By Kanayo Duke Okonkwo, Founder & Lead HSE Consultant, Pacesetter HSE Consult

Port Harcourt, Rivers State — July 2026

Pacesetter HSE Consult has successfully concluded a four-day Occupational Health and Safety Training and Certification Programme for Batch 4 students of the College of Nursing Sciences, Umulogho Obowo (CONSU), with over 130 trainees taking part in a practical, hands-on curriculum covering the eight core modules of workplace health and safety.

The programme, held at the CONSU Lecture Hall from July 27th to 30th, 2026, was declared open by Kanayo Duke Okonkwo, Founder, Lead HSE Consultant, and Training Coordinator at Pacesetter HSE Consult, and a Fellow of the SafeERR Global Institute (SGI) / World Safety Organisation (WSO). In his opening remarks, Okonkwo emphasised that occupational health and safety is not a classroom formality but a discipline that follows nursing students into the wards, theatres, and clinics where their careers will unfold — and that the training was designed to reflect that reality through practice, not just theory.

Beyond the Classroom: A Practical Approach to HSE Training

True to that philosophy, the four days combined lecture-style instruction with extensive hands-on practice across the programme’s eight core modules: Safety Law & Legislation, Personal Protective Equipment, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Hazard Identification & Control, Fire Safety & Emergency Procedures, Ergonomics & Manual Handling, Environmental Safety, and Health & Hygiene.

Trainees worked directly with CPR mannequins under facilitator guidance, practising chest compressions and airway management until the technique became second nature rather than a diagram on a slide. A dedicated session on Health & Hygiene explored real clinical case studies — including a hand hygiene compliance audit tied to an MRSA outbreak — grounding the training in the kind of consequences nursing students will encounter on the job.

The standout practical session, however, was Fire Safety & Emergency Procedures, delivered in partnership with the Abia State Fire Service. Students took turns operating live fire extinguishers on an open field, guided step-by-step through the approach, aim, and technique needed to control a fire safely — many of them handling an extinguisher for the first time in their lives. The energy on the field, visible in the smoke, the cheering, and the phones raised to capture the moment, reflected something training slides rarely achieve: real confidence built through real practice.

The training process was handled by a team of seasoned professionals across its eight modules, including Ogba Ogbonnaya Umezuruike, an Anaesthetist &Intensivist, who led sessions on Health & Hygiene and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Engr. Uwandu Theaddeus, who handled Personal Protective Equipment; Mr. Igboruche Kizito, who covered Ergonomics & Manual Handling and Environmental Safety; and Arch. Arua Nnanna O., Chief Fire Officer, Abia State Fire Service, who led the Fire Safety & Emergency Procedures module. Lead Consultant and Training Coordinator Kanayo Duke Okonkwo facilitated the OHS Training Overview, Safety Law & Legislation, and Hazard Identification & Control sessions.

What Trainees Walk Away With

Beyond the classroom experience, successful trainees who complete the certification examination receive a Recognised HSE Supervisor Certificate, issued by Pacesetter HSE Consult, affirming their competence to supervise workplace health and safety in real clinical and industrial settings. They also receive a Course Transcript with HSE Practical Knowledge — a detailed record of all eight modules completed, backing the certificate with documented evidence of hands-on, practice-ready skill rather than classroom attendance alone.

The certification examination held on July 30th, 2026, marking the close of the in-person training component of the programme.

Take the Learning Home: OHS Handbook for Nurses

Throughout the training, students worked from Pacesetter HSE Consult’s own Occupational Health & Safety Handbook for Nurses — an illustrated reference guide covering all eight core OHS modules, from Safety Law & Legislation to Health & Hygiene. For trainees who want a lasting reference beyond the classroom, and for nursing students or professionals who missed this training but still want to build their OHS knowledge, the handbook is available for ₦3,000 only. To order a copy, reach out via pacesetterhse.com, email info@pacesetterhse.com, or call +234 814 482 8392.

Introducing the Pacesetter SafeGuard Club

Building on the momentum of the CONSU Batch 4 training, Pacesetter HSE Consult is developing one of its most significant legacy initiatives yet: the Pacesetter SafeGuard Club — a first-of-its-kind safety club initiative designed to extend occupational health and safety culture beyond one-off trainings and into an ongoing, institution-based movement.

Full details of the SafeGuard Club are still being finalised, but the vision is clear: to give students and institutions a structured, sustained way to keep safety awareness alive long after a certification programme ends. More information will be shared on the Pacesetter HSE Consult website and social media channels as the initiative develops. Institutions and individuals interested in learning more or getting involved early are encouraged to reach out directly.

What’s Next: Graduation and Certificate Issuance

The CONSU Batch 4 journey isn’t over yet. A graduation ceremony, along with the issuance of certificates and statements of result, is scheduled for Friday, August 14th, 2026, at 1:00pm, in the school. The ceremony will mark the formal close of the programme and celebrate trainees who successfully completed both the training and certification examination.

About the Author

Kanayo Duke Okonkwo is the Founder and Lead HSE Consultant of Pacesetter HSE Consult, an Occupational Health, Safety and Environment training and consultancy organisation based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He holds a BSc (Hons.) in Human Physiology, graduating as Best Graduating Student at Abia State University (ABSU), and has completed several Occupational Health and Safety certifications, both locally and internationally, as a Certified HSE Trainer. He is a Fellow, SGI / World Safety Organization, an Associate Member of the Occupational Safety and Health Association UK (OSHAssociation UK), and an Associate Member of the Nigerian Red Cross Society. With over six years of hands-on HSE experience, he has trained over 4,000 students across various institutions, bringing that depth of experience and a strong professional network to every programme he leads. Pacesetter HSE Consult is the training and consulting arm of Pacesetter & Co Integrated Business Nigeria Limited (RC 2023788). To learn more about Pacesetter HSE Consult’s training programmes, or to schedule a training and certification programme for your institution, visit pacesetterhse.com, email info@pacesetterhse.com, or call +234 814 482 8392.