South African Society of Occupational Health Nurses

What South African Society of Occupational Health Nurses does

South African Society of Occupational Health Nurses (SASOHN), also operating as 'SASOHN – Nursing Society', is a non-profit professional society founded via an initial meeting in 1966 (Industrial Nurses of the then Southern Transvaal, arranged by Mary E Ahlers of United Tobacco Company Ltd) and formally established on 30 April 1980 under the presidency of S. Coetzee. It serves approximately 1,400 occupational health nurse practitioners (OHNPs) across South Africa, with a small international cohort, organised under 14 regional branches covering Eastern Cape, Gauteng Central, KZN Coastal, KZN Inland, Mpumalanga, Northern Natal, Pretoria, Vaal, West Rand and Western Cape, plus a National coordination tier and a Border Discussion Group. The society also operates a separate biennial Audio Membership track for audiometrists (R350 per 2-year period) under custodianship of the national Audiometry database, which the Department of Labour entrusted to SASOHN on 7 March 2001.

The society's product surface is membership-centric: paid subscriptions (2026 full membership at R840, retired tiers at R420/R630, honorary life at R340) unlock access to 29 occupational health guidelines, the Occupational Health Southern Africa journal, an SASOHN Audit Tool, a legislation library, regional academic programs, the annual national conference (46th edition in November 2026), and bursaries of up to R10,000 for postgraduate study. Underlying technology is modest and web-based: a CMS-hosted website at www.sasohn.co.za, a member portal and conference registration system at app.sasohn.co.za, a Beta E-Register for credential verification at beta-app.sasohn.co.za, and downloadable Excel-based artefacts. The head office is at El-Ridge Office Park in Boksburg and operates part-time (a half-day staffed position), with all governance and regional leadership drawn from elected volunteers.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across membership subscriptions (annual and biennial), registration and exhibitor fees from the annual conference and academic days, publication sales (guidelines and the Michell-edited book 'A Practical Approach to Occupational Health Nursing'), and merchandising (badges/pins at R75 + R85 postage). A core commercial lever is the channel partnership with Garrun-CFP Brokers, which delivers members up to 80% reduction on professional medical malpractice indemnity cover, conditioning the discount on active paid membership and driving retention. The customer base is fragmented individual practitioners across multiple personas — full OHNPs, affiliated health professionals, retired practitioners, and audiometrists — with no enterprise or corporate customer contracts, consistent with a society-style distributed revenue model.

Name

South African Society of Occupational Health Nurses

Legal name

South African Society of Occupational Health Nursing Practitioners

Website

https://sasohn.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

South African non-profit professional society serving approximately 1,400 occupational health nurse practitioners across 14 regional branches, delivering membership subscriptions, CPD training, indemnity insurance access via Garrun-CFP, and government-entrusted audiometry database custodianship on behalf of the Department of Labour.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental, Health & Safety / Sustainability (EHS, Environmental Compliance CE) (EDAAALAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nursing & Allied Health Certification Prep (CNA, EMT/Paramedic, Radiology, Sonography, PT/OT) (EDANAIAB)

Keywords

• Occupational health nursing
• Professional nursing society
• Audiometry database management
• Occupational health guidelines
• Nurse practitioner membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. SASOHN Occupational Health Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from occupational health nursing practitioners. 2026 Full membership: R840. Retired membership (age 65+): R420. Retired membership (age 60-64): R630. Affiliated membership: fee not publicly disclosed. Membership runs 1 January to 31 December annually, with renewals due by 31 January.
2. Audio (Audiometrist) Membership Fees: Biennial membership for audiometrists at R350 per 2-year period. Operates on a separate cycle from annual SASOHN membership with its own payment details. Separate registration and renewal process managed by the Audio Office.
3. Conferences, Academic Days and Events: SASOHN organizes annual conferences (46th Conference 2026 at Riverside Sun Hotel, Vanderbijlpark), academic days (2026 Academic Day at Krystal Beach Hotel, Gordon's Bay), and regional workshops. Revenue generated through registration fees, exhibitor fees, and sponsorship.
4. Publications Sales (Guidelines and Book): SASOHN publishes and sells occupational health guidelines (29 guidelines updated in 2021, available online for free to paid members) and the book 'A Practical Approach to Occupational Health Nursing' (edited by K Michell) at a discounted rate for members. Order form and proof of payment submitted to [email protected].
5. SASOHN Badge/Pin Sales: SASOHN sells official Occupational Health Nursing Badge/Pins for R75 each, with R85 postage fee. Total cost including postage: R160. Orders require upfront payment and verification of occupational health qualification, SANC and SASOHN receipts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SASOHN is a non-profit professional society that provides annual and biennial membership services to occupational health nurse practitioners (OHNPs) and audiometrists across South Africa. It delivers CPD through an annual conference, academic days, and regional workshops; publishes 29 occupational health guidelines and the Occupational Health Southern Africa journal; and provides members with discounted medical malpractice insurance, bursaries, and access to a member portal and e-Register.

