Health and safety manager jobs
Health and safety is not only a legal requirement of any ongoing business, it is also important in maintaining morale of staff and also keeping them safe, which can reduce sick days and prevent litigation through accidents at work. In charge of H&S will be a health and safety manager or head of health and safety. Their job will be to keep in touch with the law and technologies surrounding the industry they are working in, performing inspections and ordering repairs, and to keep the staff informed about health and safety.
Logistics, with its heavy transport, warehouses, potentially hazardous materials and bulk goods, is inherently dangerous if the correct health and safety procedures are not observed. But even “safe” areas like offices require health and safety law to be implemented, and this will also form part of the health and safety manager’s role.
In large companies, the health and safety manager might be required to oversee several sires, and an in-depth knowledge of their H&S requirements will be required. The health and safety manager often has the power to shut down any part of a site he or she thinks falls below the required standards.
The skills required
Instilling health and safety is often something of a persuasive skill, as it’s well known that workers get complacent and can often fall into bad habits. It will be up to the head of health and safety to make sure rules are observed, so good communication skills – informing and listening – will be essential.
The role also requires an ability to absorb and comprehend changes in H&S law and the H&S implications of new technologies. This could involve study and attendance at seminars, where a receptive personality will be valued.
The job will involve a good deal of paperwork, digital and literal, so good computer skills, especially report-writing, will be necessary.
Health and Safety Manager Jobs in the South West
A region that encompasses Bristol, Gloucester, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire, as well as the Isles of Scilly, the South West is a diverse area that offers a broad range of opportunities for those seeking Health and Safety Manager positions.
As demonstrated by the ancient monuments like Stonehenge and the Roman ruins in Bath, the South West has been settled for thousands of years. In fact, the oldest complete human skeleton ever found in the UK was discovered in Cheddar Gorge and dates back to around 7150 BC.
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, much of the South West relied on fishing and shipping, particularly in Bristol, a city which harboured vessels that traded with Ireland, Iceland and the Americas. Later, it became known for coal mining, as well as heavy industry.
Today, aeronautics is an important part of the South West economy, and a number of companies have facilities in the region - such as Airbus UK, BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce. There's also Defence Equipment and Support - the MoD's procurement and logistics agency.
Cheese, clotted cream and other dairy products are made in the region, with companies including Dairy Crest, which makes Cathedral City and Davidstow. Other food and beverage manufacturers include Ginsters, Ryvita, Kraft Foods UK and Beverage Brands, makers of WKD vodka. Meanwhile GSK manufactures Lucozade and Ribena in Coleford.
In addition, Princess Yachts, Siemens Traffic Controls, Merlin Entertainments, Endsleigh Insurance, Westland Helicopters and Wincanton plc are all based in the region.
Popular locations
Cast UK’s logistics opportunities
Cast UK was founded by specialists in the logistics, supply chain and procurement trade, and as we grow, we only employ consultants from the same backgrounds. This gives us in-depth knowledge of what employers and candidates are looking for.
We have jobs in all areas of the UK, so are perfectly placed to find you work wherever you are located. If you’re moving house, please check to see if there are any positions available in the new area; if you’re simply looking for more job fulfilment or to advance your career, there’s more than likely an employer who’s looking for the skills you are offering.
Employers approach us to find candidates because they are confident that we will be able to fill their managerial and executive vacancies. So do get in touch if you’re looking for a job in logistics; there’s a good chance a vacancy will arise with your name on it.
Contact us