The role of workplace health and safety (H&S) advisers is to offer the expert skills and knowledge necessary to promote a positive H&S culture within the business or organisation. They play a vital role in helping to prevent and control occupational risk, demonstrating that H&S has moved away from reactive, accident-based management towards a more preventative approach (this is highlighted by the recent launch of NEBOSH’s Certificate in the Management of Health and Well-being at Work). This current focus on stress prevention and management has been highlighted in the media (not always positively), as have attempts to reduce the number of creative ‘sickies’ thrown by workers wanting a day off. (Indeed, the fewest instances of sick leave on record were logged in 2009, according to the CBI, with workers taking an average of 6.4 days off. This figure is the lowest since the CBI began recording statistics in 1987.)

 

H&S advisers are based in a huge range of organisations – from small consultancies to multinationals – and work in partnership with a host of different people, from employees and employers, to trades unions and directors. They are responsible for ensuring that all current H&S legislation is adhered to, and policies and practices adopted. They help to plan, implement, monitor and review the preventative and protective measures that companies are required or choose to follow, and they work to minimise accidents and injuries, occupational health problems and operational losses.

 

Employers must now appoint ‘competent’ people with responsibility for H&S, irrespective of the size or undertaking of their organisation. A ‘competent’ person is somebody with sufficient experience, training, knowledge and/or other qualities to undertake the role, particularly risk assessment. Because there is a requirement in law to employ such a person, training and experience are legal necessities for the management of H&S. A breach of H&S law is a criminal offence that can result in fines, imprisonment, or both.

 

Smaller organisations will often make the H&S ‘competent’ person function one part of a job, with the individual concerned responsible for it as part of their role while doing another job too. Larger organisations will employ a specialist (or specialists), or use a consultancy.

 

working days lost due to work-related ill-health

 

working days lost due to workplace injury

 

total number of working days lost (1.24 days per worker)

 

people with an illness believed caused or worsened by current or past work

 

people fatally injured at work

 

fatal injuries to workers in construction

 

fatal injuries to workers in agriculture

 

reportable injuries, according to the Labour Force Survey

 

injuries to employees reported under RIDDOR*

 

Note: annual figures for Great Britain

* Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

Source: HSE/National Statistics, Health and Safety Statistics 2008/09

 

 

The qualities and experience that are essential for an H&S professional are as follows:

 

All occupational H&S practitioners need a common core of knowledge in order to practise effectively. The NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety is the qualification for aspiring health and safety professionals, designed to provide students with the expertise required to undertake a career as a safety and health practitioner, and also provides a sound basis for progression to postgraduate study. It assumes prior learning equivalent to the National General Certificate, and, to date, more than 10,000 passes have been awarded. Exams are held each year in January and July, with the syllabus comprising four core units:

Students may choose to take the individual units in any order over a five-year period and will be awarded a certificate for each unit passed.

 

NEBOSH (with 30,000 people taking its qualifications annually) also offers the following:

 

N/SVQs at levels 3 and 4 in occupational health and safety practice provide people with good career opportunities. Recognised by IOSH as being equivalent to the NEBOSH National Diploma, they each take approximately a year to achieve.

 

Scientific, engineering or technical degrees, HNDs, HNCs, National Diplomas and National Certificates are particularly appropriate for H&S. The Open University recognises many Service qualifications, and awards points towards degrees on production of the necessary evidence.

 

There are postgraduate qualifications in H&S, with special emphasis on occupational, environmental and hygiene aspects. Some universities have MSc distance learning programmes that focus on H&S and lead towards corporate membership of IOSH (see below) within one year. Training can be expensive, but there is financial help available (see Factfile).

 

Membership of IOSH (over 37,000 members throughout the world, including more than 13,000 Chartered Safety and Health Practitioners) is seen as essential by most H&S professionals who are well beyond ‘competent’ person status and are specialising in the field. Grades of membership depend on a combination of qualifications, experience and achievement.

 

For the manager interested in H&S, IOSH runs a series of courses that promote a culture of safe working. Its modular Managing Safely course, for example, is aimed at managers and supervisors in any sector and any organisation. It aims to give them the information they need to help them handle all the main health and safety issues.

 

 

In October 2009, the HSE introduced new first aid at work training requirements (including revised guidance for employers and for first aid training organisations). In essence, there is now a requirement for workplace first aiders to undertake:

In addition, the HSE strongly recommends annual refresher training for qualified first aiders. Although this is not mandatory, it will help them maintain their basic skills and keep up to date with any changes to first aid procedures.

 

 

Although the H&S sector has, like many others, been hit by the current financial downturn, there are still openings available – for example, in the pharmaceutical, chemical, medical devices and healthcare sectors – particularly for those with relevant experience. Good advice for job seekers is that employers tend to favour job applicants who have good people management and interpersonal skills. Health and safety professionals should also keep their skills up to date. And, if they can bring a range of additional skills – such as being able to provide in-house training in areas like manual handling or first aid – that is another benefit as far as employers are concerned. In addition, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations outline the legal requirements for safety management issues and, if anything, this increases the need for companies to employ ‘competent’ persons directly, as opposed to dealing with safety issues via consultants.

 

Jobs range from a small company employing an individual to a major organisation that has an entire safety team. Some companies specialise in H&S issues such as planning supervision, safety audits, engineering surveying and insurance company safety assessments. Facilities management is another sector where employment possibilities are enhanced by a safety qualification. As noted above, many employers look for H&S advisers to have training qualifications, and to be able to assess the need for, design and deliver safety training.

 

The HSE employs inspectors and other staff through an online recruitment process. Trainees will usually spend their first two years training in the Field Operations Directorate. After that, some may be deployed into the Hazardous Installations Directorate to meet business needs or for personal development. A four-module work-based-learning postgraduate diploma programme, in partnership with Warwick University, has been developed. An important element of this training is to work towards a level 5 NVQ in health and safety regulation. A postgraduate diploma, over the first four years’ employment, further develops the individual through assignments and assessments.

 

Salaries vary widely, depending upon appointment, location and type of company. Some roles within the NHS and education sectors offer salaries on the low side for the range of responsibilities required, but this is often offset by the benefit of longer-term contracts. An hourly rate of up to £50 for a self-employed consultant is not unreasonable and some specialist roles can command daily rates of £550-plus, but such contracts are rare. H&S trainers are also well paid by current standards. A NEBOSH National Diploma holder could earn over £25,000 per year, depending on experience and managerial responsibility.

 

 

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Head Office, HSE Infoline, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG Tel: 0845 345 0055 Website: www.hse.gov.uk

 

Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Highfield Drive, Wigston, Leicestershire LE18 1NN Tel: 0116 257 3100 Website: www.iosh.co.uk

 

National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), Dominus Way, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1QW Tel: 0116 263 4700 Website: www.nebosh.org.uk