SA safety diploma and degree phased out

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SA safety diploma and degree phased out

January 23rd, 2012

A University of South Africa (Unisa) official confirmed in January 2012 that the National Diploma Safety Management (Nadsam) and BTech SM would be phased out.

These two Unisa qualifications have not been updated for some years, and will not be updated, since they would be replaced by another diploma, probably a BComm, accounting or business management diploma, containing some safety management modules, a Unisa programme head told students.

The BTech Safety Management degree would be terminated by 2018. Lack of tertiary research and training services had been debated in sheq practice and industry for some years, characterised by lack of information and consultation from Unisa.

Practitioners and employers are concerned about the loss of these two tertiary safety qualifications, since they are among the most recognised qualifications, along with overseas safety degrees, according to research by membership body Saiosh last year.

A University of the Free State (UFS) law degree with safety modules, named Riskmaq, and diplomas containing safety magnement modules, started only recently, and is not mentioned in the Saisoh opinion research.

SA HSE qualifications survey results

A survey of health, safety and environment (HSE) qualifications by Saiosh, found that a basic two week course, the BTech safety management degree, and the Nadsam diploma, were the only generally recognised SHE qualifications in South Africa, alongside overseas qualifications.

Saiosh member Shane Lishman ran surveys in June 2011 to enquire into recognised and preferred HSE qualifications in South Africa, asking practitioners which qualifications were regarded as important to have.

The survey addressed four major issues; short courses of two weeks, longer courses of three years or more, international courses, and acceptance of qualifications in South Africa.

Earlier surveys by other SHE membership bodies and interest groups, like Safemap, Saacosh and Sashef, had found that most practitioners had only short course qualifications. Most short courses, typically of two weeks duration, focus on basic legislation, compliance, HSE management principles, HSE management systems, and a practical case study.

The most recognised HSE short courses in the survey were;
* Samtrac at 88%
* Nebosh HS Certificate at 28%
* Shemtrac.

[However, several other courses carry equal equal SAQA registration, equal NQF points, and equal articulation to further studies. -Editor]

The most recognised HSE long courses were;
* BTech Safety Management degree at 85%
* Nadsam diploma at 80%
* Nebosh international diploma in OHS (not a diploma in SA)
* BSc Occupational Health and Safety degree (not available in SA).

[However, BTech SM and Nadsam are being phased out. Nebosh international diploma verseas could be completed in 30 days, and is not accepted by some training providers, nor by some tertiary training institutions or membership bodies. -Editor]

Practitioners believed that employers in various sectors prefer these qualifications in making HSE appointments;
* Samtrac at 77%
* BTech Safety Management degree at 48.6%
* International Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health, or Modern Safety Management (45.7%)
* Shemtrac.

Saqa accredited courses preferred

Lishman concludes from his survey; “Regarding alignment of international and national courses, it became quite clear that SAQA [accredited courses] was the first choice, and thus benefits derived therefrom [from international alignment] lends [support] to the present process of registration of a professional body.”

[However, only very basic safety, hygiene and environment qualification levels are standardised. SAQA registration does not imply standardisation, nor international alignment. South African membership bodies have no legal sanction or status to register practitioners, and are not likely to be sanctioned by legislation. -Editor]

Lishman also found that “South African practitioners believe that the best HSE courses are based in;
• UK at 80%
• South Africa at 62%
• Australia at 57%.”

Need for Safety Management diploma

Renewed discussion about tertiary safety qualifications was sparked at a Sashef conference in November last year, as reported on Sheqafrica.com. Comments by some students on Sashef Facebook page are posted below, followed by informal responses and web information from Unisa.

From safety practitioner and Unisa student Olivia de Klerk; My experience and opinion is that the Unisa diploma course material is not all that relevant to occupational safety practice, but it is the most recognised SA based tertiary qualification, which is sad.

Where else could I complete a National Diploma in Safety Management. I have only three subjects left at Unisa, but I would like to explore other options. Our Unisa assignment answers are posted before we have to submit it. Our lecturer said the exam was partial open book, but exam guidelines dictate that it is closed, and we got SMS messages changing this very important detail, just days before writing exams.

I do not really feel like I have achieved much through Unisa. I can only study part time. I contacted Vaal Tech, but have not had a reply yet. Apparently TUT offers it as well, but it is also a mission to get info from them.

