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Posted By Tracey C
I just wondered if anybody else is feeling like me about health and safety.
I have just found out that i have to do my IPD and CPD to retain my Grad IOSH, i have spoken to the IPD dept and still trying to digest all the information that seems very confusing or not sure if it is just me being thick! I am wondering where i am going to get the time to do all this as well as do my job that i get paid to do. My work load has doubled in the last 6 months the company will not give us more staff and the company is looking to grow further in the next 6 months. I already work some weekends and am on 24 hour call.
Today is one of those days where i am wondering if a health and safety profession is worth all the hassle? Does anybody else feel the same or is it just me being a wuss? It isn't like you are welcomed with open arms when you visit a site, usually they can't wait to get rid of you and thank you is none existent.
I have been offered a job in Greece in a hotel as a receptionist that at the moment is looking very tempting but i would have to give up everything i have worked hard for.
Is there life after GradIOSH? Light at the end of the tunnel!
Disillusioned rant over, thanks for letting me blow off steam.
T
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Posted By garyh
I would stay that if you stay in the Profession long enough, and gain enough experience, it's worth it.
I do believe that there is a problem generally that salaries for supposedly "Professional" roles attract salaries that do not reflect this.
Safety is seen by lots of employers as a low paid job, not like (say accountancy or engineering or general management).
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Posted By Christopher Long
Hi Tracy,
Try not to be disheartened with the workload. IPD and CPD are crucial elements in maintaining your skills, and knowledge - its the very stuff that makes you attractive to employers! (I can share your feelings re: workload, as I manage health, safety and environmental systems within the group). Stick at it and once you've completed the necessary IPD, then there's only CPD to maintain which is much more manageable. The fruits of your hard labour will be forthcoming not to mention the satisfaction that comes with doing a very important job and getting really good feedback on a job well done. Get your name out there, and sell yourself as the professional that you are. Greece is okay for a holiday. Best wishes for your future.
Chris
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Posted By Tracey C
Thank you guys for your thoughts. I do agree with you Gary that safety is a low paid job and i don't think that will ever change. Chris i think you are right with the workload thing i also am expected to do the environment role also as i am a member of IEMA that my boss wanted me to join, and they want things from me on a regular basis to keep my Associate membership.
Many thanks for your encouraging words. I am usually not a quitter so i need to wined my neck in and get a grip!
T
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Posted By CFT
Tracey
Listen carefully; DON'T DO IT!!!! just forget the job in Greece and stay with what you love, go on admit it, your smiling because it's true and you care, yep, care, that's what makes you so special, you cared enough to come on the forum and let off a bit of steam, hats off to you.
Grad IOSH, a fine level of academic achievement went into you getting there, and the IPD in all honesty should be thoroughly enjoyable as should the CPD. Have a good think about it, you can finish the IPD and continue with your CPD take the Peer Review Interview and all being well become chartered; now what an achievement?
Please don't go to Greece and forget the level you are today, you know you have a life to save, or an accident to avoid, you know you won't get thanked for it, but what a satisfying place to be, and, oh you know it makes sense, so finish off and say 'look out world, here I come, bring on the IPD and CPD, you won't beat me'!
CFT
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Posted By Christopher Long
I have to disagree with Gary. Health and safety is definately NOT a low paid job (and definately NOT when you are doing environmental work as well!). It all depends on your qualifications, experience and, in my experience, level of membership to IOSH and IEMA. Your pay scale is reflected in these, so improve these and you can demand more for your work! Keep up the studying, grab every opportunity to develop your skills and aim for the top. The world is your oyster.
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Posted By Amanda
Tracey
I agree with my colleagues! it is worth staying with it. I know how difficult it is but to use my mothers words anything worth having is worth working at.
Is there someone at your branch who could help you compile the evidence for IPD/CPD I know when I did mine it seemed a huge task, but when I got into it it was not so bad.
Keep with it
Best wishes
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Posted By Tracey C
Thank you all for your positive feedback, and yes you are right i do care, i care far too much sometimes. As my work involves trying to keep safe thousands of University students (that like to dangle out of 10th floor windows and run around naked with paint ball guns in the middle of the night)and dealing with staff that whenever we have a health and safety training session they phone in sick, i must care musn't i.
