Occupational Hygiene Assistant at Tharisa

Purpose of Role

• To execute, coordinate and monitor the occupational hygiene program, to ensure compliance with legal requirements and minimise risks associated with occupational health hazards. To implement the day-to-day management of the occupational hygiene program in the designated area, to safeguard employee well-being and mitigate adverse impacts on Tharisa Minerals.

Role Context

• Stay updated on the legal aspects of occupational hygiene and implement necessary measures to comply with legislative requirements, to ensure legal and regulatory compliance related to occupational hygiene and minimise the risk of litigation and adverse publicity.
• Educate employees on occupational hygiene practices and measures to reduce workplace hazards, to minimise occupational hygiene hazards by providing employees with sufficient information.
• Adhere to the occupational hygiene management schedule, conduct surveys, and identify potential hazards (i.e., chemical, physical, biological, and psychological), to ensure adherence to ergonomic principles and the effective management of occupational hygiene program in the designated area.
• Conduct regular sampling of potable water and monitor its quality to ensure the safety of potable water for employees.
• Monitor and assess the condition of exposure controls for occupational hazards, to maintain and monitor the effectiveness of such exposure controls.
• Participate in occupational hygiene investigations, by provide recommendations on how to improve the hazard management, to continuously measure and monitor occupational hygiene hazards in the workplace.
• Encourage teamwork on occupational hygiene matters, including participation in the hearing intervention committee and addressing complaints, to foster cooperation between maintenance and production personnel.
• Implement measures to manage and control occupational hygiene hazards, by effectively managing and controlling occupational hygiene hazards. To ensure a safe working environment.
• Conduct Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) test, by providing new PPE to employees to test in the field and monitor its effectives, to determine suitability of PPE and whether it will be purchased in further, keeping management informed of the findings.
• Inspect safety equipment by determining its effectiveness to deliver on its purpose, so as to determine it suitability for continuous use, keeping management informed of the findings.
• Contribute towards the conduction of hazardous materials management and PPE compliance audits, by compiling reports on the findings, to identify and rectify non-compliance with hazardous materials and PPE standards.
• Compile detailed written reports on all monitoring results, by ensuring clear communication of findings, to keeping management informed of the latest developments.
• Conduct audits on all shops within TM, by verifying all relevant certifications, to ensure compliance with and regulatory requirements.
• Determine resource needs within own area of responsibility to achieve individual role outcomes.
• Request required assets and resources for the fulfilment of work duties to attain quality work outputs.
• Use assets and resources optimally within own area of responsibility.
• Engage with all relevant Departments on issues of the area of specialisation, as directed by the Occupational Hygiene Officer and/or Occupational Hygienist.
• Communicate with internal and/or external stakeholders, where required, to achieve work objectives and to maintain relationships.
• Stay informed about local and international occupational hygiene regulations and legislation, to apply the appropriate legal framework as required for specific situations.
• Provide support to the Occupational Hygienist by participating in audits and inspections related to occupational hygiene, to ensure compliance with South African occupational health and safety regulations and industry-specific requirements.

Qualifications:

• Grade 12 (NQF4)
• Certificate (NQF5) in Occupational Hygiene, Environmental Health or related field within the mining or other relevant industry
• Advantageous: Diploma (NQF6) in Occupational Hygiene, Environmental Health or related field within the mining or other relevant industry
• Registered as an Occupational Hygiene Assistant with the Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH)
• Chamber of Mines Intermediate Certificate in Mine Environmental Control
• HIRA / Risk Management certificate (Advantageous)
• Legal Knowledge Certificate for Occupational Hygiene (Advantageous)

Job specific experience:

• Minimum of 2-3 years’ experience in Occupational Health/Hygiene and/or SHE environment within the mining or similar industry, of which a minimum of 1 years as a registered hygienist assistant
• Driver’s License
• Computer literate
• Ability to work with the full Microsoft suite (i.e., Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)