About This Course
Workplace injuries, occupational illnesses, and safety-related incidents carry profound human and financial costs — yet the vast majority are preventable. Effective occupational health and safety (OHS) management is not simply a legal obligation; it is a strategic priority that protects people, preserves productivity, and safeguards organisational reputation. Despite this, many organisations still operate with reactive, compliance-driven safety approaches that fail to address the underlying conditions that lead to harm.
The General Occupational Health and Safety Training course, offered by TrainingComplex, is designed to change that. Over five intensive days, participants build a comprehensive, working understanding of OHS principles and practice — from hazard identification and risk assessment to emergency preparedness, incident investigation, and safety leadership. The programme blends international frameworks such as ISO 45001 and the ILO OSH Management System Guidelines with practical, sector-relevant application, ensuring that learning translates directly into workplace improvement.
This course is structured to serve both newcomers to the health and safety field and experienced practitioners seeking to consolidate or refresh their knowledge. Whether you are a line supervisor ensuring the daily safety of a small team, an HR professional managing occupational health programmes, or an EHS coordinator developing organisation-wide safety systems, this programme gives you the conceptual grounding and practical tools to perform your role with greater confidence and competence.
TrainingComplex's facilitation approach emphasises active learning, peer discussion, and real-world application. Participants leave not only with a certificate of completion but with a personal action plan, practical templates, and the professional credibility to champion safety in their organisations.
Who Should Attend
- Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Officers and Coordinators
- Human Resources Managers and Officers with OHS responsibilities
- Line Supervisors and Team Leaders across manufacturing, construction, and services
- Facilities and Maintenance Managers
- Occupational Health Nurses and Practitioners
- Compliance and Risk Management Officers
- Operations and Production Managers
- Site Engineers and Technical Supervisors
- Public sector officials responsible for workplace regulation and inspection
- Small and medium enterprise owners seeking to establish or improve safety systems
Learning Objectives
- Explain the fundamental principles, legal basis, and ethical imperatives of occupational health and safety
- Identify and classify workplace hazards across physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial categories
- Conduct systematic workplace risk assessments and document findings in a compliant and actionable format
- Apply internationally recognised OHS management system frameworks, including ISO 45001, to organisational contexts
- Develop and implement effective hazard control measures using the hierarchy of controls
- Design and maintain workplace safety programmes including permit-to-work systems, lockout/tagout, and safe work procedures
- Investigate workplace incidents and near-misses using structured root cause analysis techniques
- Develop emergency response and business continuity plans appropriate to assessed organisational risks
- Promote and sustain a positive safety culture through leadership, communication, and employee engagement
- Monitor OHS performance using leading and lagging indicators and prepare compliant safety reports
Course Modules
Module 1: Foundations of Occupational Health and Safety
- The history and evolution of OHS as a professional discipline
- Key definitions: hazard, risk, harm, incident, near-miss, and dangerous occurrence
- Moral, legal, and business cases for effective OHS management
- Overview of international OHS frameworks: ILO guidelines and ISO 45001
- Roles and responsibilities of employers, employees, and safety professionals
- National OHS legislation: key acts, regulations, and enforcement mechanisms
Module 2: Workplace Hazard Identification and Classification
- Categories of workplace hazards: physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, and psychosocial
- Sources and triggers of hazardous conditions in common work environments
- Hazard identification methods: inspections, walk-throughs, job safety analysis, and employee consultation
- Documenting hazards in hazard registers and safety observation records
- Industry-specific hazard profiles: construction, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and office settings
- Engaging workers in hazard spotting and reporting culture
Module 3: Risk Assessment and Control
- The risk assessment process: identify, evaluate, prioritise, and control
- Risk rating matrices and likelihood-consequence scoring methods
- The hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, and PPE
- Selecting and justifying control measures based on risk level and feasibility
- Documenting risk assessments: format, legal requirements, and review schedules
- Residual risk management and the concept of ALARP (as low as reasonably practicable)
Module 4: OHS Legal Framework and Compliance
- Structure and intent of national occupational health and safety legislation
- Duties of care for employers, employees, contractors, and visitors
- OHS statutory registers, records, and mandatory notifications
- Roles of labour inspectorates and regulatory enforcement bodies
- Consequences of non-compliance: prosecution, fines, licence suspension, and reputational damage
- Building a compliance monitoring and audit schedule
Module 5: OHS Management Systems and ISO 45001
- What an OHS management system (OHSMS) is and why it matters
- The Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle as the backbone of ISO 45001
- Key clauses of ISO 45001: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, and improvement
- Gap analysis: assessing current safety practice against ISO 45001 requirements
- Integrating OHS management with quality and environmental management systems
- Preparing for ISO 45001 certification audits and surveillance visits
Module 6: Safe Work Procedures and Permit Systems
- Developing and communicating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for high-risk tasks
- Permit-to-work systems: hot work, confined space entry, working at height, and electrical isolation
- Lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures: purpose, steps, and verification
- Contractor management: vetting, induction, supervision, and performance monitoring
- Management of change (MOC): assessing OHS risks of process, equipment, or personnel changes
- Task-specific risk assessments and pre-task briefings (toolbox talks)
Module 7: Personal Protective Equipment and Health Monitoring
- When PPE is appropriate: PPE as a last resort in the hierarchy of controls
- Types of PPE and selection criteria based on hazard type and exposure level
- PPE standards, testing, and certification requirements
- PPE management programmes: issuance, maintenance, inspection, and replacement
- Occupational health surveillance: medical screening, biological monitoring, and health records
- Mental health and psychosocial risk management in the workplace