From Unisa studen Hannes Ras; One of my Unisa subject manuals was last reviewed in 1999.

From Unisa student Valencia Ravell; I have three subjects left for a Unisa diploma, and I am in the same boat. Vaal tech offers NDSMN, but I am still trying to find out if I could do it part time.

From a safety practitioner, Josep Manioe Makhuvele; I have always doubted the value of the National Diploma in Safety Management, NADSAM. How much could one get from an undergraduate programme through correspondence? I coach some guys who are studying for their NADSAM, and they have the same challenge. Vaal Tech offers only evening classes.

Calls to retain Nadsam and BTech SM

From Bianca Jutan; Unisa is changing the National Diploma in Safety Management. For one year, they will not take registrations, and will then resume registrations.

This does not mean that the course will remain, unless other issues are resolved with other possible courses. BComm Safety Management will not be offered yet.

Students who want to follow their National Diploma in Safety Management with a BTech Safety Management in 2012, may ask the dean at Ngambhc@unisa.ac.za why the course is changed.

This course was included in the 2011 calendar as available until 2017, but Unisa website states “no new registrations will be allowed from 2012 onwards”, and yet also says “Repeaters only until 2018″ on the course web page.

We may be able to get them to fix the system and register, although this is a short term solution. The National Diploma in Safety Management is a prerequisite for the BTech Safety Management course.

Since Unisa had decided to scrap the National Diploma in Safety Management and BTech Safety Management, I have been vocal in my opposition to the Unisa alternative, being BComm Safety Management.

While ‘BComm Safety Management’ sounds great, it is simply a BComm with the equivalent of a short course in Safety Management attached, not the kind of qualification I would like my safety officers to have.

The current University of South Africa (Unisa) safety qualification limits students who struggle with learning and makes them study the additional year. Surely we want people who are best suited to care for employees on site, as opposed to people who can draw economic graphs.

I am not opposed to safety officers learning finance and business management, as I believe it is extremely important that we develop business cases for what we do, but I also do not believe that the business management side should take preference over safety management.

I do not believe that the Unisa course is the best, but it plays an important role in safety practice and should not be scrapped because it can, and does, add value.

I think a lot more consultation in this regard should take place. If the course was advertised better, would there be more of an uptake by practitioners and employers?

Venda University of Technology (VUT) offers a National Diploma in Safety Management, but not a BTech. Irca offers a MOTI qualification, but I do not feel that it adequately caters for distance learners.

Unisa response

Unisa had referred media queries to an appropriate official in November last year. Unisa safety lecturer Francois van Loggerenberg declined to comment. Thirteen lecturers are said to be involved in presenting various safety modules as part of various qualifications.

Unisa lecturers presenting Operations Safety Management include Prof Louis Kruger, Dr Ria Vosloo, Mr Isaac Mokoele, Frans van Loggerenberg, Preshodan Naidoo, and Ms Zakkiyya Moosa.

Unisa BTech Safety Management (BTSMN) registrations stopped in 2011, and may resume in 2013. Current students and repeaters have until 2014 to complete the degree.

Unisa National Diploma in Safety Management prerequisite is NSC with four 20 credit subjects at rating 3, or Senior Certificate. NDSMN offers NQF Level 6, with 360 credits.

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Comments

edmond furter (2012-1-23)

From Saiosh education officer Shane Lishman; Some British health and safety diplomas, like Nebosh, is only a 30 day course.

This qualification is Level 6 in the UK and entitles ‘dipoloma’ holders to enter MSc Health and Safety studies.

A Nebosh diploma is possible to complete in 30 days, confirmed by Nebosh and many UK practitioners that i have spoken to.

In SA one cannot do a Diploma in under three years.

A kid could leave school, do a 30 day course, receive a Nebosh ‘diploma’ in bealth and safety, and start studies for an MSc degree in health and safety. -Shane Lishman

Zander (2012-1-26)

I have done Samtrac after school, but cannot find a job. Emloyers require a diploma or degree in OHS. With the diploma Safety Management (Nadsam) and BTech SM being phased out, the only diploma one can do is Nebosh. Any other suggestions?

