Occupational Health and Safety Special Projects and Events needed at Absa Group Limited

Job Summary

• The purpose of the role is the implementation, monitoring and review of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) systems within the Absa Group with regards to Contractor OHS Management – Special projects as well as events, marketing and sponsorships.

Job Description

• Accountability: Risk management – Ensure compliance with the implemented OHS systems
• Monitor the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards and management
• Monitor and manage compliance to the information system (MIS) used by contractors for submission of relevant information pertaining to OHS
• Provide inputs into the design and structure of information systems used for Contractor OHS Compliance.
• Conduct reviews on OHS documentation submitted by contractors and compile reports accordingly as and when required.
• Liaise with Business Units and contractors by providing expert opinions, advice and recommendations pertaining to relevant legislation with regards to OHS impacts.
• Liaise with Absa Procurement in terms of providing SME advice on risks and segmentation of suppliers in terms of OHS for input in terms of applicable Supplier Control Obligations around OHS controls.
• Engage with various internal Business Units such as CRES, Regional Operations, Retail and Business Banking, Procurement, etc. to ensure participation and elimination of risks.
• Address any concerns raised by Business Units and contractors/suppliers with regards to feedback from or interaction with the Contractor OHS Management team from Group OHS.
• Compile training material and present courses if necessary for contractors OHS.
• Provide facilitators with information when facilitators are not able to respond to a learner’s question if making use of external service providers.
• Attend inspection/inquiries held by the Department of Labour as and when required. 
• Attend to Business specific meetings and ensure OHS requirements are highlighted and addressed.
• Arrange for participation and adequate representation of the Contractor OHS team for meetings, site visits and other engagements necessary for collaboration and project purposes.
• Develop and revise policies, procedures, standards and forms/templates related to OHS and specifically Contractor OHS Management.
• Maintain the relevant information systems used to create continual OHS awareness amongst contractors and internal stakeholders.
• Equip and train new and existing Contractor OHS team members to enable the team to execute their duties.
• Provide strategic solutions in terms of Contractor OHS management for the bank.
• Develop systems for reaching out to new contractors across the Absa portfolio.
• Enable the onboarding of new contractors in terms of OHS procedures and ensure quality engagements with contractors by the Contractor OHS team in this regard.
• Provide assistance in terms of Contractor OHS management to ARO counterparts.
• Accountability: Providing Solutions to ensure OHS compliance
• Work with various internal and external stakeholders to ensure compliance to eliminate or mitigate risks within the Absa Group by providing statistics and reports pertaining to reviews conducted, site visits conducted, non-compliances and incidents.
• Consolidate statistics for the Contractor OHS Management team and report to relevant management structures as required.
• Contribute to align policies, procedure and standards to support the prevalent risk per workplace in accordance with the risk identified.
• Provide guidance and assistance to eliminate or mitigate risks by making use of internal resources, external experts, Local Authorities and Department of Labour approved service providers.
• Be “au-fait” (familiar) with new technology, trends and changes pertaining to OHS matters, to be able to provide internal clients and external contractors with solutions.
• Provide support to Contractor OHS team members as and when required for issues noted during site visits, reviews conducted or any other matters pertaining to interactions with internal or external stakeholders.
• Provide leadership to the Contractor OHS team in terms of engagements with contractors and internal stakeholders.
• Accountability:  Communication and Client Service
• Be available by means of e-mail, cell phone and Microsoft Teams to assist internal clients and external contractors with OHS related matters. 
• Do inspections on request of internal clients to solve problems as identified by the client, as may be required from time to time.
• Attend meetings to ensure that OHS receive the required attention to be compliant as well as industry related workshops and seminars to become aware of latest trends and changes.
• Engage in knowledge sharing with OHS colleagues and peers in this sector which will increase productivity as less time will be spent on research and the OHS team will be on the same page.
• Assist and guide workplaces to become compliant by attending OHS committee meetings as and when required and conduct regular follow ups of non – compliant workplaces to ensure that workplace is up to standard.
• Ensure all Contractor OHS team members are familiar with Absa processes and offer the necessary assistance and guidance where required in this regard.
• Communicate any performance deficiencies to Contractor OHS team members and offer assistance if so required to correct any identified.
• Escalate and take the necessary action if such deficiencies cannot be resolved.
• Compliance verification (Site inspections) and Incident investigations
• Conduct scheduled or unscheduled site inspections to verify OHS compliance and implementation of OHS management systems by contractors and compile the required reports on such inspections.
• Conduct incident investigations as and when required and report on findings accordingly.
• Ensure that any investigations conducted by the Contractor OHS team is done properly with the necessary resources made available to the team in this regard.
• Provide feedback to and liaise with relevant internal and external stakeholders with regards to the outcomes of such inspections or investigations conducted.
• Monitor the closure of actions raised by such inspections and investigations and conduct follow-up with contractors or internal stakeholders, as may be applicable, on items not closed.
• Escalate issues in this regard as may be necessary to Group OHS Management and other Department Heads as may be required to ensure compliance by contractors or internal stakeholders concerned.
• Staff in own area (Manager, Group OHS and Capital projects, Real Estate, Engineering, Facilities Management)
• Staff outside own area (ARO CRES and OHS colleagues)
• External customers (Procurement, Group Wellness, Group Learning, Group Legal, People Function, Sourcing, ITO, Group events and marketing and other Business Units)
• Regulators / Government local authorities
• Vendors / suppliers
• Other (Industry forums / associations)

Skills & Experience

Education and Experience Required

• NQF Level 7 OHS / construction / contractor management qualification
• SACPCMP registration of at least CHSO (Construction Health and Safety Officer) level
• Experience in events health and safety management
• Competency in incident investigation techniques.
• Risk Assessment experience and OHS experience up to Implementation and Auditing level.
• At least 5 years’ experience in the OHS environment in a major institution, preferably in banking industry or construction industry with experience related to contractor OHS management.
• Risk management experience and specific training in conducting risk assessment.
• Application of Project management methodology.
• Effective communication skills, written and oral. 
• Computer literacy in Office Applications with strong MS Excel capabilities
• Liaison with external OHS stakeholders

Education

• Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Physical Planning and Construction (Required)