Eileen Gouws: Safety, Health and Environment Coordinator at Newsprint Namibia

Environmental, Health and Safety (SHE) officers are responsible for all aspects of an organisations compliance with occupational and environmental laws and regulations. They handle any regulatory questions employees or managers may have, as well as analyse activities at a company or site to ensure complete regulatory obedience.

Safety is one the most important elements in any working environment. Employees need to feel safe in their working environment in order to be productive and efficient. Eileen Gouws, the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Coordinator of Newsprint Namibia has the responsibility of making sure the health and safety of all employees are looked after.

“As the SHE coordinator, it is my job to not only keeps the employees of Newsprint safe but also to make them aware of the risks and hazards regarding their working environment,” explains Gouws.

It is also her responsibility to develop and implement prevention strategies and she is also the coordinator of training employees. “My day involves doing my routine checks around the printing machines, making sure all of the employees are complying with the rules and regulations and also to be attentive to the detail of making sure our machines are operating in accordance with the safety regulations of Namibia.

Gouws says she was inspired by her previous SHE coordinator to follow in his footsteps. Gouws volunteered as an assistant SHE coordinator and completed a course at the National Occupational Safety Association (NOSA). “I first had to start off somewhere, because it does not help you are academically qualified, but you are not qualified practically. You need to get as much experience as you can,” she says.

Useful character traits for being a successful SHE Coordinator include being able to stay calm under stressful situations, being observant of possible dangerous situations and a love for seeing people reach their full potential at work.

Pull quote:

“I first had to start off somewhere, because it does not help you are academically qualified, but you are not qualified practically. You need to get as much experience as you can.”

A SHE officer should:

· Be able to take initiative and be proactive

· Be able to manage stressful or dangerous situations

· Be a quick-thinker