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Exam Review

Key Facts: SACPCMP CHS Officer Exam

100

Free practice questions

OpenExamPrep

60%

Passing Score

SACPCMP Council

R711.07

Examination Fee (2026/27)

SACPCMP fee gazette

14 days

Disability Threshold for a Section 24 Reportable Injury

Department of Employment and Labour

30 days

Maximum Interval Between Client H&S Audits (CR 5(1)(o))

Construction Regulations 2014

The SACPCMP Construction Health & Safety Officer exam is a Council examination with a passing score of 60% (re-write allowed for 35%–59%); the 2026/27 examination fee is R711.07 (excluding application and registration fees) and requires 2-3 years of post-qualification construction safety experience. The exam tests South African OHS Act, Construction Regulations 2014 (CR 8 legal appointments), safety registers, operational safety controls (excavation, scaffolding, heights), and incident reporting.

Sample SACPCMP CHS Officer Practice Questions

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1Under Section 8(1) of the South African Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) 85 of 1993, what is the primary duty of an employer regarding the working environment?

A.To guarantee that no injury or illness ever occurs on the construction site.

B.To provide and maintain a working environment that is safe and without risk to health.

C.To provide free transport for every employee between home and the construction site.

D.To register every employee with the local health department for monthly medical checks.

Explanation: Section 8(1) requires every employer to provide and maintain, as far as is reasonably practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of its employees. Section 8(2) then lists what that covers, including safe plant and systems of work and the elimination of hazards before resorting to personal protective equipment.

2Which section of the South African OHS Act 85 of 1993 outlines the general duties of employers and self-employed persons to individuals other than their employees?

A.Section 9

B.Section 8

C.Section 16

D.Section 37

Explanation: Section 9 of the OHS Act details the general duties of employers and self-employed persons to ensure that persons other than their employees (such as visitors or the public) are not exposed to health and safety hazards.

3According to Section 16(1) of the OHS Act 85 of 1993, who is primarily charged with the statutory duty of ensuring that the employer complies with the provisions of the Act?

A.The appointed Construction Health and Safety Officer (CHSO).

B.The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company.

C.The Department of Employment and Labour Provincial Inspector.

D.The client's Professional Construction Health and Safety Agent (Pr.CHSA).

Explanation: Section 16(1) of the OHS Act explicitly states that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for ensuring that the employer complies with the provisions of the Act.

4What does Section 16(2) of the OHS Act 85 of 1993 permit a chief executive officer to do?

A.Assign any of those duties to a person under the CEO's control and direction.

B.Exempt the company from Department of Employment and Labour inspections and penalties.

C.Transfer criminal liability for site accidents to an appointed subcontractor.

D.Hand the employer's civil claims process over to the Compensation Commissioner.

Explanation: Section 16(2) allows a chief executive officer to assign any duty referred to in section 16(1) to a person under his or her control, who then acts subject to the CEO's control and directions. Section 16(3) confirms that this does not relieve the employer of responsibility, and in South African practice these assignments are recorded as written 16(2) appointments.

5Under Section 17 of the South African OHS Act, at what employee threshold must an employer designate health and safety representatives in writing?

A.When the employer employs more than 5 employees.

B.When the employer employs more than 20 employees.

C.Only when the employer employs more than 50 employees.

D.For any project regardless of the number of employees.

Explanation: Section 17(1) requires every employer with more than 20 employees at a workplace to designate health and safety representatives in writing for a specified period, within four months of commencing business or of passing that threshold. Section 17(4) limits eligibility to full-time employees at the workplace who are acquainted with its conditions and activities.

6In terms of Section 19 of the South African OHS Act, what condition triggers the statutory requirement to establish a Health and Safety Committee?

A.Whenever a construction project exceeds a value of R5 million.

B.Only when the Department of Employment and Labour issues a written directive.

C.When there is at least one fatal injury on a construction site.

D.When two or more health and safety representatives have been designated.

Explanation: Section 19(1) requires an employer to establish one or more health and safety committees for each workplace where two or more health and safety representatives have been designated, and to consult that committee at every meeting on measures to keep employees safe.

7Under regulation 3(1) of the Construction Regulations, 2014 as gazetted, what obliges a client to apply for a construction work permit?

A.A contract value above R10 million or a workforce of more than 100 workers.

B.A project inside a municipal area that runs for longer than three months.

C.Work over 180 days, over 1 800 person days, or R13 million or CIDB level 6.

D.Any construction work that involves working at a height of more than 3 metres.

Explanation: Regulation 3(1) requires the client to apply to the provincial director in writing at least 30 days beforehand where the intended work will exceed 180 days, will involve more than 1 800 person days, or the works contract is worth R13 million or more or is CIDB grading level 6. The application uses a form similar to Annexure 1, and regulation 3(7) bars the work from starting before the permit and site-specific number are issued.

8Under Construction Regulation 5(1), what is the statutory duty of the Client regarding the health and safety specification?

A.To prepare a site-specific health and safety specification for the tender documents.

B.To write the contractor's safety plan and submit it to the Department of Labour.

C.To conduct the daily site inspections and maintain all the safety registers for the contractor.

D.To provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to the contractor's employees.

Explanation: Regulation 5(1)(a) and (b) require the client to prepare a baseline risk assessment and, on that basis, a documented site-specific health and safety specification. Regulation 5(1)(c) has it given to the designer and regulation 5(1)(f) requires it to be included in the tender documents, so every tendering contractor prices the same safety requirements.

9Under Construction Regulation 7(1), what must a Principal Contractor do before commencing construction work?