Thank you Amanda for your words of encouragement,I don't know anybody at my branch as i have never been to a meeting. I have only been to a Specialist Fire Meeting in Sheffield. It is difficult sometimes as my region is from Aberdeen to London City Centre. You have put me in a positive mood so i will put the next meeting in my diary and make the effort, hopefully i will meet many wonderful people like yourselves.
Fondest
Tx
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Posted By Merv Newman
Tracey
stay with it. We've all gone through that phase and (most of us) come out the other side. I used to have H&S&E plus the security guards and CCTV and waste disposal and transport of dangerous goods. All that on a foreman level salary and a rented council house. And without an office computer. (no, I don't really go back to the steam age but I can remember plough horses) And bosses who would not let me do it MY way. (descriptive expletive deleted)
You've got the good qualifications. You are getting the experience. CMIOSH beckons as do the better, more responsible, more rewarding jobs.
Nowadays, with 30 odd years in the trade, I have a villa in France, a few days paid work every week, a great garden and time to do a bit of gardening.
You'll get there.
Greece is for holidays. Not for life. They don't even get coronation street. Maybe that is a plus.
Merv
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Posted By Tracey C
Thanks Merv.
Tx
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Posted By Diane Thomason
Tracey, you've had good words of advice from others. Just one more thing:
Why on earth do you need to be on 24h call?
I can't see why a H&S professional needs to be available in the middle of the night in response to "incidents" etc. This is surely someone else's job. (well it has been in every place I have ever worked.)
Just wondered whether there is scope for negotiating this out of your job contract - especially since your office-hours workload has increased.
Good luck, just remember those moments when someone says "thank you, that' very helpful", and treasure them like jewels!!!!
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Posted By Tracey C
Hi Dianne
I have asked myself that question for a long time and the reason we have always been on call is because as a company we have grown but some procedures have not moved on. My assistant and i have sat down recently and come up with a plan of how to change that, by giving more responsibility to the site managers because afterall they are responsible for the health and safety on their sites and if we keep bailing them out they are never going to take ownership of their responsibilites.
All the responses i got yesterday did me good i am glad i posted a rant now because until late last night i wrote a wish list for the rest of the year that would take some pressure off my department by organising yearly external training for all of the staff and inhouse monthly training sessions until we get to a level that every manager and their staff are comfortable with their responsibilities. We have had another member join the safety committee this morning and i have finished the staff safety handbook and started amendments to the disaster recovery plan.
So with all this in place we should not need to be on call there will be written procedures for everything and we will just monitor the situation to see if anything needs amending.
So thank you all for putting the fire back into my belly!
T
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Posted By Merv Newman
I was always on 24 hour call. Happened once in the UK when someone reported seeing a fire in the building. The fire brigade gave me 10 minutes to get there before they smashed the door in.
Happened three times in my last factory : when smoke was smelt in the main corridor. (fag end in a flower pot) Second when the night shift supervisor wanted advice as they had lost all power (I sent the night shift home) and the third time was when we had a serious injury at about 3am
It was never official, just assumed by everyone that if they called you, you had to go. And for that last job I had a contract that required a MINIMUM of 40 hours per week.
I went the same route as Tracy : train-up the managers and supervisors and get them to be responsible for accident prevention in their areas, write the handbook and procedures and so on.
Eventually it will all run smoothly and you can move on to better things with a good record behind you.
Merv
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Posted By Lulu
ahh Merv you have answered a question that has plagued me for eternity...
"How the hell does he find the time to put something in every darned thread I read?!
Long time lurker Lulu
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Posted By Merv Newman
LuLu,
long time no see. I log on when I need a brain break. Which could be two or three times a day.
Right now I'm in an hotel south of Paris, having received a call at about 3pm from a possible client about a rescheduled management meeting 500 miles away from the office about a sales meeting tomorrow afternoon.
So now I am about half way there, have checked in, had dinner, (similar to a shepherd's pie but done with pigs ears, and a decent bottle of Bordeaux) and am checking e-mails etc.
Regards
Merv
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