SAACOSH is pleased to announce that we are now ready to present the Occupational Health and Safety unit standards towards the National Certificate and National Diploma: Occupational Safety NQF Level 5. These unit standard modules will be available via distance education to make it easier for practitioners to complete in their own time.

Both qualifications were registered by SAQA during December 2007 and we are currently applying for our accreditation to present the latest addition to the Safety Practitioner learning pathway. As this is only an extension of scope application we are confident that we will have full accreditation before the end of the year.

The following simple process will be followed:

1.   Register for the module of your choice and pay the fee. Fees are payable either as a once off payment for the whole course, for the number of subjects you intend to take for the year, or per unit standard.

2.   The study material is sent to you.

3.   You complete the assignment and submit to us before the arranged date (within approximately 30 days).

4.   We assess it and if found competent you are notified.

5.   Once you have completed two or three unit standards, a date and place suitable to all parties are arranged for you to sit the examinations.

Learners should be able to complete the National Certificate in one year and the National Diploma in two years.

Learners will have telephone and direct (by appointment) access to highly skilled facilitators to assist them with subject and other learning questions during working hours.

SAACOSH will initially not be presenting all the subjects, but unit standards not available through SAACOSH can be obtained through other accredited providers and will then be credited towards final completion of the qualification.

Once found competent on all unit standards and an integrated assessment, learners will receive a Health and Welfare SETA certificate.