Module 8: Incident Investigation and Root Cause Analysis
- Defining incidents, near-misses, dangerous occurrences, and occupational diseases
- Legal requirements for incident reporting and notification timelines
- Establishing an incident investigation team and preserving the scene
- Root cause analysis techniques: Five Whys, fishbone (Ishikawa) diagrams, and fault-tree analysis
- Developing corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) from investigation findings
- Communicating investigation outcomes to management and the workforce without blame cultures
Module 9: Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Conducting emergency risk assessments and identifying likely emergency scenarios
- Elements of an effective emergency response plan (ERP): roles, resources, and communication
- Evacuation procedures, muster points, and headcount protocols
- First aid requirements: legal obligations, first aider ratios, and equipment standards
- Tabletop and drills: planning, executing, and debriefing emergency exercises
- Business continuity planning and the link between emergency response and operational resilience
Module 10: Safety Culture, Leadership, and Performance Monitoring
- Defining safety culture and its relationship to organisational leadership and values
- Leading versus lagging indicators of OHS performance
- Safety inspections, audits, and behavioural safety observation programmes
- Safety committees: structure, mandate, and effective operation
- Developing an OHS communication strategy: notice boards, toolbox talks, inductions, and campaigns
- Building a personal OHS action plan and sustaining continuous improvement in the workplace
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have a basic level of literacy and numeracy sufficient to read workplace documentation and complete risk assessment forms. No formal qualification in health and safety is required, making this course accessible to both newcomers and experienced practitioners. A basic familiarity with one's own workplace environment is helpful, as several exercises draw on participants' real work contexts.
Training Methodology
- Workplace hazard identification walks using photographic case scenarios drawn from manufacturing, construction, office, and field environments
- Structured risk assessment exercises in which participants complete standardised RA forms for simulated and real workplace situations
- Incident investigation workshops using root cause analysis tools including the Five Whys, fishbone diagrams, and fault-tree analysis
- Small-group role plays simulating safety inspections, toolbox talks, and safety committee meetings
- Case study analysis of high-profile occupational incidents to draw lessons on systemic failures and prevention strategies
- Development of a personal OHS improvement action plan tied to each participant's actual workplace
- Peer review and facilitated feedback on risk assessment outputs and control measure selection
- Interactive sessions on ISO 45001 clause mapping, enabling participants to align existing practices with the standard's requirements
- Emergency scenario tabletop exercises requiring teams to activate and evaluate response plans
- Reflective journalling and end-of-day consolidation discussions to reinforce key concepts and address misconceptions
Organisational Benefits
- Significant reduction in workplace injury rates, lost-time incidents, and occupational illness cases
- Demonstrable compliance with national labour laws, OHS regulations, and international standards such as ISO 45001
- Lower operational costs associated with accidents, absenteeism, medical claims, and regulatory fines
- Strengthened organisational reputation with clients, insurers, investors, and regulatory authorities
- Improved employee morale, engagement, and retention through visible commitment to worker wellbeing
- More competent and confident safety officers and supervisors capable of proactive hazard management
- Readiness for third-party safety audits, tender requirements, and client due-diligence assessments
- A structured OHS management framework that scales with organisational growth and complexity
- Reduced liability exposure and improved defensibility in the event of regulatory investigations or litigation
- A pipeline of internal safety champions capable of embedding safe practices at every level of the organisation
Where Is General Occupational Health and Safety Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Naivasha, Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Accra, Kampala, Pretoria, Kisumu, Nairobi, Cape Town, Dubai, Abuja, Zanzibar, Nakuru, Kigali, Riyadh, Mombasa, Lagos, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,300 |
| Arusha, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,100 |
| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,400 |
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,500 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,300 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
| Kisumu, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
KES 105,000 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Pretoria, South Africa |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 3,300 |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 4,100 |
| Live Virtual |
Online |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
KES 80,000 |
+226 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a prior qualification in health and safety to attend this course?
No prior OHS qualification is required. This course is designed for all levels, from beginners with no formal safety training to experienced practitioners looking to consolidate their knowledge. A basic ability to read and complete workplace documentation is sufficient.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion?
Yes. Participants who attend the full five days and complete all practical exercises will receive a TrainingComplex Certificate of Completion in General Occupational Health and Safety. This certificate is a recognised professional development credential suitable for inclusion in a professional portfolio or CV.
Is this course aligned with any international OHS standards?
Yes. The programme is aligned with ISO 45001:2018 (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems) and draws on ILO Occupational Safety and Health Management System Guidelines, as well as national legislative frameworks applicable to participants' home countries.
Can this training be delivered in-house at our organisation?
Absolutely. TrainingComplex offers customised in-house delivery for organisations wishing to train groups of ten or more employees. In-house delivery allows the facilitator to contextualise case studies, hazard scenarios, and risk assessment exercises to your specific industry and workplace environment. Contact us for a tailored proposal.
What materials will participants receive during the course?
Each participant receives a comprehensive course workbook, copies of all templates and checklists used during the programme (including risk assessment forms, incident investigation frameworks, and safe work procedure templates), and a curated reference list of OHS standards and guidance documents. A digital copy of all materials is also provided.
