H.J.
Matthysen
Class of 1995
Background:
H. J. (Bunny) Matthysen was born in Stellenbosch, Western
Cape, Republic of South Africa in 1926. He attended the University
of South Africa and received the Bachelors of Commerce degree
in 1970. He has attended numerous seminars and workshops in
his profession. He held the Chartered Management Accountant
(London) qualification ACMA. He held the National Diploma
in Safety Management from the Department of National Education
in South Africa (NADSAM).
Professional
Experience:
After two years service in Italy during World War II, Mr.
Matthysen began his industrial career with Lever Brothers
in Salisbury. Beginning as a laboratory assistant in 1949,
he climbed the ranks of industrial management, gaining valuable
practical safety experience in the process. He joined the
National Occupational Safety Association (NOSA) June 1, 1958,
and he held various senior posts in the Association. In 1970
he was appointed general manager and in 1986 became managing
director. He retired from NOSA on June 30, 1991, and on July
1, 1991 took the post of chief executive of the Liquified
Petroleum Gas Safety Association. He was an associate member
of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (London)
and a past president of the SA Council of the Institute (ACMA).
He was a featured speaker at numerous conferences and seminars,
not only in South Africa, but in the United Kingdom, Canada,
USA, Australia, Brazil, France, and Portugal. Among his many
articles and publications he authored is "The Bloody
Battlefield," which was printed in the Reader's Digest.
Career
Highlights:
In 1990 he was awarded the "Order for Meritorious Service
Gold Class" (OMSG), one of South Africa's most prestigious
awards, by the then State President, Mr. F. W. de Klerk, for
the outstanding work he has done in the field of occupational
safety during the past 33 years. He was the originator of
NOSA's MBO 5 Star Safety and Health Management System, which
was introduced in the 1960s. The principles and concepts of
this system were adopted in the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom,
Australia, Brazil, and Portugal. Mr. Matthysen was the first
head of a national safety organization to introduce a national
safety audit system based on performance and not just frequency
and severity rates. He was one of the first safety professionals
to be awarded the National Diploma of Safety Management by
the Department of National Education (NADSAM).