A.Apply for a business license from the local municipality and pay the tax levy.

B.Appoint a full-time occupational medical practitioner to reside on the site.

C.Provide and demonstrate a site-specific health and safety plan to the client.

D.Purchase a certified safety file from the Department of Employment and Labour.

Explanation: Regulation 7(1)(a) requires the principal contractor to provide and demonstrate to the client a suitable, sufficiently documented and coherent site-specific health and safety plan based on the client's specification, applied from commencement and reviewed as the work progresses. The client discusses, negotiates and then finally approves that plan under regulation 5(1)(l).

10Under Construction Regulation 8(1), what must the Principal Contractor appoint in writing?

A.A part-time safety consultant who audits the site once every six months.

B.One full-time competent construction manager for a single site.

C.A medical practitioner to carry out monthly blood tests on all employees.

D.A structural engineer to sign off every concrete pour on a daily basis.

Explanation: Regulation 8(1) requires the principal contractor to appoint in writing one full-time competent person as construction manager to manage all the construction work on a single site, including health and safety compliance, and to appoint an alternate for that manager's absence. Regulation 8(4) then bars the manager from running any other site.

About the SACPCMP CHS Officer Exam

The SACPCMP Construction Health & Safety Officer (CHSO) examination is the professional registration assessment for safety officers in South Africa. It evaluates competence in implementing, monitoring, and inspecting health and safety systems on construction sites. The exam heavily features the South African Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993), the Construction Regulations 2014, HIRA methodologies, site documentation, safety registers, operational safety controls, and incident management.

Exam sponsor: SACPCMP (South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Council examination under the SACPCMP Rules for Registration (Version 3 Revision 2, effective 1 August 2025); passing standard 60%, with a re-write allowed for scores of 35%–59%; item count and duration are not published

Time Limit

Not published by SACPCMP

Passing Score

60%

Exam / Certification Fees

R711.07 (2026/27 fee gazette)

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Not published by SACPCMP. SACPCMP publishes no examination statistics Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Official sources

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

Not published

Legal & Regulatory Framework

OHS Act 85 of 1993, Section 16(1) and 16(2) duties, Section 37(2) mandatary agreements, COID Act civil liability exclusions, and Construction Regulations 2014 legal appointments (specifically CR 8).

Not published

Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment (HIRA)

Baseline, issue-based, and continuous risk assessments, hierarchy of controls, safe work procedures (SWPs), risk matrix calculations, and daily safe task instructions.

Not published

Health & Safety Files & Documentation

Site-specific Health and Safety Files, client Health and Safety Specifications, method statements, and equipment inspection registers (ladders, scaffolding, first aid).

Not published

Operational Safety & Site Inspections

Excavation shoring, scaffolding standards incorporated by Regulation 16(2), working at heights fall arrest, electrical DB wiring (SANS 10142), temporary works (CR 12), noise zones, and PPE enforcement.

Not published

Incident Investigation, Training & Emergency Response

Section 24 incident reporting windows, Annexure 1 incident registers, COID Act accident reporting, first aid box ratios, toolbox talks, site safety inductions, and evacuation drills.

Preparing for the SACPCMP CHS Officer Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 60%
Assessment: Council examination under the SACPCMP Rules for Registration (Version 3 Revision 2, effective 1 August 2025); passing standard 60%, with a re-write allowed for scores of 35%–59%; item count and duration are not published
Time limit: Not published by SACPCMP
Exam / certification fees: R711.07 (2026/27 fee gazette) Official sources

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SACPCMP CHS Officer: Suggested Study Strategy

1Thoroughly memorize the legal appointments under Construction Regulation 8, including the specific duties of the Construction Health and Safety Officer (CR 8(5)).

2Be prepared to identify different types of risk assessments (Baseline, Issue-Based, Continuous) and their triggers.

3Memorize the time limits: an injury disabling a worker for 14 days or more is a reportable incident; the Section 24 written report (GAR 8) and the COID Act accident report are both due within 7 days, and a GAR 9 investigation must begin within 7 days.

4Learn how Construction Regulation 16(2) incorporates scaffolding safety standards under section 44 of the OHS Act, and memorise the inspection duties: weekly and after bad weather, by a competent person, recorded in a register.

5Know the safety registers required on-site, including ladder inspections, portable electrical tools, and first aid checklist checks.

6Understand the difference between fall prevention and fall arrest systems, and when a fall protection plan is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SACPCMP Construction Health & Safety Officer registration?

It is a statutory professional registration in South Africa under the SACPCMP. Registration is legally required for any professional executing safety officer roles on construction sites, ensuring they meet minimum competency, education, and experience standards.

What is the passing score for the SACPCMP CHSO exam?

The passing score is 60%. Candidates scoring between 35% and 59% may be permitted to write an exam re-write within six months upon payment of the exam fee, while candidates scoring below 35% must re-apply from the beginning.

How much does the SACPCMP CHSO exam cost?

The SACPCMP 2026/27 fee gazette sets the CHSO examination fee at R711.07 per attempt (no interview fee applies at the Officer level). Application and annual registration fees are charged separately, and all fees are adjusted annually by gazette.

What are the eligibility requirements for CHS Officer registration?

Candidates typically need a relevant safety certificate/diploma plus at least 2-3 years of verified experience in construction safety, or a candidate registration status and logbooks proving their experience.

What topics are covered on the exam?

The exam covers the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993, Construction Regulations 2014, hazard identification and risk assessment (HIRA), site documentation (H&S Plan, H&S File), safety registers, operational safety controls (working at heights, excavations, scaffolding), and incident management (incident investigation, toolbox talks, inductions).