Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Officer

Specific Responsibilities 
OHS Audit, Review, and Monitoring 

• Review UAF-Africa’s OHS management systems, policies, and practices against legal requirements. 
• Initiate clear and realistic recommendations to ensure achieving and maintaining high standards of OHS performance. 
• Provide direction and support to ensure that OHS is effectively managed at the project and instill appropriate behavioural and cultural changes necessary to implement OHS best practices.
• Monitor work processes and procedures to identify unsafe practices or breaches of safety regulations.
• Ensure that contractors and sub-contractors observe and comply with the terms and conditions of all applicable permits, laws, and by-laws of regulatory and statutory authorities. 
• Evaluate OHS risks at critical stages in the development construction process.
• Ensure inspections by regulatory agencies are coordinated and deficiencies minimised and corrected. 
• Identify emerging OHS risks at the project. 
• Monitor compliance with OHS activities throughout the project implementation tensure ongoing compliance with company policies and risk management. 

Policy & Regulation Maintenance 

• Monitor compliance with company health and safety policies and procedures. 
• Ensure a safe working environment for all personnel and third parties. 
• Raising health and safety awareness and reporting on critical issues 
• Advise on provisions to minimise safety risks. 
• Enforce OHS policies (e.g., accident reporting process).
• Collaborate with contractor OHS Officers and Project Manager to ensure the site complies with relevant safety legislation and regulations and identify safety issues. 
• Liaise with and report official regulatory bodies on OHS matters. 
• Attend, participate and/or facilitate safety meetings, including Health & Safety Committee meetings and Toolbox Meetings. 

Site Safety Inspections 

• Perform daily site inspections.
• Carry out safety corrective actions from site inspections, investigations or compliance requirements.
• Intervene in unsafe activities or operations and take action to correct unsafe conditions, performance, or actions 
• Accompany DOSHS inspectors or other health and safety representatives 
• Report accidents, unsafe conditions, and unsafe acts tthe Project Manager.

Accident Investigation 

• Respond immediately to safety incidents/accidents, ensuring risk mitigation strategies are implemented promptly.
• Support the incident management process in investigations, data gathering and reporting. 
• Advise on corrective actions for all incidents, accidents or near misses. 
• Direct accident investigation procedures. 

Record Keeping 

• Assist with internal COR audits when required. 
• Keep records of safety-related incidents and propose corrective actions. 
• General management of safety administration, as required. 
• As required, maintain and manage safety records, logbooks, registers, and documentation.

Training 

• Organise and track health and safety training of site staff. 
• Organise and conduct OHS and other related training workshops at the project. 
• Conduct site safety orientations and training as required. 
• Develop and conduct training programs on occupational health and safety issues, including hazard management, disaster preparedness, accident investigation, manual handling, and fire safety, to ensure such activities are incorporated in to the training program. 

Reporting 

• Provide monthly progress reports for the development against corrective action plans.
• In the event of significant incidents, initiate an incident report and conduct safety investigations to determine root causes: document findings and recommendations tprevent a recurrence.
• Prepare all safety reports on a timely basis for the Project Manager- these reports will include but are not limited tthe following: 
• Monthly OHS and environmental compliance report and tracking plan. 
• Updates on the corrective action plan. 
• Site safety report.

Qualifications 

• OHS degree, diploma, or certificate. 
• An environmental degree, diploma or certificate is an advantage.
• Minimum of three years of related work experience in construction and OHS. 
• Minimum three years of supervisory experience with the implementation of OHS projects.
• Proficient in all Microsoft Office applications.
• Fluent in English and Kiswahili.

Skills and Experience 

• Excellent risk assessment, investigation, and analytical skills
• Outstanding leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills 
• Ability to perform qualitative and quantitative research
• Ability to see the big picture and think outside the box
• Attention to detail and high level of accuracy
• Self-starter and effective organisational skills 
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity