Why a career in Health and Safety could be right for you
If you’re looking for a varied and rewarding career with opportunities for advancement the Health and Safety industry could fit the bill.
When asked what they want to be when they grow up, very few (if any) children will give the answer ‘Health and Safety practitioner’. However, a career in the Health and Safety industry can be extremely varied and interesting.
Health and Safety is all about preventing accidents and injuries, and it can be really rewarding knowing that your day-to-day work is helping to keep people safe. As a Health and Safety practitioner your role would involve encouraging your colleagues to work safely and ensuring compliance with Health and Safety regulations. This could entail a number of different activities including carrying out risk assessments, workplace audits, and changing culture and behaviour across the organisation – it will all depend on your individual role.
You could also find yourself working exclusively for one organisation or working as a consultant providing advice and guidance to a range of different companies.
Related roles
If being a Health and Safety practitioner doesn’t appeal to you, there are plenty of other opportunities available within the industry. If you’re confident and a ‘people’ person, you might want to think about pursuing a career as a Health and Safety trainer, which will offer variety and enable you to meet new people and experience different business sectors. Alternatively, you could look at roles in related organisations such as Health and Safety signage suppliers or advisory bodies such as ROSPA.
The Health and Safety industry offers plenty of variety when it comes to career options, so you’re likely to find a role that suits your interests.
Qualifications and training
The qualifications and training required for a career in Health and Safety will vary depending on the role. For a Health and Safety practitioner, a good starting point is to undertake some short introductory courses on topics that are central to the role, such as basic Health and Safety management or accident investigation. Many Health and Safety jobs also require candidates to hold the NEBOSH General Certificate as a minimum.
If you want to progress in your career, you may wish to undertake the more demanding NIBOSH diploma. This is the equivalent of a degree (but completed in much less time) and is a requirement for the majority of manager-level positions.
As your career continues to develop you will have the opportunity to apply to join IOSH, progressing through the levels of membership as your knowledge and experience grows, with the potential to eventually gain Chartered status.
Aside from qualifications, employers are looking for employees whose skills and attributes are a good fit with the role and company, and candidates who are keen, interested and adaptable with good communication skills, will always have the edge.
As with every career, never underestimate the importance of having relevant work experience. Employers always look more favourably upon candidates who can demonstrate knowledge of and interest in the field, so getting some practical experience in a Health and Safety role will help to stand you in good stead.
Health and Safety careers are interesting and well remunerated with plenty of opportunity for advancement. Furthermore, as many companies have a legal requirement to employ a Health and Safety specialist, you could have the chance to work in a number of different sectors across the world. So, if you’re looking for an exciting new career, why not give the Health and Safety industry some careful consideration?