The OHTA201 Course in South Africa: What It Covers, Costs and How to Book

What is OHTA201?

OHTA201, Basic Principles in Occupational Hygiene, is the foundation course of the Occupational Hygiene Training Association (OHTA), the international body behind a structured series of occupational hygiene courses. OHTA describes it as a foundation level course delivered as five days of online or classroom training. It teaches how workplace health hazards are recognised, how exposure is assessed and how risks are controlled.

OH Gear Up is an OHTA approved training provider and teaches OHTA201 live online over five full days, so delegates anywhere in South Africa can attend without travelling.

Who the course is for

OHTA writes the course for:

• EHS generalists and SHEQ practitioners
• Occupational health technicians
• Safety committee members
• Medical and emergency site teams
• Facility managers and contractors

It also suits safety officers who want to specialise in occupational hygiene, and graduates in science, environmental health or engineering who are weighing up the career.

What the syllabus covers

According to OHTA’s course description, OHTA201 is built around five areas:

• Health sciences: human physiology, organ systems and toxicology, including dose response.
• Workplace hazards and psychosocial issues: asbestos, biological agents, noise, vibration, thermal stress, lighting, non-ionising and ionising radiation, ergonomic stress, health and safety culture and work-related stress.
• Hazardous substances and processes: including crystalline silica, man-made mineral fibres, welding fumes, isocyanates, wood dust, petroleum products, mining, metals, diesel exhaust and nanoparticles.
• Health risk assessment: information gathering, control banding, sampling and analysis, occupational exposure limits, biological monitoring and health surveillance.
• Controls: elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering controls including ventilation, administrative controls, training and personal protective equipment.

How it is assessed

OHTA assesses the course with an online examination made up of multiple choice questions.

What it costs with OH Gear Up

The OHTA201 course fee is R10,000. You can pay it in the way that suits you, interest-free:

• Full payment: R10,000 once, the fastest way to confirm a seat in the next available monthly cohort.
• 3-month plan: R3,334, R3,334 and R3,332.
• 5-month plan: five payments of R2,000.
• Employer funding: a formal quotation or invoice for the full fee, a shared contribution such as R7,000 from the employer and R3,000 from the employee, or a team booking for several staff members.

On a payment plan your seat is confirmed once the full R10,000 has been received, at least seven calendar days before your chosen cohort begins. See all payment plans.

Booking OHTA201 for a SHEQ team

Many delegates are sponsored by their employer. We issue a formal quotation for procurement, invoice the company directly and can book several staff members onto the same cohort, so a whole SHEQ team builds the same foundation at the same time. Request a quotation for your team.

Where OHTA201 leads

OHTA201 is the first step, not the destination. It is one of the routes the Southern African Institute for Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH) accepts for registration as an Occupational Hygiene Assistant, and it leads on to OHTA’s further modules, which the Technologist and Hygienist levels refer to. Our guide to SAIOH registration requirements sets out each level, and our salary guide shows what each level pays in South Africa.

Common questions