Signs a Career as a Health and Safety Advisor is for You

A Health and Safety Advisor is responsible for promoting a positive health and safety culture in the workplace by planning, implementing and monitoring policies. Here are the signs you’d make a good health and safety advisor:

You have…

• excellent written and spoken communication skills 
• negotiating skills to convince managers of the need to implement and maintain safety standards that may compromise speed or efficiency in the organisation
• the ability to synthesise complex information and present it in a consumable format
• an investigative approach
• IT skills
• attention to detail

You want to…

• carry out risk assessments and consider how risks could be reduced
• keep records of inspection findings and produce reports that suggest improvements
• outline safe operational procedures which identify and consider all relevant hazards
• carry out regular site inspections to check policies and procedures are being correctly implemented
• prepare health and safety strategies and develop internal policy
• lead in-house training with managers and employees about health and safety issues and risks
• record incidents and accidents
• keep up to date with new legislation and maintain a working knowledge of all Health and Safety Executive (HSE) legislation and any developments that affect the employer’s industry
• ensure equipment is installed safely
• manage and organise the safe disposal of hazardous substances, e.g. asbestos
• advise on a range of specialist areas, e.g. fire regulations, hazardous substances, noise, safeguarding machinery and occupational diseases.

You don’t mind…

• occasionally working outside of normal hours in the event of an accident
• working on and perhaps between sites that may require protective clothing
• potentially dangerous, cramped, noisy and/or outdoor working environments

Getting started

There are few undergraduate courses dedicated to health and safety so entry with any degree subject or no degree is possible. Relevant health and safety qualifications are available to complete.

A background in one of the following areas may be advantageous:

• Construction
• Engineering
• Fast-moving consumer goods
• Manufacturing
• Risk assessment

Search all health and safety jobs on our vacancies page.

Article source: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/health-and-safety-adviser