Product overview

SASOHN operates as a professional society offering a membership-based portfolio of services for occupational health nurse practitioners and audiometrists. The core offering consists of professional membership providing access to an online guidelines library (29 guidelines), the Occupational Health Southern Africa journal, and professional indemnity insurance discounts. Digital tools include the E-Register (beta) for credential verification and an audit tool for compliance assessment. The society also provides a legislation library, annual conferences and academic days for CPD, a vacancy board, and community forums including a Facebook chat group. Audio Membership is a separate biennial offering covering audiometrists, managed on behalf of the Department of Labour.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SASOHN Occupational Health Membership Annual professional society membership providing access to CPD events, the Occupational Health Southern Africa journal, 29 occupational health guidelines, bursaries of up to R10,000 for postgraduate study, networking through 14 regional branches, and eligibility for discounted professional indemnity insurance (up to 80% reduction) through Garrun-CFP Brokers. 2026 Full membership fee: R840.
• Audio (Audiometry) Membership Biennial membership for persons holding an SAQA-registered qualification in audiometric techniques, managed by SASOHN on behalf of the Department of Labour. Includes qualification verification and database registration for audiometric technicians. 2026 fee: R350 per 2-year period.
• SASOHN Occupational Health Guidelines A library of 29 occupational health guidelines covering medical surveillance, disability management, injury reporting, travel medicine, risk assessment, hearing conservation, and workplace health procedures, available online for free to paid-up members.
• Occupational Health Southern Africa Journal Peer-reviewed journal published 4-6 times annually covering occupational health research, practice standards, and field developments. Members receive automatic subscription.
• SASOHN Annual Conference and Academic Days Annual national conference (46th edition scheduled for 18-20 November 2026 at Riverside Sun Hotel, Vanderbijlpark) and regional academic days providing CPD training, networking, and professional development for occupational health practitioners.
• A Practical Approach to Occupational Health Nursing (Book) Book edited by K Michell, sold by SASOHN at a discounted rate for members through order forms submitted via email to [email protected].
• SASOHN Badge/Pin Official Occupational Health Nursing Badge/Pins sold at R75 each with R85 postage (R160 total), providing professional identification; orders require verification of occupational health qualification, SANC, and SASOHN receipts.

