Health & Safety Advisor – AR

Carrington Blake Recruitment; Kidderminster; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization in Kidderminster seeks a Health and Safety Advisor to oversee health and safety practices. Responsibilities include providing expert advice, coordinating activities, performing audits, and engaging in training. The ideal candidate should have a minimum of 3 years' experience in health and safety law, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work under pressure. This role requires relevant qualifications including a degree level and an EBOSH diploma, alongside a full UK Driving Licence.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years occupational experience of health and safety law.
• Experience as a health and safety advisor within a similar sized organization.
• Excellent ability to communicate effectively at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Act as a health and safety advisor for the Council.
• Coordinate health and safety activities and compliance.
• Conduct audits and produce reports on safety practices.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Knowledge of health and safety legislation

Written and communication skills

Self-motivated

ICT skills (MS Office)

Education

GCSE Level or Equivalent

A Level or Equivalent

Degree Level or Equivalent

EBOSH diploma in Occupational Safety and Health

Job description

Generic Responsibilities

To deliver a health and safety management system which provides a structured approach and demonstrates compliance with statutory requirements and current best practice in relation to customers, employees and contractors.

To advise on and audit health and safety practice throughout the organisation, to support all Council services in the delivery of suitable and sufficient risk assessments, safe systems of work and a planned system of monitoring and review.

To be the Council’s ‘competent person’ for the purpose of the Management of the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended).

To promote a positive health and safety culture through formally established communication links throughout the organisation.

Task Specifics

The “task specifics” is the non-contractual element of your post and is a more detailed description of the day-to-day activities which will be reviewed in line with the appraisal process and can change when priorities change.

Job Purpose

To act as the day-to-day professional advisor and coordinator for all health, safety, fire and welfare issues across the Council.

To provide advice on all health & safety matters and co-ordinate health and safety activities at the Depot. This will include working on key health & safety projects, assisting and developing relevant policies / protocols, and maintaining the Depot at the forefront of best industry practices.

To ensure corporate compliance with safety legislation and that safety procedures and practices are adopted and adhered to.

To actively work with departments to ensure a planned programme of workplace inspections, monitoring visits and audits of the in-house Health and Safety Management Systems.

To produce reports containing audit and inspection observations, identified remedial actions and appropriate follow through with timescales for completion as required.

To actively and collaboratively work with the trade union Health and Safety representative to ensure a good working relationship by responding to queries, by undertaking joint inspections and by working with representatives to facilitate an effective health and safety committee.

To ensure the organisation’s management approach to risk assessment and associated documentation, meets benchmark practice, contains measures to adequately control significant hazards, relates to safe systems of work and that working practices are monitored.

To support all Council services in the creation of a central intranet-based repository of risk assessments and safe working procedures, which reflects the organisation’s structure and working practices.

To ensure the Council has a health and safety policy statement, health and safety management policy and a suite of relevant policy documents that are in date and reflect the actuality of how health and safety is managed across the organisation.

To provide efficient and effective support/communication by arranging and chairing health and safety meetings, preparing agendas and ensuring that outstanding management actions are reported to the Head of Operations, in a timely manner.

Upon request from the Heads of Service and Service Managers to attend service meetings as appropriate, to provide advice on matters of Health and Safety and to report any such matters that require the attention of the relevant Head of Service.

To write clear effective policies, procedures, training materials as well as any other health and safety documentation as required. (Note: Service Managers remain responsible for writing bespoke risk assessments and safe working procedures that are relevant to their own service delivery).

To maintain a database of accidents, dangerous occurrences and incidents of work-related ill health. To undertake analysis and report on statistical trends, or as required.

To ensure all work-related deaths, dangerous occurrences, occupational diseases and over 7-day incapacitations are investigated and reported in accordance with RIDDOR.

To work with the HR and Organisational Development Manager to ensure the delivery of a programme of consistent validated health and safety training is delivered across the Council.

To deliver generic basic health and safety training i.e. on risk management, risk assessments and manual handling.

To liaise with the Council’s insurance and risk management advisor on health and safety matters across the Council.

To advise on aspects of health and safety in relation to the procurement and evaluation of contracts. (Note: the ongoing monitoring of the contractor’s health and safety performance and any subsequent action for non-compliance with contractual requirements, remains with the contracting manager).

To act as liaison with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and other relevant regulatory bodies as and when required.

To be an adviser on the Council’s response to critical incidents and/or emergency situations as and when required. (Note: this role will be an advisor to the Emergency Planning Officer and will not be responsible for developing the Business Continuity / Emergency Plan and by extension its delivery when required).

To advise the HR service on relevant occupational and health and safety matters, including on their duty in maintaining health surveillance records.

To undertake personal development training required to ensure that the post holder remains up to date with current legislation and best practice.

To provide effective lines of communication on health and safety matters between all levels within the Council, from individuals, teams, services and the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT).

To immediately report significant and systemic matters of non-compliance in health and safety to the Head of Operations.

To have oversight of and maintain an up to date ‘High Risk List’ register on behalf of the Council.

To liaise with Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) in providing support on the Council’s wider duty to investigate external health and safety enforcement, as and when required.

To undertake such other duties as may be reasonably required of you commensurate with the grade of the post.

Service to Customers

• Provide Health and Safety advice as required.
• Lead in-house training with managers and employees about health and safety issues and risks.
• Provide health and safety management information to managers.
• Provide support to managers on Health and Safety matters.

Business Improvement / Planning Responsibility

• Develop health and safety strategies and develop internal policies and safe working practices
• Organise and participate in safety audits of the workplace to identify hazards and make recommendations to managers on safe methods of working.
• Develop health and Safety modules on the Council’s Learning Management Platform
• Maintain and develop the Council’s Health and Safety Management System as Systems Administrator
• Keep records of inspection findings and produce reports of recommended corrective action
• Ensure all health and safety training is undertaken and accurate records are maintained
• Review all health and safety systems to drive efficiency
• Record incidents, accidents and produce accident data for managers
• Outline safe operational procedures which identify and take into account all relevant hazards

Managing Resources (People, equipment, buildings)

The post will report to the Head of Operations.

Specific Knowledge and Skills required for this role

Essential

• Minimum of 3 years occupational experience of health and safety law.
• A health and safety advisor or similar role within a similar sized organisation.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively at all levels within the organisation.
• A sound knowledge of current health and safety legislation, regulation and best practice and their relevance and implementation in the context of local government service delivery.
• Excellent written and communication skills.
• Self-confident when engaging with senior officers.
• Self-motivated and good judgement when dealing with others.
• Ability to meet both health and safety and business needs by demonstrating both empathetic and assertive approach.
• Able to work under pressure, establish priorities and deliver to deadlines.
• Ability to persuade managers of the need to implement and maintain safety standards.
• Ability to understand and analyse complex information and present it simply and accurately.
• Ability to deliver presentations and training clearly in a succinct and relevant format.
• A good level of ICT skills to include a working knowledge of MS Office applications.
• Access to appropriate transport to meet the travel requirements, if required.

Desirable

• Membership of IOSH or similar professional membership.
• Good knowledge of Emergency Planning.
• Knowledge of central database storage systems such as SharePoint.

Education

• GCSE Level or Equivalent (Essential)
• A Level or Equivalent (Essential)
• Degree Level or Equivalent (Essential)
• EBOSH diploma in Occupational Safety and Health or equivalent qualification (Essential)
• Other relevant qualification specific to the role (Desirable)

Driving Licence

• Full UK Driving Licence (Essential)
• Class 2 LGC Licence (Desirable)