Construction Safety Advisor

Thames Water; Reading; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water and wastewater company in Reading seeks an experienced Construction Safety Advisor to ensure compliance with CDM regulations and maintain high safety standards. You will lead safety initiatives, conduct site inspections, and develop our health and safety policies. This role offers a competitive salary of up to £60,000, along with generous benefits including annual leave and a pension scheme.

Benefits

Competitive salary up to £60,000

Annual Leave - 26 days, increasing with service

Car Allowance

Performance-related pay plan

Generous Pension Scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in UK CDM roles and HOP-style safety systems.
• Proven competence in audits and incident investigations.
• Professional membership in a health & safety body (e.g., IOSH).

Responsibilities

• Lead compliance with CDM 2015 and conduct design-phase reviews.
• Investigate incidents and maintain safety records.
• Develop site-specific HSE policies.

Skills

NEBOSH Construction Certificate

Excellent communication skills

Incident investigation skills

CDM 2015 competency

Construction site safety expertise

Education

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety or related field

Tools

Procore

ECO Portal

Job description

Overview

We are seeking an experienced Construction Safety Advisor to support our construction teams by ensuring compliance with CDM regulations, maintaining high standards of on-site safety, and contributing to Human & Organisational Performance (HOP) initiatives. You will be a key partner to project and design teams, bridging the gap between regulatory frameworks and practical site execution.

What you\'ll be doing as the Construction Safety Advisor

• Lead compliance with CDM 2015: support design teams, coordinate pre-construction information, check contractor competence, and handle notifications.
• Conduct design-phase reviews and regular site inspections to identify hazards and apply effective controls.
• Develop and enforce site-specific HSE policies, permit-to-work systems, and toolbox talk frameworks.
• Facilitate HOP-informed workshops (e.g., work-as-done reviews, learning teams, after-action reviews) to shift safety culture from blame to system-focused learning.
• Partner with project teams to integrate safety into planning, ensuring systems anticipate human error and support frontline adaptability.
• Plan and deliver safety briefings, inductions, and multi-disciplinary forums, inspired by HOP principles.
• Investigate incidents and near-misses with root-cause analysis grounded in HOP philosophies—viewing individuals as problem-solvers, not problems.
• Maintain rigorous safety records, audit reports, risk assessments, and inspection logs aligned with CDM and UK safety standards.

Base location: Reading - with travel required

Working pattern: 36 Hours

What you should bring to the role

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria is:

• NEBOSH Construction Certificate required; Diploma or CSP preferred. Technician-grade IOSH or equivalent is also necessary.
• Bachelor\'s degree/diploma (or equivalent) in Occupational Health & Safety, Construction Management, Engineering, Environmental Management, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in UK CDM roles plus exposure to HOP-style safety systems.
• Proven competence in audits, incident investigations, and digital safety tools (e.g., Procore, ECO Portal).
• CDM 2015 competency: experience fulfilling Principal Designer, Client Adviser, and general CDM Adviser roles. Competent in design-phase reviews, competence assessments, and statutory notifications.
• Professional membership in a health & safety body (e.g., IOSH Tech/IOSH Managing Safely, APS, IIRSM).
• Strong understanding of UK CDM regulations, able to implement compliance structures and lead design and construction safety coordination.
• Construction site safety expertise: risk assessments, safety inspections, permit-to-work systems, toolbox talks, and emergency response planning.
• Incident investigation skills: root cause analysis driven by HOP principles and the ability to lead no-blame reviews and learning-focused after-action assessments.

What\'s in it for you?

• Competitive salary offering up to £60,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Annual Leave - 26 days per year, increasing to 30 with length of service, plus bank holidays.
• Car Allowance.
• Performance-related pay plan linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Access to benefits supporting health, wellbeing, and finances (annual health MOTs, physiotherapy, counselling, Cycle to Work schemes, vouchers, life assurance).

Who are we?

We\'re the UK\'s largest water and wastewater company, serving more than 16 million customers. We aim to build a better future for our customers, communities, people, and the planet. We are committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work and welcome applications from everyone. If you need adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work where you can make a difference. Full training will be provided, and you will have opportunities for meaningful career development. Together, we can build a better future for our customers and the environment.

Disclaimer: due to high application volumes, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date. Please apply soon to avoid disappointment.