Just read Clairel's reply re time travel and wonder how/why people get into health and safety as a career?

Through the union, thought it would be none supervisory route to help people in the workplace. I was right barring the none supervisory. Wouldn't change other than do it sooner.

The better of two evils. After a particularly bad patch of arguments with my manager I was offered a transfer either to be a 'locum' production superviser with no fixed place of work, or become a Colliery Safety Engineer, same pay, less hours, master of my own destiny ... That was 30 years ago.

Insurance → property loss prevention → protecting people → doing if for myself. Now I get more satisfaction from preventing injury, disease or illness than calculating sprinkler discharge densities. Still feel proud when my interventions and advice lead to a significant and noticeable improvement in real risk to people.

Did the Occupational Hygiene degree because I liked all the sciency and engineering stuff. After graduating, gradually realised I preferred dealing with people rather than measuring things so got more into general H&S. Ruined my plans to become a pop star though! I've just been on a stag weekend and met a group of blokes I had not met before. When making conversation, I found myself avoiding asking them what they do for a living because I knew they would return the question to me! Why do I feel this way? I don't know - perhaps partly because I anticipate general contempt - thanks to the influence of the media ElfnSafety stories. Also, because it is great material for people to take the Mickey out of me! I'm too sensitive for this job. I want to be a rock god instead!

Originally from a training background, moved from hands on to managing contracts for providers who had to undergo SQMS Audits and part of the audit looked at H&S performance. It was decided that as ex forces I may be suited to the H&S element so put on training courses, worked alongside H&S Manager and now 16 yrs later here I am. Challenging job as it is, I do enjoy it tho like others sometimes wish I drove a white van delivering parcels!!

As a young graduate n years ago I was asked to be a Safety Rep and found the task interesting. About 15 years later some of us attended a T&G free course on Risk Assessment, again interesting, but I was embarrassed during the course when asked what is the Six Pack. So, persuaded manager to let me subscribe to Croner. By this time I was quality manager. There already was a Safety Officer but I was offered additional role as Lab Safety Manager to deal in detail with COSHH and lab equipment, and safety at customers where our reps worked. Three years later I was made redundant and could afford to not work for rest of tax year. Bored with 'quality auditing' I planned a self-employment career in H&S starting with NEBOSH cert, IOSH... So H&S was something I'd always been interested in and during my technical career gradually worked up a knowledge and now have a 'competency' and a part-time self-employment. This job is enjoyable as (contrary to media/press) most people I work with DO understand the importance of H&S at work.

After too mnay years in various electronic engineering roles with associated H&S parts I took on a role that was 50% H&S. Jumped at the chance of doing the NEBOSH Certificate and loved it. Then I elbowed my way into the H&S manager job, took the diploma, and here I am...

Good topic to raise and some good responses already. In my case I responded to a newspaper advert in 1977 by the newly formed HSE for trainee inspectors. The job seemed to be varied and interesting, and included ample training and support from specialists. Though I knew little about OS&H at the time, I was aware of the Flixborough disaster, not least because one of my former fellow students came from Lincolnshire and knew several people who were injured or killed in the disaster. Also, while at college I had read and been fascinated by the report of the official inquiry into the 1966 Aberfan Disaster, partly because one of my geology professors had given evidence to the inquiry. Until the disaster it seemed that nobody had really questioned the long established and widespread practice of dumping large amounts of colliery spoil on sloping hillsides over natural springs. Also, I was on my second temporary job after leaving college, so the starting salary of just over £3k with HSE seemed notably good at the time. I've no regrets about having spent 34 years in OS&H, most of them as an adviser with a sizeable unitary local authority after 10 years with HSE. Overall, it's been a varied, interesting and enjoyable career with a good eclectic mix of people, engineering, psychology, law and other topics. The range of people encountered has been considerable, including some great and even inspiring individuals, within and outwith OS&H, and inevitably some wazzocks as well - all part of life's rich tapestry. As already mentioned at intervals on this forum, I'm happy to tell people (if they ask) what I do for a living - and add that real OS&H is vastly different from "elf n safety" as commonly portrayed by the media. I'm an enabler, a do-er and don't go about banning things. Also, perhaps slightly paradoxically, I enjoy some challenging pursuits which some people might perceive as hazardous, including mountain scrambling, exploring old mines & quarries and self-guided Nordic ski-touring.

