Posted By Martin Beardmore
Health and Safety Officer
Harlesden, London
£18,000 - £22,000 p.a. + benefits (dependent upon qualifications and experience)

One of the original sites of the United Biscuits group, McVitie’s Harlesden has become the largest food manufacturing site in Europe, producing nearly 80,000 tonnes of product per year. Manufacture of the groups core brands including household names such as Digestive, Homewheat, Hobnobs and Mini Cheddars, mean that standards mustn’t slip when it comes to quality, efficiency and safety.

In order to support our continuous improvement approach to safety, a vacancy has arisen for a Health and Safety Officer, reporting directly to the Safety and Environment Manager.
You will help to ensure that both legal standards and Company policies are followed, and assist in the delivery of challenging safety targets as the site moves through a period of significant change.

You will have the opportunity to influence all aspects of the site’s Health and Safety performance. The role’s activities will include:

* Development and implementation of company policies
* Completion of site inspections and audits
* Creation and maintenance of effective induction and training material
* Management of investigation of accidents and near-miss incidents
* Co-ordination and maintenance of record keeping systems
* Issuing reports to S&E Manager and site management teams

The successful candidate will be expected to provide health and safety cover in the absence of the Safety & Environment Manager and therefore must be able to demonstrate the ability to take the initiative.


The Candidate:

The successful candidate will have a good knowledge of current Health & Safety legislation, a tenacious and determined attitude to problem solving and will be a confident communicator with good presentation skills.

They will be able to demonstrate good planning and organisational skills, as well as good written skills including report writing and presentation of statistical data.

Qualifications and Experience:

NEBOSH Certificate or equivalent. A minimum of 1 year’s experience within a manufacturing environment with some training experience are essential, however strong candidates with experience from other environments may be considered. Experience of working in a unionised environment is also desirable.

Computer literacy skills are essential, and candidates will also need a full driving licence as this role may require travel from time to time between three sites across the Thames Valley region.

For further information contact Martin Beardmore on: Tel: 0208 955 3645 or email direct: martin_beardmore@unitedbiscuits.com

Apply in writing with your CV to: Martin Beardmore, McVitie’s (UK), Waxlow Road, Harlesden, London, NW10 7NY

Posted By Geoff Burt
Agree Mike - Just shows how serious some company's are about H&S.

But, no doubt, they will get someone for that price.

Posted By Jim Walker
Come on lads, its not a bad wage considering the qualifications.

Posted By Karen Todd
Guys,
It could be worse. I had to take a huge drop in salary and work for £16k (my lowest salary since my first job after uni) to get into H&S full time. I was also doing a 90 mile round trip to work as well, so spending the guts of £200/month on diesel.

It did put severe financial pressure on me and once I realised the promised decent salary rises were not forthcoming, I started to look around. Now earning good money, 3.5 miles from the house.

I think it would be hazardous to one's health working for McVities - I would stuff my face with chocolate hob-nobs all day!

Karen

Posted By Peter Lee
£22K plus benefits for NEBOSH Cert holding "Health and Safety Officer, reporting directly to the Safety and Environment Manager" doesnt seem that bad to me.

I would have jumped at this when I first passed the Cert.

Posted By Brett Day

£18-22k, I was on 12K after passing my general certificate, so not bad at all, last year I left a 'world class' (their descripotion) engineering consultancy, earning £26K as a PS / H&S Consultant. Despite driving near 20,000 miles a year I didn't qualify for a car (I was the wrong grade), when I complained I ended up with a car (or to be precise three, all MOT failures, one unsafe!!)

So by comparison not at all bad especially if there is the willing of the company to develop the person taking the post, also if that person has someone they can talk to (higher up) to cover things they might have a problem with or learn from it could make all the difference.

The only reason I stayed with the 'world class' consultancy was the fact that I had a bloody good boss who knew his stuff, was keen to see the people within his department develop professionally and was willing to do the best he could for his department.

I'm now in a well paid job and enjoying it, but we all have to start some where. Personally I'd rather be doing a job for £18-22K certificate qualified than be degree qualified on the same money, which is what a lot of LA's seem to be looking for !!!!

Posted By Mike Miller
Well said Geof!!!

The salary is poor even if you lived around the corner. We dont all have well paid jobs as someone suggested, but we all have common sense. I worked in London over 20 years ago as a shopfitter and I would not have opened my tool box for that salary way back then.

How would you live? Rent a flat! no chance. even if you could get one it would cost you 600+ a month. Buy a flat. Not a snowballs chance in hell! Unless you sign up to a 100 year mortgage at £800 a month, but you will not have the salary required to be accepted. Transport! congestion charges, parking fees, parking fines, clamping. Food, clothing all adds up. London weighting is not paid for nothing.Don't say the underground.

I have just come back from Congress House last week on a Corporate Killing seminar we tried the tube from Kings Cross and it was a nightmare. A good old taxi driver saved the day. London Bah humbug!

When will employers of these organisations realise that to get the best you have to pay for the best and a good safety officer/adviser can actually save money and be self funding.

Mike

Posted By Geoffrey
Yes, Some people are prepared to take a lower salary if they have a pension coming in.

Is that not common sense?

Posted By Richard S Pigg
to be far, salaries are generally low in the food production industry. I was recently speaking to a client (who produces food for a major supermarket) and their margins are tiny - if they try to up prices the supermarket will just use someone else, they are constantly treading the thin line solvency.

Posted By emadeldin Abdelaziz abdelwahab
dear sir
here you find attached my cv .
for the safety officer vacancy

best regards
emadeldin

Posted By Geoff Burt
I understand where you are coming from John but this advert is not worded at people taking a first step on the ladder.

It is looking for an applicant who has experience and has carried out training, and it is in London.

Fine for someone who lives at home perhaps, but who else could afford to take it?

Posted By Andrew Davies
Manufacture of the groups core brands including household names such as Digestive, Homewheat, Hobnobs and Mini Cheddars, mean that standards mustn’t slip when it comes to quality, efficiency and safety.
.......

So we are stating that safety is last in the line before quality and efficiency !!! whilst i agree with many of you who would have jumped at a post such as this after passing the Cert.

Be assured, that these days you need to put safety at the top of your priority's simply because if the most efficient company is spending so much money on INS. due to poor stats....... due to poor SHE systems then companies need to realise these issues before they get "HOB NOBED"