PURPOSE OF ROLE

The primary purpose of this role is to ensure that all regulatory Health and Safety compliance requirements relevant to the Hillside Aluminium Smelter in Richards Bay are met throughout the execution of the Cooling System Upgrade project. The Safety Officer will be responsible for creating and implementing all required documentation, managing all site inspections and visits in a controlled manner, and ensuring that corrective and preventative actions are identified and implemented promptly.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

Health & Safety Compliance

• Ensure the Hillside site team complies with the OHS Act and Hillside Safety Standards requirements at all times.
• Monitor all site activities for compliance with the approved safety plan.
• Generate impacts and aspects registers for all site activities.
• Review, analyse, and report on contractual safety changes and assess the impact of any deviations.

Reporting & Documentation

• Issue regular reports indicating the status of project activities and compliance levels.
• Generate weekly safety reports, or at the frequency required by the client.
• Document all audits and site visits, clearly highlighting areas of concern.
• Ensure all documents are correctly filed and easily retrievable at all times.
• Produce deviation reports with full impact evaluations.
• Continuously improve the SHE plan and monitor the implementation of improvements.
• Recommend changes to documents and ensure updates are carried out as required.

Non-Conformance & Corrective Action Management

• Issue and control the Non-Conformance Report (NCR) system, ensuring corrective and preventative actions are tracked, monitored, and closed out effectively.
• Monitor subcontractor safety compliance and ensure action plans are generated and implemented where required.

Client & Stakeholder Liaison

• Liaise with the client and carry out review audits as required by the client.
• Report on any issues raised by the client, together with a proposed action plan.
• Report on subcontractor activities and levels of compliance.
• Review safety documentation submitted by subcontractors or internal consortium partners.

QUALIFICATION

• Certificate in Safety Management (essential).
• SHEQ System Auditing — ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 (essential).
• Qualification or relevant experience in regulatory requirements, including construction regulations and control management records.
• SACPCMP registered (essential).

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 5 years of related experience in a similar Safety Officer or SHEQ role.
• Demonstrated ability to produce accurate, detailed safety reports and documentation.
• Proven ability to work in a high-pressure environment and apply a proactive approach to safety management.
• Experience liaising at all levels within an organisation and with clients (client interface experience required).

COMPETENCIES

Knowledge:

• In-depth knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and its regulations.
• Sound understanding of SHEQ management systems — ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001.
• Knowledge of construction regulations and applicable compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with non-conformance management systems and corrective action processes.
• Understanding of subcontractor management requirements within a project environment.
• Knowledge of impacts and aspects registers and environmental compliance reporting.

Skills:

• Strong report writing skills — ability to produce accurate, clear, and detailed compliance reports.
• Ability to organise and control work areas and consortium partners effectively.
• Computer literacy — proficient in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to review, interpret, and analyse safety documentation, drawings, and contractual requirements.
• Strong administrative and record-keeping skills.

Behaviours

• Methodical and structured in approach to safety management and documentation.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and take initiative without constant supervision.
• Proactive in identifying risks and safety concerns before they become incidents.
• Professional and credible when engaging with clients, stakeholders, and subcontractors at all levels.
• Deadline-driven with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced project environment.
• High level of personal integrity and commitment to safety as a non-negotiable standard.