Velile Mbenene
Health And Safety Officer
Cape Town
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Group Safety Officer
Wintocor (Merlin Group)
CAPE TOWN
01.2021 - Current
- Responded to any emergencies as instructed and with utmost efficiency.
- Inspected facilities for adherence to fire, hazard, and safety guidelines.
- Inspected worksites, practices, and gear for compliance with established safety standards.
- Recognized, documented, and advised on removal of hazards.
- Conducted regular safety inspections and audits to identify potential hazards and prevent accidents and injuries.
- Liaised with management and employees enable smooth communication regarding safety procedures.
- Investigated accidents and incidents to determine root causes and develop corrective actions to address underlying issues.
- Conducted safety training and education to employees to increase awareness of safety hazards and empower employees to work safely.
- Provided guidance and resources to employees to maintain safety procedures and enhance protection.
- Assessed value of safety programs to apply modifications and improvements and achieve targeted goals.
- Communicated safety performance and progress to management and employees to provide up to date information.
- Coordinated emergency response plans and drills to increase preparedness and address issues promptly.
- Developed and implemented safety policies and procedures to establish clear guidelines for safe work practices and comply with regulations.
- Collaborated with other departments to integrate safety in all aspects of organization.
- Reviewed and analyzed safety data and statistics to identify trends and areas requiring improvement.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of applicable laws and regulations.
- Assisted with development of compliance objectives and strategies.
- Directed activities of workers searching records and provided technical guidance as necessary.
- Completed field checks to verify licenses and permits for various business.
- Collected detailed notes on investigations and other communication to adhere to legal requirements and enhance recordkeeping.
- Developed and implemented corrective action plans for non-compliance issues.
- Maintained composure in stressful situations, confrontations, interviews and records searches.
- Developed risk assessment models to identify potential compliance risks.
- Identified gaps in existing compliance processes and recommended updates.
- Conducted periodic compliance audits and reviews to identify areas of improvement.
- Evaluated and monitored supplier and partner relationships to support compliance.
GROUP SAFETY OFFICER
PAR EQUITY GROUP
CAPE TOWN
10.2019 - 12.2020
- Cellplex, NTI solutions, Parvest &
- YAZIGO, RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop, implement, and improve the health and safety plans, programmes, and procedures in the workplace for the individual companies in the group
- Ensure that all companies in the group comply with relevant health and safety legislation
- Identifying OHS-related training needs in the workplace for each individual company in the group
- Conducting safety inspections and risk assessments
- Investigating workplace accidents
- Reporting on OHS-related activities
- Ensure compliance with the client health and safety specifications
- Conduct internal Auditing
- Conduct subcontractor Safety File Auditing
CONSULTANT SAFETY OFFICER
CCSA - HUAXIN
10.2015 - 09.2019
- Ensuring the safety and security of the people in the workplace by establishing and providing procedures and policies for a safe Environment
- Enforcing a safety culture and compliance with the Act and Project EHS requirements.
- Investigate incidents and implement preventative measure from reoccurrence
- Projects (MTN Monza; MTN Modernization (NSB, TI,) MTN FTTX/H/S; Telkom Wireless
- Telkom FTTH, RAIN 5G
- Develop Road Safety Management Plan for all FTTH Projects.
REGIONAL SAFETY OFFICER
CCS INTERNATIONAL SA (PTY) LTD
06.2015 - 09.2019
- Ensuring the safety and security of the people in the WORKPLACE by establishing and providing procedures and policies for a safe Environment
- Enforcing a safety culture and compliance with the Act and Project EHS requirements
- Investigate incidents and implement preventative measure from reoccurrence
- Projects (Nokia Gate 2 Vodacom; Nokia Gate 2 Rain; MTN Monza; MTN Modernization (NSB, TI,); Telkom Wireless, Telkom FTTH, RAIN 5G
- Supervise all rope access work and any HIGH-RISK operations.
Education
BcomLaw - Law
Regent Business School
Online 01.2023 - Current
Paralegal Practitioner - Law
UCT
Cape Town 07.2021 - 12.2021
Skills
Ability to maintain effective work relationshipsWith people from all social backgroundsAdministration and Legal requirementsAbility to handle and resolve disputesWithout showing or being biasAbility to work under pressure3
Accomplishments
- ISO 45001:2018, DEKRA INSTITUTE OF LEARNING
- This is an introduction training to the ISO45001 requirements
- JUNE 2020
- HIRA, IRCA GLOBAL
- Hazard Identification Risk Assessment – an in-depth study into conducting Continuous risk assessment and risk evaluation and mitigation measures in the workplace
- NOVEMBER 2019
- INCIDENT/ ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, LABOUR GUIDE
- Conducting of incident investigation, reporting of incidents, recording and communication of findings mitigation of re-occurrences
- NOVEMBER 2013
- HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGEMENT, CPUT
- Management of Occupational health and Safety, OHS Act and regulations, their application in the workplace, Developing EHS Plans, Policies & Procedures, Method statements, Risk Assessments, inspection procedures and checklists, etc.
Summary
I am a seasoned Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) professional with over a decade of experience across construction, telecommunications, infrastructure and engineering environments, supported by a growing legal and compliance background.
I currently serve as a Group Health and Safety Manager for a multi-company group, where I am responsible for developing and overseeing SHE management systems, ensuring legal and client compliance, conducting audits, managing risk, and driving continuous improvement across all operations. My role has included achieving strong compliance outcomes, zero reportable incidents, and implementing digital safety systems to improve efficiency and governance.
My career started in hands-on technical and high-risk environments, including telecommunications installations and rope access work, which has given me a strong practical understanding of operational risk and workplace realities. Over time, I progressed into regional and group-level safety leadership roles, managing audits, contractor vetting, investigations, and regulatory compliance across large-scale projects for major telecoms and infrastructure clients.Alongside my HSE career, I have formal legal training. I hold a Paralegal Practitioner Certificate from the University of Cape Town and am currently completing a Bachelor of Commerce in Law.
This combination allows me to approach compliance, governance and risk management with both operational and legal insight, particularly in regulated and client-driven environments.Overall, my background blends practical safety leadership, structured management systems, and legal compliance, positioning me well for roles that sit at the intersection of operations, risk, and regulatory governance.
Timeline
BcomLaw - Law
Regent Business School
01.2023 - Current
Paralegal Practitioner - Law
UCT
07.2021 - 12.2021
Group Safety Officer
Wintocor (Merlin Group)
01.2021 - Current
GROUP SAFETY OFFICER
PAR EQUITY GROUP
10.2019 - 12.2020
CONSULTANT SAFETY OFFICER
CCSA - HUAXIN
10.2015 - 09.2019
REGIONAL SAFETY OFFICER
CCS INTERNATIONAL SA (PTY) LTD
06.2015 - 09.2019