Putting safety awareness centre-stage

St John is a leading non-profit organisation in the primary health care system – and an enthusiastic participant in NOSHCON, Africa’s biggest occupational risk management event and the largest SHEQ conference and exhibition in the southern hemisphere.

St John training director Willie Louw says the event allows those in the industry to keep track of the latest trends in occupational health and safety, and provides excellent networking opportunities.

It’s also the perfect platform from which to showcase the services and training St John is renowned for. The organisation provides affordable and effective first aid, basic health and home care services through a professional team of volunteers – and has been doing so for more than 120 years. As a registered non-profit, St John reinvests the proceeds from its activities into marginalised communities through charitable projects. 

Health and safety training is particularly important in the workplace, creating heightened awareness and contributing to the prevention, detection and treatment of illness as well as reducing accident risk, recovering casualties and minimising downtime. In short, saving lives and promoting productivity.

In the year to March 2012, St John trained 28 069 South Africans – 26 409 in first aid and 1 660 in home-based care. The company is an ISO 9001 certified training provider, registered with the Department of Labour and the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority and is also fully BEE compliant.

The first aid courses can be tailored to suit any company’s occupational health and safety risk profile and emergency procedures. There is also the option of tracking employee-training status, reminding managers when workers need to requalify.

The St John range of training courses includes:

• Basic Life Support for health care providers

• First Aid Levels I to III: (Department of Labour)

• First Aid Level I: US 119567 – NQF Level 1

• First Aid Level II: US120496 – NQF Level 2

• Home-based care (various courses)

• Community Health Work Skills programme (45 credits), and

• HIV/Aids Awareness.

“NOSHCON set a high standard with this year’s event, but that’s what we have come to expect,” says Louw. “We feel we have achieved our goals and look forward to being back in 2013.”