Posted By Lynda 00 After months of trying to land my first role in H&S i was offered a position within a food manufacturing company that had just suffered a very serious accident. Lots of improvement notices a prosecution, and no H&S systems. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end! After 18 months of total commitment it became clear that the support they initially offered to further my training would never materialise and rather than risk what i knew becoming stagnant, i looked for another position. I was put forward for a position that was paying a lower salary than i was currently earning, and a further distance to travel daily. However, I took the position, as i felt i would be working alongside a very intelligent academic man who had years of experience within the HSE field. I wanted the opportunity to learn from him and to be able to fund and study further in my own free time. Within three weeks of my employment with the company, they have dismissed him and decided to give all his roles and responsibilities to me without even discussing their plans with me first. Now i find i have responsibility for a field that i have no real experience of (environment) and again find myself working all the hours under the sun, my free time is taken up with doing all the administration that the role requires and i am worse off financially. Is this just bad luck? or is this the career in general? I love health and safety but i would like to be able to switch off now and again !

Posted By Bob Youel L sorry to hear about your position but that is business I strongly advise you to take as much advice from as many people as you can before leaving a post as money [yes money] is what the world runs on and its the most important area irrespective of what people say as those who argue differently have, in my personal experience and opinion, never been in a position to justify their argument e.g. on the dole etc - if you cannot feed your family the job title you have and the company you work for is not worth the effort! A better paid job [irrespective of the politics within a company] always allows you to do things that a lower paid job does not e.g. take a day off and gain another qualification, different experience by shadowing somebody etc the list goes on All the best with your efforts and your new role also note that the members will give you support should you ask for it and always maintain records as they are your only source of support for yourself should you ever need it

Posted By Lynda 00 Apologies... was cut off mid way. I will grit my teeth and carry on, as i'm not a quitter. I think i am just frustrated at a move that i felt would be of some benefit didn't work out the way i planned it to. As you said better the devil you know especially in the present climate. Thank you both for your comments.

Posted By Raymond Rapp Lynda Is it bad luck? Well, that depends...but you could take some positives and say things can only get better. There is no doubt some unscrupulous employers and managers out there, who will take advantage of people or a situation. I have met some in the past, so don't think you are unique. Sometimes you have to know where the 'line is drawn' hence your posting I presume. A career in health and safety can be very rewarding and satisfying as many will testify, but on the darker side it can also be very frustrating. All can say is, hang in there and get your learning curve, qualifications and when the time comes move on without worrying about anyone else but yourself. Good luck. Ray