Editor replies; Nebosh is not a diploma in the South African sense of the term, and not offered at diploma level in SA. It is a one month course. See our detailed report on diploma and degree courses on Sheqafrica.com, and carious comments by readers on the report.

If financial risk or enterprise risk is part of the job jou are looking for, consider a BComm or MBA with health and safety modules. If legal compliance and legal register is a major part of the job that you want, consider Riskmaq modules. Othwerise, do a diploma course directly relevant to the sector that you want to work in, and favour supliers that include sheq modules, or add a relevant short course to your dipploma.

Employers should give preference to applicants who offer directly relevlant training with health and safety training relevant to their sector, for example MQA generated qualifications in mining, OHS Act short course in labour intensive sectors or jobs, chemicals handling short course in logistics, and so on. There is a wide variety of sheq courses on offer, and some are directly relevant to certain industries and job levels.

frank (2012-1-27)

I wish to study to become a saftey practioner I would like to ask what courses will i need to take and where can i take them in correspondence . thanks

Gerry (2012-2-10)

Experience in the field is everything. I completed Nadsam 92, some time after I had qualified as an electrician at Olifantsfontein trade test centre, and worked in many industries, and worked for eight years at Nosa as a consultant.
This experience combined gave me an education in occupational safety, not Nadsam alone However,a qualification gives stature to your chosen career.
A qualification more relevant than a BComm, as planned by the change at Unisa, should be provided as a basic qualification for health and safety practice.

Andrew (2012-3-7)

What a schlep I had to find a SAQA recognised course in SHEQ, not to mention a diploma course!
I am very well qualified, but not in a technical field, and I need to change that asap, but what a mission.
It seems like I would have to drive and consult somebody at Nosa, a further waste of my time and money.
UNISA, sadly, is not up to scratch anymore, and the reasons therefore should be answered at some stage by some responsible person, which I guess would never happen.

Editor replies; Career planning is not done in a day. However, some calls to employers and HR people, measured against the training time and budget that you are prepared to invest, and a call to any one of the major sheq occupational training providers should narrow down your choice to four or five training courses.
You should compare training schedules, specialities and advice from Irca, Dekra, Advantage ACT, Saacosh, Nosa, Lexis Nexis, Chamber of Mines Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA), or for construction safety training try Nelson Mandela Metro University (NMMU).

John (2012-5-2)

Some sheq practitioners who have a two week course training, get the same salary as practitioner who did a diploma in safety management, which is unfair. I have a Nadsam that I completed in 2006.

Gerry (2012-5-3)

A recent phone call to UNISA revealed that they have shelved their plan to discontinue NADSAM and B Tech Safety, and that they are set on developing or updating it in the near future. I am sceptical regarding this, since UNISA to my mind is the epicentre of misinformation at times and one can not believe everything you hear from that quarter. Could someone tell me if this is really so? I would like to enroll for B Tech Safety in 2013.

Lindiwe (2012-5-4)

Reading the reports is an eye openner to me, but I am confused on where to enrol for B Tech Safety or Diploma in Safety Management for 2013.

Sifiso Tshabalala (2012-5-20)

Occupational health and saftey diploma is no longer offered at UNISA. Oxbrigde Academy offers a 12 month diploma. Is it possible to get a job with a 12 month diploma in South Africa?

Editor queries: Do they offer an occupational health and safety diploma? Is it registered with a relevant Seta? Is it recognised by the NQF system? Do they employ sheq specialist presenters? Do they follow the recently published OHS Practitioner curriculum standard of the MQA? Or is it just another private business ‘academy’, trading on a name that sounds like a reputable education institution, while having no links to either Oxford or Cambridge? South African industry is not familiar with this organisation

A reconised one year OHS SA diploma would be a great immprovement on the current practice of appointing pople in sheq jobs based on a two week course, or a UK based one month course that is now offered by several training providers as a two week course. If they follow the MQA general OHS Practitioner curriculum standard, pubished for comment last month (see relevant post on Sheqafrica.com), then the incredible speed of course development could be suspect.

Cindy (2012-5-22)

I am completing my ND in Safety Management with Unisa in 2012 (if STATS allows). After making several enquiries into BTech Safety Management with Unisa, I was informed today that I would not be able to register in 2013 as the qualification has been phased out. I was also told to look for alternatives with other universities.