Diploma in Safety Management

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare learners for management positions within the field of safety management. On completion, learners will be able to demonstrate vocational knowledge, skills and applied competence and the necessary attitudes in the field of safety management to become lifelong learners, employable workers and contributors to safety management in various institutions. The qualification is intended for persons who can function on an operational and tactical (functional) level.

Rationale

Safety practitioners in the industry have indicated that a qualification in Safety Management is advantageous for career development and promotion. With no other similar qualification on offer in South Africa, the Diploma in Safety Management is seen as necessary for the advancement of safety practitioners within the industry.

The rationale for this qualification is to provide specialised training and scholarship in the field of safety management. Learners will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to direct them in the management of safety within an organisation.

The employment opportunities for learners who have completed this qualification are available in all industries, from manufacturing, service delivery and production, to name but a few. These opportunities are not only available within a South African context but also globally and range from safety officers through to the safety manager and safety consultant.

This qualification provides learners with the skills and knowledge to be able to identify and manage safety related aspects of any workplace, within any organisation. The basic aspects and principles of safety are complemented by areas such as safety systems, safety culture, occupational hygiene, ergonomics and environmental management to ensure students are well rounded and given a holistic view of safety.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

All admission through RPL must be in accordance with the principles laid down in the institution's RPL Policy.

This qualification can be achieved wholly or in part through Recognition of Prior Learning.

The RPL office can supply full details of processes relating to the assessment and accreditation of learning from prior experiences. Evidence can be presented in a variety of forms, including international or previous local qualifications, reports, testimonials mentioning functions performed, work records, portfolios, videos of practice and performance records.

All such evidence should be judged according to the general principle of assessment described in the notes to assessors. Lecturers will act as assessors for RPL purposes.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirements are

• National Senior Certificate (NSC) granting access to Diploma studies.

Or

• Senior Certificate.

Or

• National Certificate (Vocational) at Level 4 granting access to Diploma studies.

Or

• An appropriate Higher Certificate.

This qualification comprises compulsory modules at Levels 5, 6 and 7 totalling 360 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 5, 96 Credits

• Business Management 1A, 12 Credits.
• Safety Management IA, 12 Credits.
• Sustainability and Greed, 12 Credits.
• Health and the Environment, 12 Credits.
• Economics 1500, 12 Credits.
• Introductory Financial Accounting, 12 Credits.
• Ethical ICT'S for Development Solutions, 12 Credits.
• End-User Computing: Theory, 12 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 6, 204 Credits

• Business Management 1B, 12 Credits.
• Safety Management IB, 12 Credits.
• General Management, 12 Credits.
• Contemporary Management Issues, 12 Credits.
• Safety Management IIA, 12 Credits.
• Analyse Safety Incidents, 12 Credits.
• Managing Organisational Safety Culture, 12 Credits.
• Safety Management Systems, 12 Credits.
• Occupational Health and Safety Law II Module 1, 12 Credits.
• Occupational Health and Safety Law II Module 2, 12 Credits.
• Enterprise Risk Management, 12 Credits.
• Fundamentals of Operational and Financial Risk, 12 Credits.
• Ergonomics, 12 Credits.
• Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene, 12 Credits.
• Finance for Non-Financial Managers, 12 Credits.
• Human Resource Management for Line Managers, 12 Credits.
• Quality in Occupational Health and Safety, 12 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 7, 60 Credits

• Strategic Management, 12 Credits.
• Strategy Implementation and Control, 12 Credits.
• Safety Management IIIA, 12 Credits.
• Safety Management IIIB, 12 Credits.
• Environmental Management, 12 Credits.

1. Interpret safety realities within South African organisational context.
2. Gather and manage safety management information appropriately.
3. Apply safety management and general business principles and processes to real life situations taking into account societal, ethical and cultural considerations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 1

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the functioning of business and the role of safety management within the organisation.
• Demonstrate an understanding of how safety management affects society and business.
• Interpret specific current safety events.
• Apply safety management principles to real life situations in an organisational context.
• Compare current contexts with past and potential future contexts.
• Relate learning gained from individual experience to knowledge encountered in an academic environment and vice versa.
• Relate learning from experience and the academic context to different contexts using present and future scenarios.
• Apply a risk management process and have an understanding of the concepts of risk management.
• Demonstrate an understanding of ergonomics principles and use these principles in a corporate environment to improve work sites.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the processes involved in environmental management and apply these in an organisational context.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the laws surrounding occupational health and the responsibilities placed on individuals as well as on an employer.
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of occupational hygiene disease and injuries and the methods to measure these to reduce the prevalence of occupational diseases.
• Apply knowledge of safety culture to an organisation for the establishing of a safety first corporate culture with the ultimate goal of the reduction of occupational injuries and incidents.
• Understand the systems related to safety management and the application of these in various contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 2

• Collect, collate, and distribute information related to safety management problems or opportunities.
• Identify and select information specifically relevant to safety management.
• Interpret and analyse information specifically relevant to safety management.
• Use technology in appropriate contexts to access, process, store or distribute information.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcomes 3

• Analyse real life situations to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Select correct strategies and/or procedures to solve specific safety problems.
• Apply appropriate safety management principles to situations, whether in real life or simulated scenarios or case studies.
• Evaluate results of application of safety management strategies.
• Discuss and present information in appropriate ways (numerically, verbally, graphically, etc.).

Integrated Assessment

The University's assessment policy stipulates that regular formative assessment assignments should be completed by students. Student progress is therefore monitored by means of formative assessment activities and outcomes. There are two compulsory assignments per module which students have to complete for a semester mark. Students are provided with comprehensive feedback and suggested solutions on all assignments.

The University of South Africa (UNISA) platform also allows for regular interaction between lecturers and students to address problems faced by students. Following on the completion of the examination period (summative assessment opportunity) by students the lecturers meet to evaluate the examination results and put in place an improvement plan for the following semester.