quote=Graham Bullough]As already mentioned at intervals on this forum, I'm happy to tell people (if they ask) what I do for a living - and add that real OS&H is vastly different from "elf n safety" as commonly portrayed by the media.

Left college, decided to get a job with an employer that would train me and pay me rather than go to Uni. Seven years down the line, i'm still here :-)

Interesting topic... For me personally H&S is about half my current role, but is the direction I want to take my career if opportunity presents. I share colleagues concerns here about being portrayed as the "elf n safety" brigade which the media thrive upon, and have always taken a role which thinks about the practical application whilst being mindful of business costs etc. I'm not ashamed to admit what I do, quite the contrary; personal job satisfaction knowing that what I do makes a difference in a preventative way is enough for me.

You mean people actually plan to do this for a living! Add sort of job this though - your ultimate aim is really to render yourself redundant?

quote=Mr.Flibble]Got tacked onto H&S Manager, she left, they left me to run it and for some strange reason I thought it would be a good career choice...11 years later..... All Work and no play makes Mr.Flibble a dull boy.... All Work and no play makes Mr.Flibble a dull boy.... All Work and no play makes Mr.Flibble a dull boy.... All Work and no play makes Mr.Flibble a dull boy.... All Work and no play makes Mr.Flibble a dull boy.... All Work and no play makes Mr.Flibble a dull boy..............

Working as a lift engineer for 16 years, I was asked to help out when our Health & Safety officer was off on maternity leave. After a couple of months I figured out she wasn't coming back! Now I've completed NEBOSH certificate and enjoying it :) Lots of ups and downs in the Lift industry

Yes indeed its not for the money in my case started live as a maintenance engineer many years ago. Not much H&S in them days. Held several management positions found H&S was part of my role. Started training late if life at 50 three years later was chartered im 59 now and work in H&S full time. Would I do the same again yes it is a very important role and not one for shrinking violets as they say. What our profession does is worth while and makes a difference not only today but also for the future for people at work. Wonder if the goverment has ever identified how much money is saved by our work for the NHS?

Though I've no problem with explaining my profession nowadays, I was sometimes less forthcoming during my HSE days, especially when staying in B&Bs (bed & breakfasts) anbd guest houses while away 'on the road' for two or more days inspecting in parts of Northern Scotland. My first brief case had E II R and a crown on it and sometimes people asked what line of business I was in, so I tended to say something like "don't tell anyone but it's Inland Revenue - would you believe?". For some strange reason this usually stemmed the immediate conversation, but possibly initiated local gossip that a tax inspector was visiting the neighbourhood! I wasn't embarrassed about my HSE role, but thought it best to keep it quiet when staying in areas where I was doing unannounced inspection visits. Also, in my early HSE days when I said what I really did, some enquirers would respond by telling me that their husband, son or some other relative worked at such and such a place where it wasn't very safe and then asked if I would visit and check the place out. The phrase "would you believe?" in circumstances like that above can be useful - it leaves hearers to decide if they are being told the truth or not, and also assuages guilt about imparting untrue information!

Safety Smurf - you've got me worried now! Even though I was at the time a crown official - one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Health and Safety - could I be prosecuted for implying that I was another type of crown official ?!!! Anyhow, there's no 'evidence' of my alleged impersonation other than hearsay comment by me on this forum. Furthermore, some thirty years on, I can't recall/won't say at which establishments I might have committed the possible offence. Even if I do get prosecuted, I could try arguing that nobody else was harmed by the impersonation and also that it involved no potential or actual personal gain on my part.