry – much the
same as the systems that are used
in the US and UK. In reality however,
it has not been very well received.
The registration body in question is
the South African Council for Project
and Construction Management
Professions or SACPCMP. The registration process, although somewhat
convoluted and lengthy is not altogether impossible but the criteria
for grading as either Officer (CHSO),
Manager (CHSM) or Agent (CHSA) are
rather steep in terms of qualifications
and experience. As this is a legal requirement and not just a voluntary
decision as with other Professional
Regulating bodies, there has been a
landslide of Professionals (I use the
term loosely) who have been trying to
get registered. The alleged issue lays
with the registration turnaround time
and official feedback from SACPCMP.
As this process is lengthy and a considerably costly exercise it has caused
some concern amongst influential
members of the South African Health