Posted By Phillipe
Hi

I am about to recruit for a Health & Safety Advisor position within the organisation where I work. The position is newly created and will essentially cover the usual angles, risk assessment, training, etc, etc. My question is should I be looking for an external candidate who has no experience of the company, the systems, the needs, etc but with a minimum of a certificate (NEBOSH) so they can hit the ground running or do you think it might be more worthwhile to look internally (providing suitability of course) and perhaps take someone with a number of years of already working in the business, not necessarily with a NEBOSH qualification and utilise their experience and at the same time sponsor them to do their qualifications?

I suppose it all depends on the long term goal really of having someone to trust who can be the competant person in providing good advice and more importantly the right advice when called upon.

Any suggestions/advice/pro's and cons would be welcome.

Cheers

Phil

Posted By Phillipe
Hi

Not a safety rep as such but there is a guy who has expressed an interest should any vacancy arise. He already performs induction training, fire safety training, etc at a grass roots level, but without the NEBOSH qualification. He has attended ROSPA safety courses in the past such as how to risk assess so he might be a good avenue to explore.

Posted By Merv Newman
Phil,

a lot depends on your circumstances, size and risk level.

If you are fairly small (100 - 200 people) and low to medium risk then I would go for internal promotion - someone who is known and more or less respected by employees. Then ensure fast track education.

If you are a large/multi site medium to high risk then I would go for someone already professionally qualified with a fair amount of experience.

Starting salary in either case would be around £100 k. Plus or minus fourpence.

Merv

Posted By Tabs
If you are really lucky, you have already met the person and recognised a kindred spirit.

One of my best recruits was someone I had met years before and I called them speculatively only to find out that they were now in H&S and looking for a position! Result.

In-house/external is far less important than suitability to the post and your management style.

Posted By garyh
I don't feel comfortable with one comment about the SO being a sort of "Policeman" and "Enforcing rules".

In my view that type of role is at least 10 years out of date - the Safety Professional is there to advise, lead, mentor etc - the enforcement should be coming from ALL Managers and Supervisors (and in an ideal world from colleagues, safety reps etc).

If this new appointment is a Policeman type role, then experience of this type of role will be essential, in my opinion.

Posted By Phillipe
garyh

Not a policeman role, more of a advisor and provider of good information and ability to be pragmatic rather than dogmatic.

Not a David Brent role either !

Posted By Merv Newman
The "policeman" role goes out with the "safety officer" title.

Phillipe used the phrase "safety advisor" which is perfectly correct for today's thinking about roles and responsibilities of the H&S person and management.

I had worked on a small chemical site, 200 employees (within reach of Buncefield) and had got to quality manager after about 8 years and knew everybody (nostalgia for the over 5O's nude leapfrog competitions)

After a LTI in 1976 (Ernie Hall clipped off the ends of two fingers) I was promoted to HSE manager. Laughing, joking with my old mates, gentle pushing of managers and we never had another LTI.

Moved to a foreign site, uncertain of myself and the language, I resorted to the "policeman" role. And was told I was making myself unpopular.

Reverted to the friendly, concerned Merv and got results. One LTI in ten years for 500 employees. (André Ligier, slipped on the ice outside and fractured his skull. 03.30h, 05/03/84, Monday morning) It sticks in the mind. As should any LTI.

So, no experience, no training, no qualifications and you could still do a decent job.

But somehow, you have to acquire the job knowledge and the ability to do the job. And, most importantly, whoever you get to do the job has to be able to get on with the people.

Tell me about it.

Oh, nearly forgot : Trust me. I'm a consultant.

Merv

And whats wrong with asking for 100k when you know, and can prove, that you will be saving your new employer millions ?

Posted By Merv Newman
DRB,

I agree with you but those were not the real names. The important point I was trying to make is that I remember every one of my injured people. I knew/know them personally. They are not just injury rates/statistics.

I could give you the real names of the serious injury and the real names of my three non-lost-time injuries which occured over the same 1976-1989 time period.

It hurts to have had four of your friends injured because you have failed them.

Merv