“VUT’s Safety Management programme hosted an OHS workshop with ESKOM expert Ms Matlou Ratladi, equipping 200 students with practical workplace safety insights.”
25 August 2026 | Story by: Tayron Mhlongo | Picture:
3 minutes read time.
In a landscape where graduates often emerge with strong theoretical foundations but limited practical exposure, the Safety Management programme, housed within the Legal Science Department at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), took a decisive step to close this gap. On 18 August 2026, the department hosted a dynamic workplace safety workshop for third-year students, designed to immerse them in the realities of occupational health and safety practice through a lecture on Safety Principles and Practice 3.
The highlight of the session was a compelling guest lecture by Ms Matlou Ratladi, a seasoned Health and Safety Officer at ESKOM, whose daily work involves managing safety around high-voltage transmission lines and substations. Ms Ratladi brought the workshop to life with vivid, real-world experience from the energy sector, where the stakes of safety management are exceptionally high.
“Safety is everywhere,” she told the audience of approximately 200 students. “Hazards exist in every established organisation, and as upcoming safety officers, you must always be conscientised; safety is not optional; it is essential.” She stressed that the core mission of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) professionals is to “understand, protect, and promote the health and safety of people” across all work environments.
Ms Ratladi outlined the critical responsibilities that await students as they enter the workforce, emphasising that future safety professionals must master OHS legislation by understanding and correctly applying South Africa’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993) and related regulations. She stressed the importance of proactive hazard identification to detect potential risks before they escalate into incidents, coupled with systematic risk assessment and the implementation of effective control measures. Additionally, she highlighted the need for clear communication and worker engagement to foster a culture of safety by encouraging participation, leading by example, and committing to continuous learning by staying informed about legislative updates, emerging hazards, and best practices in OHS management. “A safe workplace is everyone’s responsibility,” she reminded the students, reinforcing the shared accountability that underpins effective safety cultures.
Ms Boipelo Bhuda, a lecturer in Safety Management, explained that the workshop was intentionally designed to prepare students for life after graduation. “Our learners are immersed in theory, but that alone is not enough, especially since they do not have work-integrated learning before completing their course,” she said. “I felt it was important to bring someone from the field to give them a feel of what is really happening.”
The session provided students with a practical overview of workplace expectations, helping them visualise their future roles and responsibilities as safety officers.
The impact of the workshop was immediate and personal. Ms Marape Tiego, one of the attending students, shared her experience: “I felt like I was already in the work environment. As Ms Ratladi spoke about hazards and risks, I could see myself in that setting. It made everything we have learned in class feel real.”
By connecting academic learning with frontline expertise, the workshop not only enriched students’ understanding of OHS principles but also inspired them to embrace their future roles with confidence and purpose. As the OHS Management programme continues to innovate, initiatives like this ensure that graduates are not just theoretically sound but practice-ready.
As VUT recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, this workshop underscores the institution’s enduring commitment to producing quality education and promoting excellence. Six decades of academic achievement have positioned VUT as a leader in applied learning, and initiatives like this OHS workshop demonstrate how the university continues to bridge the gap between classroom theory and industry practice.