A review on safety practitioners’ competency profiles from the employers’ perspective

To ensure fewer accidents and injuries to workers on construction sites, it is essential to review the recruitment practices, job duties and relevant study areas of safety practitioners, named as safety officers in Hong Kong. Therefore, the current study aims to assess the current recruitment requirements, job duties and study areas relevant to junior safety practitioners in different organizations to possibly review and improve the curriculum for the Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health programmes. A questionnaire was designed and distributed to senior personnel in organizations recruiting safety practitioners for the development, implementation and maintenance of a safety management system in their companies. A total of 36 companies participated in the study, and the data were analysed using score frequency and mean score. The results reveal the followings: (1) A recruitment requirement of organizations for safety-related posts is a degree in occupational health and safety or a certificate and/or diploma in occupational health and safety. (2) The most common junior safety officers’ job duties include conducting safety inspections in the workplace; preparing a safety inspection reports; assisting in safety training and education programmes; and assisting in executing a safety management system and audits. (3) The most relevant taught subjects to junior safety officers’ job duties include ‘‘Occupational Safety and Health Legislation’’, ‘‘Safety Management and Audit’’ and ‘‘Construction Safety’’. Based on the outcome of the study, various recommendations are available for policy makers and educational institutions.