What is the job of a health and safety advisor?

Getting a career in health and safety can be challenging if you do not have the right experience, and given the current state of the job market landing that dream position has become even more challenging.

Before you apply for a position it is vital to have a good understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the job you are applying for. In today’s article, we will look at the different things you could find yourself doing if you decide to become a health and safety advisor.

1. Risk assessments

Risk assessments are important for identifying the potentially dangerous areas within a business or workplace and how they can be overcome. Risk assessments need to be performed for workplaces, even if they are entirely office-based. This is a health and safety activity that you will likely have to perform throughout your career.

2. Draft health and safety policies

For many small businesses, the development of good health and safety starts with a good health and safety policy. These are good for setting the tone in an organisation and are important to perform from a compliance perspective. This is an activity that many of those in a health and safety career will be expected to perform.

3. Help to train employees from a safety perspective

It is often said that education is key in health and safety, and if you pursue a career in the field you may be expected to help train front line staff on safety-critical areas. Above all, it is no secret that health and safety training can often make a big difference in the workplace and can even help prevent accidents in the future.

4. Write health and safety reports

Many health and safety careers will require those working in them to file health and safety reports. These are essential for providing insight into current health and safety practices and are great opportunities for learning and development. These can come in the form of external health and safety reports and those that are needed for internal management.

5. Oversee the use of personal protective equipment

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is often what first comes to mind when people think about jobs in health and safety. Whilst it is important, its use has to be managed to be effective. Health and safety advisors will need to make sure the correct equipment is being worn for each situation and that it is in good condition. Whether that be permanent equipment like work gloves and rubber aprons or disposable PPE like surgical gloves and plastic gowns – an advisor will have to know if it is the appropriate type for the situation. These factors may also have to be looked at for others working in a health and safety-related career.

These are just some of the main responsibilities of a health and safety advisor

Naturally, the role of a health and safety advisor will focus on the area of keeping those in the workplace safe. Whilst we have provided you with some insight, there are several different roles that are often required of health and safety workers that may not have been clear at first.

Increasingly health and safety careers are requiring workers to be able to handle risk management, mental health and wellbeing. Because of that any health and safety career role now require a well-rounded individual to be performed well.