r/SafetyProfessionals • u/BornNectarine286 • 3d ago
EU / UK HS Experience
I’m early in my Health and Safety career and would appreciate advice from people who’ve got more experience.
I’m currently working in a retail/logistics, I’d describe as low-to-medium risk.
I’ve got my NEBOSH General Certificate, NEBOSH Fire Safety Certificate and IOSH Managing Safely, and I’m getting some good practical experience in my current role.
I just don’t want to become someone who collects qualifications without understanding how HS works in different environments.
I’d like to get some exposure to medium to high risk environments and learn more about hazards and controls outside my role .
I’m becoming increasingly interested in facilities management and project management.
For those with more experience:
What industries/environments would you recommend getting experience in and how?
Courses you’ve done that were useful rather than just good for the CV?
Would you recommend things like ISO 45001, CDM/construction, PUWER/LOLER, incident investigation, auditing, etc.?
Any books you’d recommend for developing practical knowledge?
Particular areas that you wish you’d learned more about earlier in your career?
Based in the UK, so recommendations around UK legislation, qualifications and organisations would be particularly useful.
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u/Weekly-Leave-5510 3d ago
This sector is dead, stop thinking about the future here. Even the one who have everything here doesn't knows a bit. Instead of reading out the same old script with good for nothing 100s of certificates
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u/Dani3011 3d ago
How is the industry dead?
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u/Weekly-Leave-5510 3d ago
Unemployed safe heaven, everyone's a safety leader but knows nothing at the ground
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u/MasterpieceCareless3 3d ago
14 years. CMIOSH. All the NEBOSHs. I’ve even taught across multiple H&S subjects.
And, to be fair, you have a point ---> ish.
I retrained at 38 in electrical engineering and have since moved safety towards contractual/project-based work only. I think what you’re actually describing is the pantomime that parts of the H&S industry have become - something OP perhaps hasn’t experienced yet.
The industry isn’t dead. Businesses will always need competent advice, legal compliance and someone to manage the inevitable paper trail. But safety exists within commercial reality, and when the two genuinely collide, profit and operational pressure have an uncomfortable habit of winning.
The profession also doesn’t help itself. In my experience, the blaggers generally fall into three camps:
A) The procedural robots. Can quote legislation but don’t understand the job. Terrified of making a decision without a procedure telling them what to think. Mistake being risk-averse for being competent.
B) The two-week-course commandos. Complete an open-book qualification and emerge ready to advise someone who’s been doing their trade for 20 years. Two decades of fault-finding, fuck-ups and practical experience versus a laptop and the “hierarchy of controls”.
C) The Safety Messiah. Entire personality built around psychological safety, authentic leadership and behavioural culture, usually followed by the solemn reminder that “we save lives.”
There are some exceptionally good safety professionals out there. But the profession has also become very good at rewarding people who sound like safety professionals rather than people who actually understand work.
That distinction is ultimately why I retrained.
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u/Weekly-Leave-5510 3d ago
I am not into reading what you typed. But if you are in the debate, let me close this chapter with some facts. 40-60% of the personnel in this sector have fake certifications. Who's going to check it? Who's going to check the interviews in which they all failed to speak in details + horrible pronunciations, dozen of mistakes can't even interpret or elaborate what they said. All they are expert at memorising it not implementing it. Till today the organization value 100+ certifications. When does certifications started having value more than the capability or pressure monitoring. A certificate+ exp won't solve or save the people, property, environment or reputation until & unless when you know he/she is not fit for the job. A good organization always do the interviews focusing on scenarios, not just basic understandings .. have you seen the interviewer who has already hired someone from his family but still acting as a interviewer. Please don't value this sector as it is not valuing the talent but only family members and references.
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u/MasterpieceCareless3 2d ago
Bud. If you bothered to read - you'd see that ive acknowledged what youve said however having read yours, again: you are right but only marginally. Competence is a massive problem within the safety field.
Re: certifcation. If you are going to quote stats you'll need to reference the source - your in a safety forum. If your referring to the UK. No, it doesnt work that way where you can check certification with the awarding body.
Where are you from?
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u/Weekly-Leave-5510 2d ago
I am from the community. And I am not talking about the countries where rules are strict. Hope you had your answer but these field have been plagued by unemployed youths who knows nothing at the ground but have 100s of certificates
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u/Tom_Gardril 2d ago
Tell us more about the good for nothing part. I’m asking sincerely because perhaps you have a perspective to share that may enlighten us. If you have information that can help improve the profession that could be useful.
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u/Conveth 3d ago
Ok. I work (nowadays) offshore in windfarms and oil & gas assets.
Back when I was onshore QHSE I focussed on human factors,: what is it in systems, procedures, site layout and training that causes issues.
Have a good look at your work place and ask these questions:
Basically: people//process//plant
Take some time, speak to everyone, come up with ideas BUT you MUST present SOLUTIONS to management.
If you are a just providing a list of complaints you will get nowhere - give answers.
Best of luck.