Quantifiable outcome

• SASOHN membership can reduce annual indemnity fee by up to 80%
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Labour (South Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSASOHN was awarded custodianship of the Audiometry database by the Department of Labour on 7 March 2001. All audiometry training done in South Africa must be registered with SASOHN. This government partnership is a foundational element of SASOHN's role in the occupational health ecosystem and is the basis for the Audio membership program.
• Garrun-CFP BrokerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSASOHN has partnered with Garrun-CFP Brokers to provide discounted medical malpractice insurance to members. By being a SASOHN member, the annual indemnity fee can drop by up to 80%. Members must maintain up-to-date SASOHN membership to qualify for the discounted cover. The partnership includes online portal access for applying and paying for cover.
• Riverside Sun HotelminorOthersRiverside Sun Hotel in Vanderbijlpark is the venue for the 46th SASOHN Conference & AGM 2026 (18-20 November 2026). This is a venue partnership for the annual conference event.
• Krystal Beach Hotel (Gordon's Bay)minorOthersKrystal Beach Hotel in Gordon's Bay, Cape Town is the venue for the 2026 SASOHN Academic Day (14 May 2026). This is a venue partnership for the annual academic day event.
• Apex EnvironmentalminorOthersApex Environmental is listed as a SASOHN exhibitor on the exhibitors page. The exhibitor listing provides a logo and website link. No specific partnership terms are described.
• eMoyominorOtherseMoyo is listed as a SASOHN exhibitor on the exhibitors page. eMoyo appears to be an eHealth technology company. No specific partnership terms are described.
• PathCareminorOthersPathCare is listed as a SASOHN exhibitor on the exhibitors page. PathCare is a medical pathology services company. No specific partnership terms are described.
• PrismiaminorOthersPrismia is listed as a SASOHN exhibitor on the exhibitors page. Prismia appears to be a company dealing with diphoterine solutions. No specific partnership terms are described.
• SSEM Mthembu MedicalminorOthersSSEM Mthembu Medical is listed as a SASOHN exhibitor on the exhibitors page. SSEM Mthembu Medical appears to be a medical equipment supplier. No specific partnership terms are described.
• Software1066 Business Systems Solutions (ClinicSister)minorOthersSoftware1066 Business Systems Solutions advertises its ClinicSister software through SASOHN's paid exhibitor advertisements section. ClinicSister is occupational health clinic management software. SASOHN does not endorse any company, exhibitor or service provider.
• ICOH (International Commission on Occupational Health)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSASOHN has an ICOH page on its website and ICOH newsletters are shared with members. ICOH is the global body for occupational health. SASOHN members engage internationally with ICOH, WHO, and ICN through SASOHN's community platforms. SASOHN's vision is to be a recognised leading professional practice society that promotes the occupational health nurse practitioner and advances both national and international standards.
• SAIOH (South African Institute of Occupational Hygiene)minorOthersSAIOH is one of the professional bodies whose members participate in the inter-professional OHSE chatgroup facilitated by SASOHN. Collaboration on the chatgroup platform connects occupational health professionals from multiple South African societies.
• SAIOSH (South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health)minorOthersSAIOSH is one of the professional bodies whose members participate in the inter-professional OHSE chatgroup facilitated by SASOHN. Collaboration on the chatgroup platform connects occupational health professionals from multiple South African societies.
• University of Port ElizabethminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 1977, the first Occupational Health Nursing Certificate course through a university was arranged by the University of Port Elizabeth. This was a founding partnership in the professional development of occupational health nursing education in South Africa.
• National Centre for Occupational HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn 2 June 1976, the first Certificate in Occupational Health Nursing course was run by Professor Ian Webster at the National Centre for Occupational Health, with 22 nurses enrolling. This marked the formal beginning of structured OHN education in South Africa.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH): ICOH is the global professional body for occupational health and an umbrella under which SASOHN operates as a national member society. It is broader in scope (multi-disciplinary and multinational) but shares the same continuing-education and standards-development mission.
• Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH): IOSH is the largest chartered professional body for health and safety professionals globally. It is comparable in operating model (membership, CPD, credentials) but broader in scope and based in the UK, making it a larger incumbent peer.

Regional players

• British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS): The UK professional body for occupational hygiene practitioners. BOHS is comparable to SASOHN as a discipline-defined membership society delivering qualifications and CPD, though focused on the UK market.
• Australian & New Zealand Society of Occupational Medicine (ANZSOM): ANZSOM is the regional professional society for occupational medicine practitioners across Australia and New Zealand. It runs the same member-plus-conference-plus-journal model that SASOHN operates, serving as a useful comparability benchmark.
• Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM): The UK professional body for occupational health physicians and allied professionals. SOM is a regional peer offering similar CPD, journal, and policy-advocacy services to practitioners across occupational health disciplines.

Direct peers

• South African Institute of Occupational Hygiene (SAIOH): The South African professional body for occupational hygienists. SAIOH is the closest domestic peer; its members participate in the same OHSE Facebook chatgroup co-hosted by SASOHN, and the two bodies serve overlapping employer markets across South Africa.
• South African Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (SAIOSH): The South African professional body for occupational safety and health practitioners. SAIOSH operates the same member-plus-CPD model in an adjacent discipline and shares community touchpoints with SASOHN through the inter-professional chatgroup.
• South African Nursing Council (SANC): SANC regulates the nursing profession in South Africa and formally recognized the OHN additional qualification in 1981. While statutory rather than membership-driven, it is a directly comparable institution governing the same professional cohort SASOHN serves.
• American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN): The US counterpart professional association for occupational and environmental health nurses. AAOHN offers an almost identical bundle of membership, continuing education, advocacy, and a peer-reviewed journal, making it the most direct international peer to SASOHN's offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sasohnoffice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sasohn-western-cape

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about South African Society of Occupational Health Nurses